First Year Experience Program

Here is a list of ways in which I believe my class would be a suitable FYE class:

This class, and the way I teach it, fits the FYE description as provided on the WCSU web page. My class is a "discussion-based course... {with}? a strong emphasis on creating community within the classroom." The content of the class is largely concerns increasing the awareness of oneself and others in order to improve understanding of and participation in the communication process.

Students generally enjoy this class. If I were only teaching first year students I could more easily address some of the issues of a FYE class: managing transition to college, developing "enthusiasm for learning," and seeing the "relationship between what they learn in the classroom and the world beyond the university."

Although this is inherent (I hope) in every class I teach, I could highlight the life-long learning aspect of improving understanding of communication.

I like to teach in a cross-disciplinary way--I often use literature (novels and poetry) to teach about communication. I often use readings from anthropology and sociology as well. I can expand this as I rethink the class.

I have attached the old syllabus from the last time I taught the class-which was in Fall 2001. As you can see, it looks like it could almost be an FYE class as is. I will rethink some of it. Also I would never teach both Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and 'Night Mother in the same semester. It was too depressing. I'd find tow plays that are more upbeat. I have used Neil Simon. I could also use A Raisin in the Sun. I am considering using a collection of readings that draws from anthropology, and a few other social sciences.

I'm scheduled to teach two classes, and would be happy to do this in both.

The academic skills I would stress would be: writing, primary research and critical thinking. I often have students read 1-3 pieces of original research and do an analysis that includes a summary, but moves beyond that to consider nature of arguments a, claims and support, as well as unspoken assumptions. I often have students observe communication, keep a journal and then write up their findings into a more formal paper.

The success factors I would stress would be co-curricular activities--asking students to attend lectures, etc. for content as well as to observe communication. And possible technology-asking students to create blogs or web pages of their observations, etc. If I didn't do that, I would incorporate group work.