My First Discussion Syllabus. OMG, so excited!

SOC 207: Social Inequality – Fall 2009
Tracy DeHaan, GTF
Email: tdehaan@uoregon.edu
Office: 630 PLC
Office Hours:

Overview

The purpose of discussion sections is to give students a chance to better understand the course material through dialogue with other students. While I will help to guide discussion and reinforce what I think is important, the responsibility for creating productive discussion sections ultimately lies in your hands. The following is necessary in order for this to happen:

1. STUDENTS WILL BE EXPECTED TO READ THE ASSIGNMENTS BEFORE COMING TO CLASS. In order to be an active participant in the classroom, you must come to class prepared—even if being prepared means simply having questions about what was confusing to you in the readings. Come to class with readings done and bring your book, notes, and a writing utensil to each session. Being prepared means having all the tools you need to participate.
2. DO NOT PLAN TO USE CLASS TIME TO CATCH UP ON NON-CLASS ACTIVITIES. Do not read the sports page, surf the Internet, text ur bff, make your grocery lists, plan your weekend, write letters, sleep, flirt, or catch up with friends. Mentally “checking out” of class in this way will make it difficult to do well in the course and will be disruptive to your classmates. In addition, I will find it highly annoying. If you have a pressing need to do these things during scheduled class time, do yourself, me, and your classmates a favor and just don’t come to class. This is why attendance is not required for your grade. Instead, regular attendance acts as an opportunity for extra points towards your grade at the end of the quarter.
3. CLASSROOM DISCUSSIONS SHOULD REMAIN CIVIL. We are here to learn from each other. It is difficult to learn from someone who is yelling at you, rolling her/his eyes, grumbling under his/her breath, ignoring you, interrupting you, or engaging in other dismissive behaviors. I don’t expect that any of us will be tempted to behave so rudely, but it doesn’t hurt to spell out that these things are out-of-bounds in the classroom.
4. CELL PHONES SHOULD BE TURNED OFF BEFORE CLASS BEGINS. It is highly disruptive when these devices make noise during class time. Please don’t make me act like an elementary teacher and take your phone away until after class. Just kidding. Sorta.
5. AVOID TALKING OVER OTHERS AND CHITCHATTING DURING CLASS. This is a huge pet-peeve of mine. If you need clarification on something, I don’t mind answering questions (if I can). If you are talking about something else, you should do it somewhere else. I reserve the right to ask you to leave or to ask you to sit somewhere else in the room.

Final Comments

I am here to help you. If you have any disability, either temporary or permanent, which might affect your ability to participate fully in the discussion, please let me know right away. We can figure out what accommodations will be necessary to provide for equitable participation.

Don’t be a stranger! I would like to learn a little bit about all of you, including your names. It would help enormously if you would feel comfortable enough to introduce yourself to me before or after class. Be sure to visit me in my office hours or I’ll get bored!

I believe that every single one of you can do well in this class. In fact, I expect you to come with your game face on, to try your best, to put as much into the class as you can and get as much out of this class as you can, to ask for help when you need it, and to work with me to ensure your success.

Finally, I want to stress that ALL students are welcome in my class, regardless of national origin, religious affiliation, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical challenge, socioeconomic status, or cultural background. Let us work to make our classroom an environment marked by kindness and mutual respect for one another. It is our differences, even more than our similarities, that offer the richest opportunities for learning.