Mr

Social Justice

Term: Fall, 2010

Course N= umber: RLST 110 A

Instruct= or: Joan Crist

Office:<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> 513

E-mail:<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> jcrist@ccsj.edu

Office Phone: (219) 473-4304; Home Phone: (219) 932-2706

Office Hours: Room 513.&= nbsp; Mon & Wed 9:00--11:30 and 1:30--about 3:00; Tue & Thur 9--10= :00 and 1:30--about 3:00; most Friday mornings. If you can’t find me, call m= e.

Instructor Background: BA, Classics, St. John’s Col= lege, Annapolis, MD

MA, Ph.D, Theology, University of Notre Dame, IN

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Course Time: Monday and Wednesday, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm.

Course Description: This course focuses on reading and discussion of social just= ice issues. This course includes ten hours of community service learning. This course must be taken in the student’s first semester at the College.<= span style=3D'color:black'>

Learning Outcomes/ Competencies:

A Student in this course will be able to:<= /span>

· = Describe how peo= ple of faith in the past and present have made a difference in their communities.<= o:p>

· = Explain some bas= ic values embodied in religious faith and what these mean for human life today= .

· = Explain some of = your own values and what these values tell you about your role in the world toda= y.

· = Make a differenc= e in your community through a service project.

· = Explain how your service experience has made a difference in you.

Textbooks: Eugene Finnegan, What is Fair? Social Justice in the Twenty-First Century.

&= nbsp; hand-outs and online docume= nts as assigned;

a 70-page notebook or theme book to use as a journal.

Students will need to gain = access to Blackboard online for this course: www.ccsj.edu/blackboard.

You will need your student = ID number to log in. See me or g= o to the library for help.<= /p>

Assessment:

Service hours: 20%

Participation: 20%

Journal: 20%

Written homework: 20%<= /o:p>

Final exam: 20%<= /span>

SERVICE HOURS=3D20%

We will be helping= out at Kenwood Elementary S= chool in Hammond. <= o:p>

We will complete some= of your hours during class time. A ma= p and directions are attached. You = may also need to schedule time to go on your own, outside of class time, depend= ing on the needs of the school and your talents. They need the most help during recess! 10:45 am – 12:10. The principal, Ms. Nic= kolaou would love to have CCSJ students organize recess-time activities for the Ke= nwood students. If you would like t= o take on this kind of project, you may earn up to 10 points extra credit for your service. Look for ideas for w= hat else you could do while you are there.&nbs= p;

Another option for= service outside of class time is the Learning League, an afterschool program for Kenwood students at the nearby First Methodist Church, anytime bet= ween 2:30 and 6:00 pm. They need l= ots of help, too.

PARTICIPATION=3D20%

ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN COLLEGE.

In this class, you will practice listening actively and presenting your ideas to others in a public setting. Your final exam will be oral: use = every class day as an opportunity to practice.&n= bsp; To earn an A for the day (5 out of 5 points in the gradebook), you m= ust:

Be on time;
Be focused and attentive;
Stay for the entire class;
Give reports and /or responses to homework discussion questions;
Engage in conversation and activities with the class.

If you miss class, this is a zero for the day: you are losing about 2% from your final grade.

If you do not participate, this is a D for the day (3 = out of 5 points).

If you ar= e late for class, leave early, or leave in the middle of class, you will lose one point.&= nbsp; If you do not speak up at all, that is 3/5 points (a D). Absence equals zero points.

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2 excused= absences for any personal reasons will be allowed. Participation will n= ot count on that day. Journal wo= rk may be made up for full credit. <= o:p>

See me to take an excused absence and t= o make up the work. In case of college athletics or jury du= ty, additional excused absences may be taken with confirmation.

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Please tu= rn off and put away all cell-phones, pagers, and other electronic devices for the duration of the c= lass – unless you are the prim= ary caregiver of a dependent (child, ill or aging relative).<= /p>

Do not use them during class. You may use them during breaks. If there is a true family or health emergency, please let me know before answering a phone or leaving class. I reserve the right to make a judg= ment call about your participation grade in such an instance.

I give you 10= 0% of my attentiveness during class. Y= ou need to give the same.

If you ha= ve any medical or personal issues that are likely to affect your participation, talk with me: these standards will not be lowered or changed; I will work with you to help you to succeed.

JOURNAL=3D20%

During class, you will be asked to write in a journal – a notebook or theme book which you must bring to class. The purpose of the journal is̷= 0;

for you to process what we are doing in class;
so I can give you daily feedback on your writing and participation;
to give me feedback on how I am communicating as a teacher;
to provide a resource for you to prepare for your final exam.

The journal is not a notebook: keep it separate fro= m your class notes. You will pic= k it up at the beginning of class, and hand it in at the end of class. I intend to read it after each cla= ss day, record your journal and participation grade in it for that day, and po= st your grades on Blackboard by the end of the week.

The journal will be graded on ACCURACY and EFFORT. You should write at least 5 comple= te and meaningful sentences in your own words and respond thoroughly to the question. Your personal views= and values will not be judged: write what you think. What you write is conf= idential. I will not share it without your permission.

HOMEWORK=3D20%

On selected days, you will have assignments to complete before class. These may inclu= de reading, research, writing, and posting reports on the “Blackboard= 221; website. It is your responsib= ility to follow the schedule, to be aware of additional assignments given in class which have not been spelled out on the schedule, to have the readings you n= eed, and to come to class prepared. If you need help understanding an assignment, or locating a reading, please= do not hesitate to contact me!!!

FINAL EXAM=3D20%

The exam will consist of a 15-minute interview with me= . You will discuss the most meaningf= ul aspects of your learning and experience this semester, and respond to follo= w-up questions. See page 8 below f= or guidelines.

Grade	Points
A	100-92
A-	91-90
B+	89-88
B	87-82
B-	81-80
C+	79-78
C	77-72
C-	71-70
D+	69-68
D	67-62
D-	61-60
F	59 and below

Grading Scale:

Course Outline: Our schedu= le is a work in progress, because we will discover the needs of Kenwood School as we go along. You may also discover questions, issues, and ideas for action that you would like to pur= sue further. These discoveries wi= ll shape our plans. There will be additional service days, and there may be additional assignments not descri= bed below. Updates will be dec= ided on in class and posted on Blackboard as announcements, and under “syllabus.” I= t is your responsibility to be aware of these changes. Contact me if you have any questio= ns!

= ;

In general= , there are three kinds of work that we need to do:

Service – our experi= ences at Kenwood

History – learning a= bout people in the past and present who have made a difference in their communit= ies.

Reflection – spending t= ime thinking, talking, and writing about our experiences.

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Class Dates: = ;	Topics and assignments. Assignments are given in bullet points. Complete them BEFORE the date in which they appear.
Sept. 8	Introduc= e the course and syllabus. Create g= round rules for conversation.
Sept. 13	What is social justice?= = · Read W= hat is Fair? Chapters 1 and 2. = · Post a response to your assigned question on t= he Blackboard discussion board if you have one for these chapters.
Sept. 15	From the prophets to Jesus: the re= ign of God and hope for the future of this world. <= ![if !supportLists]>· Read W= hat is Fair? Chapter 4 <= ![if !supportLists]>· Post a response to your assigned question on t= he Blackboard discussion board if you have one for this chapter. Discuss how to write a ve= rbatim report
Sept. 20	SERVICE DAY: MEET AT KENWOOD AT 12= :15. Meet Ms. Nickolaou and tour the school. We will = leave Kenwood by 1:15. Write yo= ur verbatim report ASAP after we go! &nb= sp;
Sept. 22	Reflect on our service experience<= o:p> <= ![if !supportLists]>· Write a verbatim report on your experience. See p. 7 for guidelines.= <= ![if !supportLists]>· Be prepared to read your verbatim report for t= he class. <= ![if !supportLists]>· Be prepared to listen to your colleagues read their reports, to ask them respectful questions, inviting them to explore their thoughts and feelings further, and to share your thoughts and feeli= ngs in relation to what they have said. <= ![if !supportLists]>· Read W= hat is Fair? Chapter 17. <= ![if !supportLists]>· Post a response to your assigned question on t= he Blackboard discussion board if you have one for these chapters.
	Monks and early Christians: the po= wer of a simple life = · Read W= hat is Fair? Chapter 5. = · Post a response to your assigned question on t= he Blackboard discussion board.
	St. Francis: Care for Creation = · Read W= hat is Fair? Chapter 15. = · Post a response to your assigned question on t= he Blackboard discussion board if you have one for this chapter.
	Dress for the weather. We will do something outsid= e, weather permitting. We may = work in the native plant garden on campus, visit a community garden in Hammond, or trek= out to the Lost Marsh. If weather = does not permit, we will reschedule and move on to the next topic.<= /span> &nb= sp;

	Augustine, Joan of Arc, and CPT: Is violence ever OK? = · Read W= hat is Fair? Chapter 12 Post a response to your assigned question on the Blackboard discussion board.
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	Leo XIII: the power of advocacy = · Read W= hat is Fair? Chapter Chapters 6 and 7. = · Post a response to your assigned question on t= he Blackboard discussion board.
	“Food,” Inc.: how corporations dominate our food supply today.
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	Dorothy Day: the power of initiati= ve = · Read W= hat is Fair? Chapter 7, p. 57. <= ![if !supportLists]>· Post a response to your assigned question on t= he Blackboard discussion board.

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	Cesar Chavez: the power of solidar= ity = · Read W= hat is Fair? Chapter 8, p. 70. = · Post a response to your assigned question on t= he Blackboard discussion board. &nb= sp;
optional=	CCSJ Social Justice conference: to be scheduled for a time outside of class. Tentative topic: immigration today.



Nov. 29	Reflecting on your service--learni= ng: the power of you Today we= will summarize and share our thoughts on our experience at Kenwood, and draft a letter of thanks to send to Ms. Nickolaou and the Kenwood faculty and sta= ff. <= ![if !supportLists]>· Reread your journal and your verbatim reports. = <= ![if !supportLists]>· Write a one-page summary describing what your service and your learning have done for you.
Dec. 1	Practice= for final exams
Dec. 6, Dec. 8, and exam day	Final ex= ams: sign up= for your exam time on the schedule by my office door (room 513) and keep your commitment. If you miss your scheduled time, it is your responsibility to communicate with me to reschedule. There will be points off. There is no guarantee that you w= ill be able to make up the exam.

Gui= delines for writing verbatim reports

Wha= t is a verbatim?

A verbatim report is a detailed, play-by-play description of a piece of your experience. It includes what = you saw, heard, felt, thought, said -- even smelled or tasted! -- with as much detail as possible. Your repo= rt can also include your personal insights into the meaning of that experience.

Wha= t is it for?

The purpose of a verbatim report is simply to help you to reflect on your experience, in order to discover its deeper meaning for you. You may also find that writing ver= batim reports sharpens your powers of perception and thought the next time you go through your service experience, or any experience in your daily life.=

&= nbsp; You may, at some point, be asked to read a verbatim report for the class or a s= mall group of your colleagues. Whe= n you read, you may leave out some selected things if you feel they are too priva= te to share. I and your colleagu= es may ask you follow up questions that invite you to explore the meaning of this experience further. Your repo= rt will create an opportunity for us, as a group, to reflect on our service together. This may inspire us= with ideas for issues we would like to study further or things we would like to do.

How= do I write one?

It is very important to write your verbatim very soon after the experience, wh= ile the memory is still fresh. Im= agine you are writing a novel, or a screenplay for a movie of your life. Choose a part of your experience t= hat seems especially meaningful or memorable. Bring the reader into the experi= ence. It may be an experience you l= iked, or something that felt uncomfortable. It may be something that lasted only 5 or 10 minutes, for example:

· = walking into a new situation for the first time.

· = an encounter with a person.

· = a conversation: conversations are especially important. Try to capture the exact words that the other person said, and that you said.=

· = an observation of something that was happening.

· = a time when you felt a strong emotio= n, positive or negative, and what happened.

Include outward details, what you see, hear, touch, observe.

Also include inward details: name your feelings; describe your thoughts.<= o:p>

Allow your thoughts to flow freely. Do not censor or edit anything. = The ideas that pop out of your mind unexpectedly can sometimes be the most revelatory. Do not be afraid = of difficult, embarrassing, or painful thoughts. You may write by hand if you wish.=

How= long should it be?

Length in pages is not really important. What matters is the level of detail you give, and the honesty with w= hich you write. One typed page, or= two pages hand-written, is probably a good guide. You will receive a sample verbatim= from my personal journal when we discuss this in class.

Gui= delines for the final exam (28 points possible)

You will have a 15-minute, one-on-one, oral interview with me. You will describe the facts, ideas, experiences, and reflections which you have found the most meaningful this semester. I will ask you one or two follow-up questions. The exam will be recorded to ensur= e that it is graded fairly.

Guideline	Points and comment= s
History= = Discuss one person of faith whom we have studied. Clearly state a main idea summar= izing what you wish to say about that person.	1 point=
Give 3 accurate and thorough details describing that person’s life, context, and achievements.	3 points
Explain, in a unique and original way, why that person’s life seems meaningful to you.	1 point=
Describe at least one of the values which motivated that person. What is the source of this value in the Bible or Christian teaching? Do you agree with this value? Why or why not? What= does this value mean for our world today?	4 points
Service= = Explain what your service experience has done for others. Clearly state a main idea summar= izing what you wish to say.	2 points
Give three details, from your experience and/or class discussion, s= howing what your service has done for others.	3 points
Explain, in a unique and original way, what your service experience= has done for you. How has this experience made a difference in you?&nbs= p; Include details from your experience.	5 points
Respond to follow-up question/s with reasoning and accuracy.	2 points

DELIVERY: Speaks in complete sentences= .	.5
Spe= aks for most of the 15 minutes without more than 3 prompts.	1
Sou= nds prepared but not read or memorized.	1
Spe= aks slowly and clearly enough to be heard.	1
Mai= ntains eye contact at least 50% of the time.	1
Avo= ids fillers, such as “ah…	.5
Mai= ntains posture.[1]<= /a>	1
Dre= sses to help not hinder speech. [2]	1

Tutoring Center:

The Tutoring Center is dedicated to supporting Calumet College of St. Joseph students.&nb= sp; Students work with tutors to develop course competencies and study skills such as time management, test preparation, and note taking. In addition, students are provided= with tutoring support to help pass courses, to improve grade point average, and = to promote continuing education and career advancement. Tutors have a specific charge: to = help students learn how to master specific subject matter and to develop effecti= ve learning skills. Tutoring is = open to all students at Calumet College of St. Joseph at no charge and is availa= ble to support most introductory courses. Tutoring in support of some other courses is available as well. The Tutoring Center is located in Room 413. The telephone number is 219.473.4287 or 800.700.9100 ext. 287.

Statement of Plagiarism:

If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find that a student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter= up for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonest= y is dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed u= nder the section of CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances. =

Please note: Calumet College of St. Joseph subscribes to Turnitin.com and all papers can and may be submitted for chec= ks on plagiarism from the Internet/Electronic sources/Databases.

Citation Guidelines:

Calumet College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as prescribed by the particular discipline (i.e., MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian.). All of these guid= elines are available in the Calumet College of St. Joseph library or bookstore. These texts outline how to cite references from a variety of sources, including electronic media.

Withdrawal from Classes Policy:

After the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), students = may withdraw from a course in which they are registered with permission from the faculty member conducting the course. A written request detailing the reaso= n(s) for the withdrawal must be filed with the Registrar. The Registrar must rec= eive written request for withdrawal by the last day of classes prior to the final examination dates specified in the catalogue. Written requests may be maile= d to the Registrar or faxed to the College fax number 219-473-4259. Students are= to make note of the refund schedule when withdrawing from courses. The request= is forwarded to the faculty member, who makes the final determination to accep= t or deny the request. If the request is honored, the student will receive notification of official withdrawal; if denied, the notification will indic= ate why the withdrawal is disallowed.

An official withdrawal is recorded as a "W" grade on the student's transcript. Dropping a course without written permission automatically incu= rs an "F" grade for the course (see Refund Schedule).

Student Support Services:

Among its other services, the Student Support Services Office guides, counsels and assists students with disabilities. If a student believes that he or she needs a “reasonable accommodation” of some kind because of a physical, psychological, or mental condition (e.g., additional time needed for tests, note taking assistance, special testing arrangements, etc.), he or she should contact t= he Student Support Services Office at 473-4388. Staff there will secure documentation pertinent to the disability and work with faculty and staff, = if necessary, to address the matter.

CCSJ Alert:<= /p>

Calumet College of St. Joseph utilizes an emergency communications system that transmits messages via text, email, and voice platforms. In the event of an emergency, of we= ather related closings, or of other incidents, those students who are registered = for the system shall receive incident specific message(s) notifying them of the situation. Please sign-up for= this important service at any time on the College’s website. Alternatively, you can register at = the time you register for classes. This service requires each user to register once per academic year. Therefore, at the beginning of each academic year, please remember to re-register for the system. This can be done at: = http://www.ccsj.edu/alerts/i= ndex.html.

School Closing Information: <= /o:p>

&n= bsp; = ; Internet: &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; = http://www.ccsj.edu

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http://www.EmergencyClosings.com

Facility: Calumet College of St. Joseph

Phone: 219.473.4770

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WAKE – 1500 AM

WGN - 720 AM

WIJE – 105.5 FM

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&= nbsp; TV Channels:

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