Fall 2005
Professor:
Office: 272
Phone: 9260
Email: parsonsc@trinitydc.edu
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:30-12, or by appointment
Course Description
Required for all first-year students, this course offers us the opportunity to confront both old and new ideas and issues in a variety of formats to analyze their meaning and impact on a student’s life.
The First Year Seminar provides first year students with an interdisciplinary introduction to college level discussion, analysis, and writing in a seminar format, while providing opportunities to integrate experiential and academic learning. The focus of this year’s First Year Seminar is the concept of migration and transformation.
INT 115 WY6
In this section, we will explore the migration of women from working in the home to working for pay. We will consider the factors that prompted the migration of women from home to work, and the transformation of women, both as persons and as community, as a consequence of such a movement.
The First Year Seminar is an introduction to liberal learning providing students with critical thinking skills and the foundations for civic engagement. First year students participate in rigorous college level reading, writing and discussion, with opportunities to integrate real world experiences into academic learning through an interdisciplinary exploration of the concepts of migration and transformation.
The First Year Seminar forms the foundation for the Foundations for Leadership curriculum. As such, the First Year Seminar encompasses all of the goals of the FLC with the exception of the specifically quantitative math science area goals. The seminar aims to begin the process of teaching students to write clearly, coherently, persuasively and logically, to speak effectively and confidently, to develop respect for and understanding of cultural, racial, and gender differences; the concept of citizenship; and global diversity (FLC Area I). The seminar aims to begin to teach students to read with understanding and critical analysis, to explore modes of creative expression, and to understand the societal forces that have shaped and continue to shape our world (FLC Area II). The seminar aims to introduce the examination of ethical questions and behaviors in contexts of religious and moral knowledge and theory, especially with regard to the search for social justice (FLC Area III). The seminar aims to introduce the concept of scientific inquiry (FLC Area IV). The seminar attempts to introduce inquiry concerning the societal forces that have shaped and continue to shape our world (FLC Area V).
Students will improve reading, writing and communication skills through close examination of texts, numerous short writing assignments, and frequent in-class discussions. Students will learn to integrate life experiences into academic learning through a community based learning experience.
The First Year Seminar is, above all, a serious group conversation that generates work and growth. For this reason, preparation for class, attendance and participation are required. Failure to complete any assignment is grounds for failure of the course. You may not miss class without a valid excuse. More than three unexcused absences will be grounds for an “F” in participation, missing more than 1/3 of the class meeting will result in failure of the course. Your grade is based on attendance and the following requirements:
25% Community Based Learning Portfolio (pre-flection, reflective notes, post-flection, and a poster presentation.) (FLC Area II, III, V)
15% seminar participation (FLC Area I)
20% academic journal writing (FLC Area I, II, III, IV)
40% paper writing assignments (FLC Area I-V)
The First Year Seminar includes a required community based learning component. Community Based Learning (CBL) allows students to acquire experiential knowledge and to use their own real world skills, while providing needed service to members of our community. The academic goal of your community based learning is to allow for a shared practical learning experience that can then be integrated into the abstract learning that goes on in the classroom. I will be helping to structure assignments and discussions so as to enable this integration, but you will have to be observant and thoughtful about your community based learning experiences in order to get the most out of them. You are not graded on your service, but on your reflections of that service and the degree to which you successfully apply lessons learned in the community to the abstract ideas we address in class.
Your community placement site was carefully selected as a good place for you to think over the themes that will arise in our coursework. Each student must complete 20 hours with our community partner and keep ongoing notes on that experience in order to be able to complete the community based learning portfolio. Please notice that some academic journal reflection questions also require you to integrate your work in the course with your community based learning experience.
The academic journal is your ongoing academic reflection on the readings before class discussion. Academic journals should be kept up to date and will be collected and evaluated at the discretion of the professor. There will be short papers throughout the semester. We will be working, in these papers, on the fundamentals of critical writing and thinking.
The honor system has been a part of the Trinity community since 1913. Under the honor system, it is assumed that each individual is intellectually honest in her academic endeavors. The sense of trust underlying the honor system is the glue that holds our community together. The formal articulation of the honor code states:
“I realize the responsibility involved in membership in the Trinity College Community. I agree to abide by the rules and regulations of this community. I also affirm my intention to live according to the standards of honor, to which lying, stealing, and cheating are opposed. I will help others to maintain this responsibility in all matters essential to the common good of the community.”
You are responsible for upholding the honor code in all of your work for this course. If any questions arise in the course of your work concerning what counts as cheating, please contact me. I will pursue violations of the honor code vigorously.
August 24 Introduction
August 29 Introduction to the Service Learning Component
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“The Concept of Human Rights: The History and Meaning of Its
Politicization,” by Joy Gordon
"Intercultural Communication: A Reader"
August 31: Political Freedom, Civil Freedom, and Economic Freedom
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“The Concept of Human Rights: The History and Meaning of Its
Politicization”
(continued)
Academic Journal Reflection Question for
Next Class:
If you were to design a hierarchy of
freedoms, which would you
place first: political, civil, or
economic? How does that compare to
what the author suggests in our reading?
Sept. 5: Labor Day
Sept. 7: Political Freedom, Civil Freedom, and Economic Freedom
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“Why Did Change Take so Long?” by Claudia Goldin
Assignment
Due Today:
Academic
Journal
CBL Observation Journal
September 12 The Practical Conditions of Women’s Economic Lives in the
1900s: What Freedoms?
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“Why Did Change Take so Long?” (continued)
Academic Journal Reflection Question for
Next Class:
Do you think that the natural state of man
is freedom?
What implications do your beliefs about the
nature of freedom
have for women’s economic status at the turn
of the century? Was
their condition sustainable? Fragile?
September 14 The Practical Conditions of Women’s Economic Lives in the
1900s: What Freedoms?
Paper 1 Assigned:
Extended Definition Paper
Assignment
Due Today:
Academic
Journal
September 19 Writing Papers: An Aside
September 21 How Did Women Change? Whale Rider
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“Changing Roles in a Changing Economy,” by Blau, Ferber, and
Winkler
Assignment Due Today:
Extended Definition Collected
September 26 How Did Women Change? Whale Rider (continued)
Reading Due for Next Class:
“Changing Roles in a Changing Economy” (continued)
Academic Journal Reflection Question for
Next Class:
If you had to assign the notions of migration and transformation to our
heroine, what events in the movie would you argue were migratory and
transformative? Why?
September 28 How Did Women Change? Changing Roles in a Changing
Economy
Reading Due for Next Class:
“Changing Roles in a Changing Economy” (continued)
October 3 How Did Women Change? Changing Roles in a Changing
Economy
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“The Elgar Companion the Feminist Economics” (continued)
Assignment
Due Today:
CBL Observation Journal
October 5 How
Did Women Change? An Economic History of
the
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“Differences in Occupations and Earnings,” by Blau, Ferber, and
Winkler
Academic Journal Reflection Question for
Next Class:
Among the clients with whom you are working in your community service
unit, are any in a migratory stage in their life? Does that migration have to do with
work? Explain.
Paper 2 Assigned:
Extended Definition Revision
October 10 Columbus Day Holiday
October 12 How Did Women Change? Differences in Occupations and
Earnings
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“Differences in Occupations and Earnings” (continued)
October 17 How Did Women Change? Differences in Occupations and Earnings
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“The Elgar Companion the Feminist Economics” continued
Assignment
Due Today:
Extended Definition Rewrite
October 19 The Wage Gap
Assignment
Due Today:
CBL Observation Journal
October 24 Movie TBA
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“Economic Progress and Gender Equality,” by Claudia Goldin
Paper 3 Assigned:
Film Review
October 26 Movie
TBA
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“Economic Progress and Gender Equality” (continued)
October 31 Economic
Progress and Gender Equality
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“Economic Progress and Gender Equality” (continued)
November 2 Economic Progress and Gender Equality
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“The Elgar Companion the Feminist Economics” (continued)
“Women Writing Borders, Borders Writing Women"
Assignment
Due Today:
Film Review
November 7 Labour
Force Participation
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“The Elgar Companion the Feminist Economics” (continued)
Academic Journal Reflection Question for
Next Class:
In your view, has economic progress has been
quick or slow for
women?
Explain
November 9 Domestic Labour
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“The Elgar Companion the Feminist Economics” (continued)
Assignment
Due Today:
CBL Observation Journal
Paper 4 Assigned:
Comparison and Contrast
November 14 Double day/Second Shift
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“Recent Developments in the Labor Market,” by Blau, Ferber, and
Winkler
November 16 Recent Developments in the Labor Market
Reading
Due for Next Class:
“Recent Developments in the Labor Market” (continued)
November 21 Recent Developments in the Labor Market
Assignment
Due Today:
Comparison and Contrast
November 28 Discussion of Posters and Portfolios
Reading
Due for Next Class:
"Playfulness, World Traveling, and Loving Perception”
November 30 Playfulness, World Traveling, and Loving Perception
Discussion of Posters and Portfolios
Assignments
Due Today:
CBL Observation Journal
Poster Presentations
Portfolios
Join us the week of
December 5th as we present our CBL posters to the community!