ticket to ride: meaning & motivation in citizen-writers€¦ · transformative, transportive...
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TICKET TO RIDE: MEANING & MOTIVATION IN CITIZEN-WRITERS
Wednesday, June 20, 12
PRESENTED BY ZAPOURA NEWTON-CALVERT
WRITING INSTRUCTOR & FACULTY SERVICE LEARNING COORDINATOR (PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE, ROCK CREEK CAMPUS)
COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING INSTRUCTOR, PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
CITIZEN-WRITER, PDX EDUCATION ACTION NETWORK BLOG
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INHERITANCE: THE ROAD TO SERVICE
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A GOLDEN TICKET TO SERVICE LEARNING
”I didn’t choose the community partner as much as it chose me.” -- Chris M. (volunteer with Providence Community Garden)
A BACKGROUND IN EDUCATION & WORKING
IN THE COMMUNITY
AN INTEREST IN AND USE OF SOCIAL
CONSTRUCTIVISM & CRITICAL PEDAGOGY
IN THE WRITING CLASSROOM
AN INHERITED CLASS (UNST 421:
ENHANCING YOUTH LITERACY, PORTLAND
STATE UNIVERSITY) WITH A LONG
HISTORY
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SERVICE LEARNING AT KING SCHOOL
MY FIRST COMMUNITY PARTNER SITE & THE STUDENTS WHO TOOK THE RIDE WITH ME
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TRANSFORMATIVE, TRANSPORTIVE WORK
AS I BEGAN TO TEACH WITHIN THE SERVICE LEARNING MODEL, I REALIZED THAT THIS WAS A FIT FOR ME AND MY TEACHING PHILOSOPHY.
“I began to see my teaching philosophy come to life, and I saw growth not only in my students but in myself and my own connection to the community. This course is now even more student-centered, with student writers gaining deep knowledge related to voice, social responsibility, critical thinking, and action.” -- Zapoura Newton-Calvert, 2011 Annual Review Submission
MANY STUDENTS FIND THAT THIS WORK IS A “FIT” FOR THEM, TOO.
“Each time I attend an event or work for the Sisters of the Road Cafe, I feel a peace and joy I haven’t felt in a long time. I love the fact that they actually look at each person they encounter as human beings. I think it’s vital that we have many volunteer organizations in our community to !ght against injustice
and class warfare.” --Danielle, Volunteer at the Sisters of the Road Cafe
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FROM INHERITANCE TO DRIVING THE WORK IN THE WRITING CLASSROOM
1. Decide to grab the wheel (take the plunge into service learning in the writing
classroom).
2. Find out about institutional resources & support AND community resources &
support.
3. Consider student needs and barriers and how service learning can help overcome
them.
4. Learn more about what motivates and encourages strong student writing & thinking
by talking to your students (the citizen-writers).
5. Write and carefully sequence course materials that link what students are learning
about the writing process with opportunities to connect with and write about real
issues in their community.
6. Repeat the cycle of steps (this is an ever evolving process).
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ON THE ROAD: FINDING MY WAY
LINKING TO UNIVERSITY AND CITY CULTURE, LISTENING TO STUDENTS, MAKING A MAP
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P.C.C. CULTURE: WHAT MADE THE ROAD SMOOTHER
THE SERVICE LEARNING MISSION AT PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE
At PCC, we believe that community
responsibility is at the core of
education. Service-Learning directly
supports that core belief through projects that
deepen and contextualize course learning
outcomes to bene!t community organizations.
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PORTLAND ACADEMIC & CITY CULTURE: EASE IN NETWORKING & FINDING SUPPORTIVE
COMMUNITY
IN MY EXPERIENCE, NETWORKING HAS BEEN KEY TO THIS MODEL OF ENGAGEMENT
FIND OUT WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR PROVIDING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMMUNITY
WWW.HANDSONPORTLAND.ORG
VOLUNTEER MATCH
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS & DOING THE WORK
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LISTENING TO STUDENTS:IDENTIFYING ROADBLOCKS TO MOTIVATION
AND ENGAGEMENT
BARRIERS CONSISTENTLY MENTIONED IN IN END-OF-TERM FEEDBACK SESSIONS:
LACK OF TIME (WORKING, PARENTING, COMMUTING)
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE (HOW TO GET STARTED)
LACK OF SUPPORT (NEEDING A MENTOR, NEEDING A COMMUNITY)
LACK OF CONFIDENCE (IN THE WRITING & IN THE SERVICE WORK)
FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN
A RESULTING KEY QUESTION: CAN SERVICE LEARNING ALLOW US TO
HELP MEET STUDENT NEEDS AND OVERCOME BARRIERS TO WRITING
SUCCESS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT?
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LISTENING TO STUDENTS: FINDING OUT WHAT MOTIVATES, SUPPORTS, & INSPIRES
IN FEEDBACK SESSIONS AT THE END OF
THE TERM, STUDENTS CONSISTENTLY
INDICATE THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS OF
LEARNING/COURSEWORK THAT
MOTIVATE THEM:
1. BEING INFORMED (BOTH ABOUT TOOLS FOR
WRITING & THE WORLD)
2. FEELING LIKE THEY CAN IMPROVE & MAKE A
DIFFERENCE
3. REALIZING WHAT IS AT STAKE (WITH THEIR OWN
LEARNING & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT)
4. GETTING FEEDBACK FOR IMPROVEMENT & TO
FEEL LIKE PART OF A COMMUNITY
KEY FINDING: TO BE A SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY
MEMBER AND WRITER, THE MOTIVATION COMES
FROM SIMILAR PLACES.
KEY CONCEPT: SERVICE LEARNING IS A WAY OF TEACHING THAT HONORS STUDENT NEEDS & THAT MOTIVATES THEIR WRITING
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SNAPSHOTS FROM THE
ROAD: EXCERPTS OF THE WORK
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DEVELOPING A ROAD MAP: FROM THE SPRING 2012 WR 122 COURSE SYLLABUSThe best writing that I’ve seen from students comes from their
lived experiences and their own passions. So, I’ve connected this
course directly to the community through readings you’ll relate to,
discussions with your classmates on current events, and individual
service learning work (10 hours during the term).
This class will give you the opportunity to experiment with your
ideas, to explore your values and community, and to communicate
effectively with your audience. It will encourage you to investigate
the persuasive messaging that makes up your daily experience and
to use those experiences as the basis of your writing work.
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THE LOGISTICS OF INVITING YOUR STUDENTS TO JOIN YOU ON THE JOURNEY: CLASS SET UP
THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASS AND THE LANGUAGE IN THE SYLLABUS ARE KEY. ACKNOWLEDGE COMMON BARRIERS AND OFFER SOLUTIONS.
Be organized & make it easy
Be creative and #exible
Make “opt in” and “opt out”
options
Make “opting in” the norm
Offer choice and opportunities to
connect/re#ect
Make it personal & share your own
community engagement.
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CLASS SET UP CONTINUED: CONNECTING SERVICE LEARNING TO MOTIVATION
KEY MESSAGE: YOUR VOLUNTEER WORK DOES HAVE TO BE THROUGH AN OFFICIAL SCHOOL OR NON-PROFIT SETTING, AND THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS & FLEXIBLE!
SPRING 2012 PLACEMENTS
Sisters of the Road Cafe
Boy Scouts
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Zenger Organic Farm
Metro Native Plant Center
Bonnie Hays Small Animal Shelter
Portland Youth Builders
Oregon Food Bank
Students worked side-by-side with their peers, their family members, and their kids. They also worked solo, on weekends, and evenings.
KEY CONCEPT: THIS WILL MAKE THE TERM MORE ENGAGING FOR
YOU AS A WRITER/THINKER
You will have lots to discuss
You will have lots to write about
You will never have to stare at the blank screen
Your writing will mean something to you and your organization
Employers and colleges will be impressed
You may actually like the work
The community bene!ts
You grow as a person
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THE READINGS: ROCKING STUDENT MINDS
This service learning work necessitates powerful readings, which challenge students and invite them to think more critically about their communities.
CURRENT LOCAL AND NATIONAL ARTICLES
STUDENT WRITING AS COURSE READING
NON-PROFIT NEWSLETTERS
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
CRITICAL READINGS ON RACE, POVERTY, DIVERSITY, THE CULTURE OF POWER (LISA DELPIT)
COURSE TEXT: EVERYTHING’S AN ARGUMENT
MY WRITING: PDXEAN.WORDPRESS.COM
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COMMUNITY-BASED ASSIGNMENTS: THE IMPORTANCE OF SEQUENCING
KEY CONCEPT: Building an assignment should mirror building connections in the community. The steps are important.
BEST PRACTICES:
1.Start with values and self-re#ection
2.Let the writing emerge out of discussions of community
& engagement.
3.Allow for a direct connection between the process of
!nding a community placement and writing the !rst
assignment
SAMPLE SEQUENCE:1. DISCUSSION 1: A STUDY OF READINGS ON THE COMMUNITY
2. DISCUSSION 2: AN INTEREST INVENTORY (NARROWING THEMES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT)
3.ESSAY 1: ROOTS AND VALUES
ESSAY 1: ROOTS AND VALUES
Your assignment is to write a 2-page (double-spaced) persuasive piece on a family practice, learned tradition, or experience that taught you to associate a speci!c value with one of the following bigger community issues:a. Educationb. Animalsc. Food Stability & Accessd. Environmente. ETC.
CONNECTION BACK TO CATEGORIES FOR COMMUNITY PLACEMENTS & THE VALUES THAT INSPIRE COMMUNITY WORK
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DISCUSSION FORUMS: WHERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WRITING & COMMUNITY MEET
THE LEAD UP TO ESSAY 3: ARGUMENT OF DEFINITION
READINGS “EMPTY BANK ACCOUNTS, EMPTY
MEANING” LINGUIST GEOFF NUNBERG ON THE WORD “BROKE” (THEME: ECONOMY)
“WORDS THAT WORK” AUTHOR FRANK LUNTZ IN INTERVIEW WITH NPR’S TERRY GROSS (THEMES: POLITICS, ENVIRONMENT, AGING)
“POVERTY DEFINED: CAN YOU SEE ME NOW,” STUDENT ESSAY (THEME: HOMELESSNESS)
“TEEN PREGNANCY: AMERICA’S PERCEPTIONS & MISCONCEPTIONS,” STUDENT ESSAY (THEME: YOUTH)
DISCUSSION PROMPT OPTIONS: PREWRITING/CONVERSING FOR ESSAY 3
PROMPT 1: Which of this week’s “argument of de!nition” essays/stories interested you the most? Why?
(a) How does the author grapple with the ways a particular word impacts the individual and/or the community? (b) What tensions does the author explore to create momentum and interest? (c) Does or could this word impact you? How?
PROMPT 2: Many times, community organizations spend a great deal of time creating positive language and helping the public to understand the way words impact the way we interact. List 3-5 key words that are important to your volunteer placement site. What arguments might arise from these words? Why are they so signi!cant?
PROMPT 3: What’s a writing question or writing issue that you’re grappling with right now as you prepare for Essay 3? How do the professional or student writers deal with this writing issue in their own work? This is also a place to ask your peers for advice.
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KEEPING THINGS CONNECTED
OTHER KINDS OF SUCCESSFUL ASSIGNMENTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
LETTER WRITING
ACTION PLANS FOR FUTURE
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
REFLECTIVE JOURNALS
(CONNECTING COURSE CONCEPTS
TO THE WORK)
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WHAT THIS WRITING LOOKS LIKE
FOCUSEDSPECIFIC
REAL (CONNECTED TO TODAY’S ISSUES)
CRITICALINSIGHTFUL
MOVINGUSEFUL
PERSUASIVE
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A GLIMPSE AT CRITICAL THINKING IN ESSAY WORK
SAMPLE ESSAY TITLES
GENDERQUEERY: FROM COMMUNITY TO SELF ACCEPTANCE (THEME: LGBT; VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT, QUEER RESOURCE CENTER)
A LIFE OUTDOORS: LEARNING TO SAVE THE PLANET AND OURSELVES (THEME: ENVIRONMENT)
RESPECT YOUR ENVIRONMENT: HARVEST YOUR OWN FOOD
(THEME: FOOD SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENT;
VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT: BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA)
GRANDMA NEEDS ME NOW: EXPERIENCES WITH THE STATE OF CARE IN OREGON
(THEME: AGING)
HOMELESSNESS: AMERICA’S AVOIDABLE CRISIS(THEME: HOMELESSNESS; VOLUNTEER
PLACEMENT: SISTERS OF THE ROAD CAFE)
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LETTER WRITING
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A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
I read the Oregonian's June 2nd article on low cost housing in Lake Oswego and
West Linn and wanted to share my experience. I live in one of the few low-cost
apartment complexes in Lake Oswego, but about a year and a half ago, I was
living in an apartment near NE 162nd and Burnside. The difference is immense.
I have a young daughter, and I feel completely safe walking around with her in
Lake Oswego, both during the day and in the evening. In NE Portland, I saw
prostitution deals arranged, and my apartment building was once nearly burned
down by a neighbor high on drugs. The schools are better in Lake Oswego, too. I
know that once my baby daughter is of school age, she will have a great chance
for success here. We should encourage education equality by opening access to
good schools through low cost housing.
-- Jo-Anne
Wednesday, June 20, 12
STUDENT REFLECTIONS: THEY’VE GOT A TICKET TO RIDE
ERIK, SPRING 2012 VOLUNTEER AT
THE OREGON FOOD BANK
As a writer, being immersed in what one may
write is a great, great help to see the actual
answer and create a real thesis based on reality
and the real problems faced by these real
people.
Engagement should be considered an integral
part of writing of any kind.
If I were asked how much my work at the
Oregon Food Bank helped my writing this term
I would say it was the most important help I
could have asked for.
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AMBER, SPRING 2012 VOLUNTEER AT THE BONNIE
HAYS SMALL ANIMAL SHELTER
I’m glad to be volunteering and I think that if I can do it while having
two little ones and a limited available schedule then others should be
stepping up their game. Volunteering should not be an activity that
people do in secret; we should be proud and vocal about it and expect
others to do more. “Think global, act local” something to that nature.
The little things do matter.
-- Amber, Volunteer at the Bonnie Hays Small Animal Shelter
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CHRIS M., SPRING 2012
VOLUNTEER PROVIDENCE
COMMUNITY GARDEN
It was as if these experiences were all coordinated to make the process of writing a little easier, or more inspired.
CHRIS L., SPRING 2012
VOLUNTEER AT TRYON CREEK
This work really showed me how actions can be persuasive, even allowing me to convince my wife and friends about how gratifying it can be to work for the betterment of nature.
Doing this has helped me feel a stronger bond with the natural environment of Portland, which I am very interested in. I am happy to say that through this volunteering I once again feel connected to the land I live in.
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THE UNENDING ROAD: THE CIRCLE OF SERVICE
HOW HAS THIS CHANGED MY OWN WORK?
1. INCREASED ACTIVISM ON ISSUES OF EDUCATIONAL EQUITY (RALLIES, LETTER WRITING)
2. INCREASED INPUT IN COMMUNITY THROUGH P.T.A., STAND FOR CHILDREN, AND OTHER COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS/GATHERINGS
3. MORE PUBLIC WRITING (PDX EDUCATION ACTION NETWORK BLOG)
THE RESULT = MORE AUTHENTICITY AND A SHARED WRITING SPACE WITH STUDENTS
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PDX EDUCATION ACTION NETWORKPLEASE GO TO THE PDX EDUCATION ACTION NETWORK BLOG AT WWW.PDXEAN.WORDPRESS.COM TO VIEW SAMPLE SYLLABI, ASSIGNMENTS, STUDENT WORK, AND MORE.
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ZAPOURA NEWTON-CALVERT
ZAPOURA.CALVERT @PCC.EDU OR [email protected]
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