Teaching Diverse Populations EDF 2085: Section 5957 Spring ...

EDF 2085: Section 5957 Brittany Werch

Teaching Diverse Populations EDF 2085: Section 5957 Spring 2015 Syllabus

Instructor: Brittany Werch

Schedule: Thursdays

Email: bwerch@ufl.edu

Period: 9-11, 4:05 PM-7:05 PM

Office: Norman Hall 291

Room: Norman Hall 166

Office Hours: Thursdays 3:00-4:00 and by appointment

General Objectives This course provides an introduction to the issues of diversity and multiculturalism as they relate to the provision of inclusive educational opportunities for all students in public schools. Prospective teacher education majors and others are provided with knowledge and experiences to increase their understanding of student diversity, inequalities in education associated with ability, gender, language, race, and social class, and the elements of inclusive classrooms and schools that accommodate and respond to the diverse learning needs of all students. This course requires the completion of 30 hours of community or school volunteer service.

Course Description Designed for the prospective educator, this course provides the opportunity to explore issues of diversity, including an understanding of the influence of exceptionalities, culture, family, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, language of origin, ethnicity, and age upon the educational experience. Students will explore personal attitudes toward diversity and exceptionalities. Students will be provided information on the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices, Sunshine State Standards, and the Professional Educator Competencies. A minimum of 30 hours of field-based experience working with diverse populations of children and youth in schools or similar settings is required.

Text and Readings Cushner, K., McClelland, A., & Safford, P. (2015). Human diversity in education: An

intercultural approach (8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Sensoy, ?., & DiAngelo, R. J. (2012). Is everyone really equal?: An introduction to key concepts in social justice education. New York: Teachers College Press.

Additional readings will be provided on the course e-learning website.

Course Requirements 1. Preparation: Students are expected to be prepared for class. This includes reading assigned materials, completing writing assignments, and coming to class with a pen/pencil, paper, and textbook. Reading assigned chapters and materials is vital to participating in class and online discussions.

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Attendance: Attendance is mandatory and will be taken during the first 10 minutes of class every day. Students are allowed two (2) "free" absences to be used at their discretion. Each additional absence will result in ten points being deducted from the final total points. Therefore, it is recommended that students save the two free absences for unexpected issues that may arise such as illness, funerals, travel, etc. Tardiness: Arriving to class after the attendance has been taken or leaving early before the end of class will result in an absence. In the event of an absence, it is the student's responsibility to obtain any missed materials. Students should see the instructor if health or other personal issues prevent them from attending class, as accommodations may be possible with the appropriate documentation. Students are responsible for obtaining documentation of health or personal issues.

Requirements for class attendance and make-up exams, assignments, and other work in this course are consistent with university policies that can be found at:

2. Participation and Professionalism: Class participation is defined to broadly include class attendance, contributions and responses to discussions on the course e-learning website, participation in discussions during class, and professional conduct. Students are expected to complete all readings before class meetings begin, attend all classes on time, complete all assignments on time, as well as participate in class activities and discussions. Sensitive topics will be discussed in class and respectful participation in these discussions is encouraged. Cell phones should not be used at any time during class. Laptops may only be used for course-related purposes (e.g., accessing an e-version of the text, taking notes, viewing the class PowerPoints).

3. Exams: Understanding of course readings and topics will be assessed with two exams (each worth 100 points). Exams will consist of multiple choice, short essay, and/or short answer questions that cover material from class activities, discussions, group presentations, lectures, and readings. Please be aware that assigned material not discussed in class (e.g., chapters in textbook) will be covered on the exam. Make-up exams will only be given in case of an emergency and if the circumstances constitute an excused absence according to university policies. Students are encouraged to notify the instructor prior to the exam, or as soon as possible, and provide appropriate documentation of the reason for the absence. If there are any questions about what qualifies as an emergency, please consult the instructor.

4. Online Discussions: There will be a total of eight discussion topics that will be posted with specific requirements on the course e-learning website. Discussion topic due dates are listed in the course calendar on the syllabus as well as on the course e-learning website. Students are responsible for checking the course e-learning website for updates to discussion topics and due dates. Online discussion posts must be completed by Friday night at 11:59pm. In addition to the initial personal post, students are required to respond to 2 peers' discussion posts by Sunday night at 11:59pm. All comments should be thoughtful and respectful. Late contributions to online discussions

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will not be accepted. Discussions are worth 5 points each (total of 40 points). Online discussion expectations will be reviewed in class and a grading rubric will be provided.

5. Volunteer Service: A minimum of 30 hours of volunteer service at a local community center, human service agency, or school must be completed. Students are responsible for arranging their own volunteer experience. The volunteer experience should be completed in a setting that provides learning opportunities with a diverse range of children or youth. The hours served should be spread across the semester (minimum of 10 weeks). At the beginning of the semester, students must submit the volunteer service contract signed by their volunteer supervisor (see schedule for due date). Upon completion of the volunteer service hours, students must submit the signed volunteer service log and signed evaluation form. An overall satisfactory rating from volunteer supervisors is required to successfully complete the service requirement. Professional conduct while volunteering is expected. Students must also provide a verification letter written by the supervisor on the agency's letterhead that includes a phone number and states that 30 hours of volunteer service were completed satisfactorily. Failure to satisfactorily complete the required 30 hours will result in an "E" grade. This is a mandatory course requirement and not subject to negotiation.

6. Volunteer Reflection Paper: Students are required to complete a reflective paper about the volunteer experience (2 to 3 pages, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12 point Times New Roman font). This paper should describe the volunteer experience and relate it to concepts and topics covered in the course. In addition, the paper should include the following information: the agency and its mission, why you chose it, the demographics of the clients served, and your role. The verification letter, evaluation form, service log, and reflection paper are due Thursday, December 4, 2014. If the verification letter, evaluation form, service log, or reflection paper is not turned in by this date, the volunteer service project will be considered late. Five points will be deducted for each day that it is late. Failure to satisfactorily complete ALL volunteer service project components will result in an "E" grade.

7. Group Presentation: Students will contribute to a group presentation project (worth a total of 100 points) consisting of two parts (an article summary/critique and class presentation). Students will be assigned to small groups. Groups will choose a research topic related to student diversity (e.g., ability/disability, gender, language, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, religion, or social class). For part 1 of the group presentation project, students must identify, summarize, and critique a scholarly journal article (50 points) related to the group topic. For part 2, students will work with group members to develop a 45-minute presentation (30 points) on their topic that will be given in class. Student participation in presentation groups is required (20 points). Each group member is expected to contribute equally to the project. Group members will be given class time to meet and work on the presentation. Students will document group presentation meetings on a regular basis. Please refer to the group presentation description and grading rubric for additional information.

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E-Learning Website Each student is required to check the course e-learning website for updates. Students may access the e-learning in Canvas site through . You may also find the site by going to the UF homepage and typing "Canvas" into the search box. Log in to the Canvas section of elearning using your Gatorlink username and password. This website will have a copy of the course syllabus, online class discussions, volunteer forms, and other useful information. Students are responsible for class announcements posted on the site by the instructor. Each student is responsible for downloading course notes prior to class meetings. Copies will not be available in class.

Course and University Policies

1. Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Students requesting accommodation for disabilities must first register with the UF Disability Resource Center dso.ufl.edu/drc/. The DRC will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the instructor when requesting accommodations. Students should contact the DRC and complete this process as early as possible in the semester for which they are seeking accommodations.

2. UF Student Honor Code: UF students are bound by the Honor Pledge, which states, "We, the members of the UF community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honor and integrity by abiding by the Honor Code." On all work submitted for credit by students at UF, the following pledge is either required or implied, "On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment." The Honor Code () specifies a number of behaviors that are in violation of this code and the possible sanctions. Furthermore, you are obliged to report any condition that facilitates academic misconduct to appropriate personnel. If you have any questions or concerns, please consult with the instructor in this class.

3. Online Course Evaluation: Students are expected to provide feedback on the quality of instruction in this course based on 10 criteria. These evaluations are conducted online at . Evaluations are typically open during the last two or three weeks of the semester, but students will be given specific times when they are open. Summary results of these assessments are available to students at .

4. Student Assistance and Emergencies: University support services are available to students who are experiencing significant distress and/or personal emergencies. As appropriate please contact: UF Counseling & Wellness Center: counseling.ufl.edu or 352-392-1575 University Police Department: 352-392-1111 or 9-1-1 for emergencies

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Grading Exams (2 exams; 100 points each) Group Presentation

Article summary/critique Presentation Participation 8 Online Discussions (5 points each) Volunteer Project Service contract/service log/evaluation /verification letter** Reflection paper Total Points

EDF 2085: Section 5957 Brittany Werch

200 points 100 points 50 points 30 points 20 points 40 points 60 points 30 points 30 points 400 points

**Note: No partial credit will be offered for completion of service contract/service log/evaluation/verification letter--All volunteer project paperwork is required.

Final grades will be assigned based on the following point scale:

376 ? 400pts

A

94.0 ? 100%

360 ? 375pts

A-

90.0 ? 93.9%

348 ? 359pts

B+

87.0 ? 89.9%

336 ? 347pts

B

84.0 ? 86.9%

320 ? 335pts

B-

80.0 - 83.9%

308 ? 319pts

C+

77.0 ? 79.9%

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