Course Assignments and GradingAssignment #1: Short Paper Assignment: My Experience in School (Due: Friday, February 13)Assignment #2: Analysis of an Educational Issues (Due: Tuesday, March 10)Schedule for SOC104aTexts on Reserve in Goldfarb: Course IntroductionBrief History of Education & Multicultural EducationSchools as Social SystemsSocial ReproductionThe Children of ImmigrantsRace Talk in School, Part IGOOD FRIDAY—NO CLASSRace Talk in School, Part IISOC104a: Sociology of Education, Spring 09, Demers 1Brandeis University SOC104a: Sociology of Education Spring 2009 Instructor: Kelly E. Demers Class Time and Location: Tuesday & Friday, 3:10-4:30 p.m., Shiffman Humanities Ctr. 216 Office Location: Pearlman, 211 Office Hours: Tuesday: Tuesday & Friday, 1:45-2:45 p.m. Contact Information: Office: 781-736-2023, Cell: 781-588-4392, email: [email protected] Course Description This course is designed to engage students in a critical examination of sociological and educational theory as it relates to contemporary schooling in the United States. Class participants will investigate the role of education in society, including the ways in which schools reinforce, and/or challenge prevailing social, economic, and political relationships. Issues to be discussed include: the purpose of schooling, the structure and organization of schools, curriculum development, social reproduction, family/school relationships, and the role of teachers. The meaning of culture, race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and identity will also inform our investigations into these topics. Course Assignments and Grading Course requirements Active participation 20% Assignment #1 15% Assignment #2 20% Assignment #3 20% Final Exam 25% Attendance, Participation, and In-Class Assignments: It is expected that you will come to every class well prepared. This class will be run in a seminar format. This means that there will be several in-class assignments that can only be completed during class time. If you miss one of these assignments, you cannot make it up outside of class and will put yourself at academic risk. Exceptions to this rule are made only when a student is ill. In the case of illness, a doctor’s note must be provided. Assignment #1: Short Paper Assignment: My Experience in School (Due: Friday, February 13) You are required to write a short paper (3-5 pages) in which you will examine your own school experience. Describe the school community that you grew up in and analyze your experience in school using the lenses provided by the theorists we discussed in class thus far. As you write, consider the following questions: Who was and was not included within your school community? How would you describe the school curriculum? What was and was not taught? How would you describe the pedagogy of the teachers at your school? Did the school address your needs? Do you think that the school addressed the needs of others? Throughout this paper you should provide examples to support your claims and references to the course readings. You are also encouraged to pose counter viewpoints with supporting evidence.SOC104a: Sociology of Education, Spring 09, Demers 2 Assignment #2: Analysis of an Educational Issues (Due: Tuesday, March 10) Identify an educational issue that has either been discussed in class or you have heard about through the media or you own experience as a student (e.g., No Child Left Behind, the achievement gap, high stakes testing, etc.). Write a 5-7-page paper that describes the issue and outlines the divergent ideological stances taken by different parties. What are the assumptions that are held by stakeholders regarding the nature and purpose of education? Make sure to cite the examples that you have used to reach your conclusion. Finally, discuss your personal position and provide supporting evidence. Be prepared to discuss your paper in small groups on the day that it is due. Assignment #3: A Class Dismissed Issue Analysis (Due: Tuesday April 14) Describe in detail an issues or theme from the Meredith Maran’s book Class Dismissed and analyze it using at least three of the sociological and educational theories that we have discussed over the course of this semester. Some possible issues might include: economic justice and the college application process, race talk, the benefits and challenges of small schools, teacher and administration relationships, social promotion, segregation within schools, etc. No more that 8-9 pages. Final Exam: The final exam will cover all of the material from the semester with an emphasis on the second half of the course. General Instructions for ALL the written assignments (1) Please use APA formatting for all papers. See the following website for guidance: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ (2) All papers in this class must be typed using 12-point font, double-spaced with 1-inch margin sides, top and bottom. (3) Late papers will only be accepted in case of a medical absence. Otherwise, late papers will be accepted only one class after the due date and it will be graded out 75% of total grade. Papers will not be accepted after this time. Resubmission Policies: (1) Short class assignments may not be resubmitted. (2) Rewrites of the assignments #1 & #2 may be submitted for a maximum of 2 letter grades. For example, a “C+” paper can earn a maximum grade of “B.” (3) Due to time restraints assignment #3 may not be rewritten. Academic Accommodations If you are a student who needs academic accommodations because of a documented disability you should contact me, and present your letter of accommodation, as soon as possible. If you have questions about documenting a disability or requesting academic accommodations you should contact Alwina Bennett, Assistant Provost for Graduate Student Affairs at ext. 63546. Letters of accommodations should be presented at the start of the semester to ensure provision of accommodations. Accommodations cannot be granted retroactively. Academic Integrity Academic integrity is central to the mission of educational excellence at Brandeis University. Each student is expected to turn in work completed independently, except when assignments specificallySOC104a: Sociology of Education, Spring 09, Demers 3authorize collaborative effort. It is not acceptable to use words or ideas of another without proper acknowledgment of the source. This means that you