FRS 125: Generation Gap: Multigenerational
Perspectives on
Life
Fall Semester, 2006 – 4 Credit Hours
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 2; 11:00am—12:20pm
Instructor: Alison H. Climo, MSW, Ph.D.
Office: Jensen 107 Office Phone: x3710
Office Hours: M 12:30
– 3; Tu 12:30 – 2; W 12:30 – 4:00; and by appointment
Home
Phone: 299-1245 (Please feel
free to phone me at home if you cannot reach me at my
office)
E-mail: aclimo@warren-wilson.edu
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Peer Group Leaders: |
Mariel Epstein |
Sarah Moseley |
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Phone: |
Dorm: 5632 Cell: 513/479-3964 |
Cell: 252/452-1334 |
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E-mail: |
mepstein@warren-wilson.edu |
smoseley@warren-wilson.edu |
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Office Hours: |
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Office Location: |
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Academic Support Services:
Lyn O’Hare
ext.
3012 Top
floor of Carson
http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~academicsupport/academic_support_services.shtml
or click on “Academic
Support Services” from the WWC Inside Page
Writing Center:
Writing Center Tutors
ext. 3003
writing@warren-wilson.edu
Library Faculty Mentor:
Chris Nugent ext. 3061 nugent@warren-wilson.edu
Check out the course web page: http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~library/FYS125.html
Required Text (available in the
WWC Bookstore):
Kaye, L.W. (Ed.) (2005). Perspectives
on Productive Aging: Social Work
with the New
Aged. Washington, DC: NASW Press.
Course
Description:
As the global population ages and the average life expectancy increases, we are more and more likely to see multiple generations living and working together. What issues arise as different generations interact? What can we learn from each other? How does one generation distinguish itself from another? In what ways does your generation determine who you are and what your life looks like?
This course explores multigenerational issues in the contexts of education, work, family, and community. Popular and documentary films, the College archives, and guest speakers will serve to illustrate and expand on thematic readings. Students will develop observational skills and heightened sensitivity to the different dynamics of human relationships across generations, which will be explored in relation to culture, socioeconomic issues, gender, sexual orientation, race, educational opportunities, physical ability/disability, and family composition.
Course Content:
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to demonstrate competence in the following knowledge, skills, and values-based learning outcomes:
Knowledge of the following concepts:
Skills in:
Values related to:
NOTE: Class policies are standardized throughout the social work curriculum.
· Attendance- Class attendance and promptness in arrival is mandatory; you are expected to attend all class meetings for their entirety. For semester length courses you will be granted 3 absences without penalty, and for term length courses you will be granted 1 absence without penalty. All absences are treated equally. There are not “excused” absences (e.g., illness, doctor’s appointment, car problems) beyond that one allowed. Each additional absence for any reason will lower your final grade by 2%. Save your absences in case you need to use them for an illness or other genuine need.
·
If you miss
class on the Friday before Fall or Spring Break, the Monday or Tuesday
of
Thanksgiving week, or the last class of the semester/term – YOUR FINAL
GRADE
WILL BE REDUCED BY ONE THIRD OF A GRADE PER ABSENCE.
· Being late for class or leaving early three times is equal to one absence. Please come to class on time!
· Any student with eight or more absences will automatically fail the course (four or more absences for a term course).
·
Participation- Social work is an
applied field
of study. Intellectual knowledge is combined with learning how to do
social work. Your participation in class activities and discussion is
essential
to its success. You are expected to come to class prepared and
informed, to
listen attentively and offer verbal contributions to class discussion
(questions; answers; related topics from other courses or your own
experience;
opinions or interpretations that are the same or different from those
of the
instructor, the textbooks, or your classmates). You are also expected
to
refrain from talking when others are talking; to respect others’ right
to speak
without interrupting; to pay equal attention to everyone in the room,
not just
the instructor; to disagree with others by discussing their ideas,
not in attacking them; and to refrain from coming in
late/leaving early.
· Reading Assignments- You are responsible for carefully and thoughtfully reading each assigned chapter or supplement in time for class on the day it is assigned. You should come to class on those days prepared to discuss what you’ve read as well as what you think about it, and with any questions or observations you might have. Please consult the tentative syllabus schedule for specific dates/assignments. You are expected to bring your textbooks and other relevant materials to every class session.
· Written Assignments- Excellent writing and communication skills are essential for effectiveness in the helping professions.
à All written assignments must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point font (Times New Roman), with 1.25" margins, and pages numbered. Assignments presented in any other format will receive ½ credit. All written assignments must be in hard copy paper form. Electronic versions will not be accepted.
à Although you are welcome to conserve paper by double-siding assignments, you may not use recycled paper.
à “DUE” means that the assignment is due at the beginning of class the day it is assigned.
à Late assignments (assignments turned in any time after the beginning of class up to 24 hours from the beginning of class) will receive ½ off of the grade earned.
à Assignments that are more than 24 hours late will receive 0 points.
à Any “extensions” for assignments must be requested 24 hours in advance of the day they are due and will only be granted for unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances (i.e., the death of a close family member, a severe illness) at the discretion of the instructor.
à The APA Manual (Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association) will be the primary reference for questions pertaining to writing format. You are encouraged to use this manual as a personal reference outside of class in preparing papers.
à You are also strongly encouraged to seek feedback and assistance in preparing your papers through the writing support staff at the Writing Center located in Sunderland Hall.
NOTE: You must complete all assignments in order to earn a passing grade in the course.
· Re-writing Assignments- Occasionally you may be invited by the instructor to re-write an assignment for a new grade. If you choose to re-write an assignment, you must turn it in no later than 2 weeks after receiving it back from the instructor. The original paper must be attached to the re-write. A new grade will be assigned to the re-write and the assignment will be given a grade based on the average of the original and new grades.
· Grading - Evaluation is a complex process. Grades reflect both effort and achievement. Great effort in the absence of demonstrated achievement will not result in a high grade. The following guidelines are presented to help you understand the approach that will be used in grading your work in this course.
Grades
for this class will be according to the following points system:
|
Assignment |
Points |
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Participation and Preparation |
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Productive
Aging Plan |
75 |
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Work
Program Archives Paper |
125 |
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Multigenerational
Families Film Festival at Battery Park |
50 |
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Film
Review Paper and Annotated Bibliography |
75 |
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3-Generation
Family Genogram with Narrative |
125 |
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Productive
Aging Essay |
100 |
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Pre-Service Reflection |
75 |
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Service
Reflection Journal |
100 |
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Service Reflection Paper |
125 |
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Senior Thank You Gift |
50 |
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TOTAL |
1000 |
To
calculate your final grade, divide total points by 10 and consult the
chart
below:
Final Grade
Total
Points
A+ 97-100 A 94 - 96 A- 90 - 93
B+ 87 - 89 B 84 - 86 B- 80 - 83
C+ 77 - 79 C 74 - 76 C- 70 - 73
D+ 67 - 69 D 64 - 66 D- 60 - 63 F 0 - 59
“A”
(Exemplary) – “A” papers are
professional in appearance; have no typos and use correct grammar,
sentence
structure, and spelling. The writing in these papers is clear, concise,
and
well organized. The paper demonstrates that the writer has thought
carefully
about the topic and clearly understands the issues pertaining to it.
The paper
is not a simply regurgitation of information; it demonstrates the use
of a
variety of high-quality and appropriate sources and offers analysis,
synthesis,
and an in-depth, scholarly and interesting perspective on the topic,
including
the writer’s observations and conclusions.
“B”
(Competent) – “B” papers are
generally
well done and professional in appearance. These papers have minimal
types and
generally use correct grammar, sentence structure and spelling. The
writing in
these papers is generally clear, concise and well-organized; the
progression of
the paper, referencing of sources, and exploration of issues may not be
as
clearly present and comprehensive as in excellent papers. The paper
demonstrates that the writer has thought carefully about the topic and
generally understands the issues pertaining to it. The paper is not a
simple
regurgitation of information; it demonstrates the use of a variety of
high-quality and appropriate sources and offers analysis and synthesis,
but an
in-depth, scholarly and interesting perspective on the topic is less
well
developed than in an excellent paper. The writer’s observations and
conclusions
are present but less well linked to the material presented.
“C”
(Emerging) – “C” papers are
generally
professional in appearance but may have problems such as formatting
errors,
types or problems with grammar, sentence structure and spelling. The
writing
needs additional work in the areas of clarity, conciseness and
organization.
Problems may be present in the appropriate use of references. Although
the
topic is generally covered, the paper lacks a depth and understanding
of
related issues. The analysis and synthesis of information is limited
and the
quality of the sources used is questionable. The writer’s observations
and
conclusions seem to be opinions and not supported by the paper.
“D”
(Limited) – “D” papers
typically
reflect minimal effort in preparing the paper. There may be numerous
formatting
errors, typos, and problems with grammar, sentence structure and
spelling. Significant problems with
clarity, conciseness,
and organization of information are present. Significant problems in
referencing information are often present. The topic is minimally
covered;
analysis and synthesis of the information or the exploration of related
issues
are missing or weakly stated. The quality of the sources used is
questionable
and the information used is not integrated with the text. The writer’s
observations and conclusions may be missing or seem unconnected to the
paper.
“F”
(Failing) – A grade of “F” is
warranted when students do not complete the paper, when preparation for
the
paper has clearly been minimal, when the paper is disorganized,
unclear,
lacking in basic coverage of the topic, or when the appearance of the
paper
makes it difficult to interpret the writer’s intent. A failing grade
will also
be given if there is evidence of plagiarism or if the writing in the
paper is
significantly below appropriate college standards regarding such things
as
basic grammar, sentence structure, and spelling.
· Special Needs- If any student has specific, diagnosed, individual learning needs that will require special arrangements such as more time to complete assignments or tests, using someone else’s notes, taping class sessions or lectures, or typing rather than handwriting in-class tests or exams, please discuss those needs with the instructor during the first week of the term/semester. Students are encouraged to develop ways of coping with special learning needs, but it is difficult to address requests for special consideration when they are made on the day of a test or exam, or on the day an assignment is due, or late in the term/semester. Please address any questions regarding special accommodations to Lyn O’Hare, Director of Academic Support Services at ext. 3012 or lohare@warren-wilson.edu.
· Intellectual Honesty- The intellectual honesty policy regarding this course is in accordance with the Warren Wilson College Student Handbook policy, which states in part:
Cheating
on examinations or quizzes, forging signatures, turning in
work which is wholly or in part not the student’s own original work,
and using
ideas…writings, or other material without clearly and accurately giving
credit
to the originator are all reprehensible forms of dishonesty in a
scholarly
society…It is the responsibility of each student to make certain that
her or
his actions during an examination or in the performance of some work
that is
supposed to be original cannot be misinterpreted and thus expose her or
him to
suspicion or compromise. A student who knowingly allows others to copy
or use
her or his work is also culpable.
Failure to follow this policy will result in automatic failure for the course and a report to the Dean of the College.
· Professional Behavior- Because social work courses are part of a student’s training and professionalization process, certain behaviors that detract from or interfere with the learning experience are not acceptable. Persistent demonstration of these behaviors will result in a lowered grade at the discretion of the instructor. These behaviors include but are not limited to:
§ Late arrival to and early departure from class
§ Sleeping in class
§ Eating in class
§ Excessive odors (including body odor, perfume, essential oils)
§ Resting legs or feet on table or desk
§ Cell phone use (including ringing)
§ Coming to class under the influence of any illicit substances including alcohol, marijuana, or other substances
§ Bringing pets to class
§ Use of walkman, MP3 player, or other electronic devices
§ Knitting, sewing, other handiwork (doodling, crossword puzzles, letter writing, journaling)
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:
In this course you are expected to come to class prepared for every session and disposed to actively participate and contribute to class discussions and activities. You are expected to bring your textbook, readings, and course syllabus to every class session, except for service field visit days. In order to maximize your learning experience and that of your classmates, you are expected to actively engage in each class session for its entirety. To further your knowledge and understanding of the topics covered in this course, you are expected to come to every class session having done all of the assigned readings. You should be prepared to write or lead a discussion on the readings at every class session. In order to measure your preparedness, at various times in the semester, you will be required to write for 5 minutes on the assigned readings. Your writings will be graded according to the following scale:
ü+ = A (superior comprehension and interpretation of the material)
ü = B (evidence of adequate reading and comprehension of the material)
ü- = C (evidence of cursory knowledge of the material)
0 = F (did not do the reading/absent from class during writing)
Work Program Critical Reflection Paper – DUE Friday, October 20 – 125 points
Part I –
Thursday in-class, brainstorm key questions to get at the experience of the Work Program and the impact it has had on one’s work ethic, philosophy, approach, etc.
Write your own answers to the questions brainstormed in class
Part II –
Interview a 4-year senior about their experience in the work program
Part III –
Compare and contrast your own answers with those of the senior your interviewed.
Paper
Yes! We’re putting on a film festival for the residents of Battery Park Apartments! As a class we will host an afternoon of films and discussions that feature multigenerational families and issues. In small groups, you will be responsible for previewing one of the films to be screened and preparing to lead a 15-20 minute discussion after the film. Your grade for this assignment will be a shared, group grade and will be based on the criteria outlined in the Group Project Grading rubric.
Possible films include:
· “Big Mama” (40 minutes)
· “Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter” (44 minutes)
· “If These Walls Could Talk II” Segment 1961 (approx. 40 mintues)
· “Having our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years” (94 minutes)
· “Tuesdays with Morrie” (90 minutes)
· “Pioneers of Hospice: Changing the Face of Dying” (50 minutes)
· “Ageing and Sageing” (24 minutes)
Film Review Paper and Annotated Bibliography – DUE Thursday,
November 9 – 75
points
In combination with the Film Festival and your group-led discussion, each student will write a 3- to 4-page film review, which must include at least three outside references. For each of the three outside references, you will also prepare an annotated bibiliography. At least 12of the 3 references must be from a peer-reviewed source. Your references might be directly related to the film, however they may likely be related to the topic or theme that the film addresses. Your job in writing the review is to tie together the film’s content with the articles. Remember to use APA format for both of these assignments.
3-Generation
Family Genogram with Narrative – DUE Thursday, November 30 – 125 points
A genogram is a specific form of family diagram, but which goes a step beyond the family tree. Genograms provide a way of mapping family patterns and relationships across at least three generations. Genograms help us understand our families and ourselves better. For this assignment, you will construct your own 3-generation family genogram and will write a brief narrative (2-3 pages) describing what your genogram tells you about your family.
This First Year Seminar is also a multigenerational service-learning course. Together as a class we will journey every other week to Battery Park Apartments in downtown Asheville where students will engage in dialog and service with the elderly residents there.
Each of you will be paired with a resident based on common interests and backgrounds. During each visit to Battery Park, you will have time to talk informally with your elder for approximately 40 minutes. You will then have 20 remaining minutes to help your elder in their apartment by vacuuming, reading mail, or doing other light housework.
In order to make the most of the time available during this class, we will leave campus promptly at 11:00 am from the Jensen parking lot and will return in time for students to get to work or class at 1:00 pm. Box lunches will be prepared by Dining Services and available on service field trip days. The following schedule provides the dates for each service field trip and the general topic for the day’s visit and/or conversation. These topics correspond with assigned readings and syllabus topics. Students will develop specific discussion questions in class prior to each service field visit.
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Tuesday, September 19 |
Health and Aging |
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Tuesday, October 3 |
Learning Across a Lifetime |
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Tuesday, October 17 |
Work, Paid and Unpaid |
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Tuesday, October 31 |
Family |
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Tuesday, November 14 |
Dreams and Memories |
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Tuesday, November 28 |
Religion and Spirituality |
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Tuesday, December 12 |
This service project is a requirement for this course. Students missing a field visit to Battery Park Apartments must make up the visit (and subsequent journal) within one week. Failure to do so will result earning 2 absences and a 0 for that session’s journal.
The purpose of this assignment is to reflect on your overall expectations of the service components of this course and think prospectively about the process in which you are about to participate. This assignment gives you the opportunity to reflect on your prior assumptions and beliefs about aging and your feelings about doing service with older adults. Your paper should be 2- to 3-pages in length and should try to answer the following questions:
1) What expectations do you have about this service learning experience?
2) What previous experiences do you have interacting with older adults?
3) How does that experience, or the lack thereof, inform your expectations, hopes, fears, etc. about this service?
4) Do you have any fears or specific questions about working with older adults?
5) What are you most excited about in this service learning experience?
6) What personal strengths, skills, or knowledge do you hope to gain in this service learning experience?
7) What are you looking forward to learning or experiencing through this service opportunity?
NOTE:
I will return this paper to you on Tuesday, September 5. You are then
required
to bring the paper, with my comments, to the Writing Center for help
writing a
second draft, to be turned back in on Thursday, September 14 along with
the
original paper, and evidence of your visit to the Writing Center.
As you will read during the first week of class, service learning is half service and half learning. The learning part takes place, in part, through a journal in which you will describe what you experienced, what you did and said, and (critically) how you felt about what you did. You journal is your own creation, and you may be as creative as you wish. HOWEVER, at the very least, your journal must:
You will turn in your journal in the class directly following each field visit to Battery Park Apartments. I will return your journal the class after that with my comments and responses, which you should read carefully and incorporate into the next weeks’ journal.
This paper is the culmination of your service learning experience. It is where you will bring together what you did, saw, thought, experienced, etc. with your critical thinking skills to reflect and connect the “service” with the “learning.” Your paper should cover the following areas:
The elderly residents that you will be working with this semester will be sharing a great deal of themselves with you. As a way of saying “thank you,” to them, this assignment asks you to develop a special and unique memento to present to them at the end of the semester. This gift should reflect something about what you two have shared together and what you have learned from your elder. This gift could be: a letter, a song, a scrapbook, or some other thing that they can keep and share with their family and friends. Please feel free to consult with Jennifer Isaac and myself with your ideas. These gifts will be presented to the seniors at the End-of-Semester Celebration on Tuesday, December 12.
FRS 125 Portfolio Checklist
¨ Work Program Archives Paper
¨ Misc. Other
Tentative Course
Outline:
Tuesday August 29 Introductions and Course Overview
Thursday August 31 Transition Session Service Learning
Guest Speakers: Franklin Tate, Service Learning Office and Jennifer Isaac, Battery Park/Council on Aging
READ: Seperson, S.B. (2002). Student, teacher,
mentor and the service-learning classroom experience. In, S.B. Seperson & C. Hegeman (Eds.), Elder Care and Service Learning: A Handbook (pp. 73-83). Westport, CT: Auburn House. (HANDOUT)
DUE: Pre-Service Reflection Paper and
Questionnaire
Tuesday September 5 SERVICE @ Battery Park Apartments
Thursday September 7 READ: Ch. 1 “The Emergence of the New Aged
and a Productive Aging Perspective”
DUE:
Service
Reflection Journal
Friday September 8 READ: Ch. 2 “The Demographics of Productive Aging”
Tuesday September 12 READ: Ch. 3 “Conceptualizing Productive Aging”
VIDEO: “From Ageing to Sageing”
Thursday September 14 Transition Session Wellness
Guest Speaker: Jil Meadows, Counseling Center
READ: Ch. 11 “Physical Activity, Exercise, and Recreation”
Tuesday September 19 SERVICE @ Battery Park Apartments
Thursday September 21 READ: Ch. 5 “Volunteerism, Philanthropy and Service”
Guest Panel: WWC Volunteers
Friday September 22 Writing Prompt #1
Library Orientation Day
Tuesday September 26 READ: Ch 9 “Education and Learning”
Thursday September 28 Guest Panel: Center for Creative Retirement
Tuesday October 3 SERVICE @ Battery Park Apartments
DUE: Productive Aging Plan
goals of a liberal education. The American Scholar, 67(4), pp. 73-80. (HANDOUT)
Writing Prompt #2
Friday October 6 Transition Session Academic Support
Tuesday October 10 Transition Session Work
Guest Speaker: Ian Robertson, Dean of Work
READ: Ch. 4 “Labor Force Participation”
Thursday October 12 Library Archives Day
Tuesday October 17 SERVICE @ Battery Park Apartments
Thursday
October
19
DUE:
Service Reflection Journal
Friday October 20