Student Retention Questionnaire

As part of our 'Swamp Issue' exploring ways to improve student retention, we'd like to hear from you about your college experiences! The link below is to a very brief questionnaire (it should take you no more than 10 minutes to complete it).

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/72SBPNM

Your input can help us provide feedback and make a meaningful contribution toward ensuring every student's success at our school.

Thanks!!

Tomorrow: Library plus LeGuin presentations

Eagle-eyed students have pointed out that the schedule says the leguin presentations are Wednesday, while the assignment sheet says Monday (tomorrow, 2/28).  The presentations should really happen tomorrow; the idea is that you learn about the part of of the book you haven't read before writing the seminar prep due on Wednesday. 

At 5:30, we'll meet up in class and then walk to the LIBRARY computer room together to develop our research skills.  If you come late, join us. (Enter library, take a left, and another left past reference desk.)

Your Swamp Project

Hi Everyone,
I hope you're all staying warm on this cold weekend!
Just a reminder about this week's upcoming class.  We'll be going to the library on Monday to meet with Elinor Appel, one of our librarians, to talk about research methods and support your group's efforts to find additional information about your project. Ultimately each group's researcher will be responsible for typing up and including in the project notebook an annotated bibliography, but you'll all participate in the research process (a good skill to learn and practice as an adult learner)!

Remember by next Friday (3/4), I want to hear from EACH group about your group's plans to address the swamp issue you've chosen.  This means addressing the "surveying the current landscape" question (which means to decide on what data you are going to include -- both "soft" and "hard" data; who in your group is going to do what; and what deadlines you've established to stay on track). 

We'll talk more this week about the project notebook, final presentation, and your individual paper, but for now, your group should be deep into the investigative process of learning as much as possible about your swamp issue and in particular whose voice is not usually included in this process (since these issues are usually addressed from a mechanistic perspective).

Please email me with any questions.  In the meantime, enjoy Isaacs' chapters 10-13 and the completion of your 2nd essay (now due on Wednesday rather than Monday).

Take good care,
Jane

Schedule Change; More time for Essay 2

We decided in class last night to change the due date on Essay 2 to Wednesday, March 2. 
I hope everyone made it home safe and is able to avoid snowy roads today.  It's VERY snowy on Vashon with more coming down right now.

Extra Credit Opportunity: Barbara Love, March 2

Attend this event; write up what you learned and how it relates to our class, about two pages, for Extra Credit.  Due By March 19.

 

Bending the Arc of the Universe:

Understanding and Eliminating the Oppression of Young People

 Date: Wednesday, March 2, 12:30-2:00p

Location: Baxter Event’s Center

 

Society’s suspicious attitudes toward youth perpetuate our treatment of youth as criminals or potential criminals and undesirables whose behavior must be watched, controlled and regulated – particularly among youth of color.   Chronological age is a physical reality and the behaviors that are deemed appropriate for young people is societally determined. The roles, behaviors, and expectations of young people varies across societies and within societies across time.  What contemporary society determines to be appropriate for young people corresponds directly with current economic and technological developments.

“Youth” is a socially constructed identity, and serves as the basis for the organization of the oppression of young people. 

This discussion will examine the ways our society oppresses young people, how schools play a role in maintaining that oppression and how the oppression of young people ultimately maintains the manifestations of all forms of oppression.  Together we will imagine an alternate viewpoint of empowered youth and how that might change our society.

Monday's (2/21) Posting regarding the Power of Collective Wisdom text

Hi everyone,
As we continue on our shared journey of investigating complexity, living systems, and our role as adaptive leaders , we also must journey into a new realm of understanding what we share together -- our connection to a collective wisdom that is available to each of us as we participate in our "swamp" groups.  Each "swamp" group is a collective experience; each "swamp" group provides you with the opportunity to work collectively and learn what it means to harness new thought and creative solutions.

For Monday (2/21), I invite you to read chapters 7 & 8 in the Power of Collective Wisdom text. Select one passage per chapter to write out.  Here are the specific directions:
1. Select one passage or key sentences per chapter.
2. Copy it exactly into the blog making sure to cite the page.
3. Write about what you believe the author is saying in the passage (what does the author mean?).
4. Next, write about why this particular passage is important to you as you begin to work collectively as a "swamp" group. 
5. Finally, I invite you to not post and run, but to come back to visit the "shared journey" site -- read your peers' comments and reflections and comment, if you wish, on what is unfolding.

We've got a world to change together -- by learning to work collectively we have greater abilities and tools  needed for this good work.

I look forward to reading your posts!
Jane

I Am - Documentary

I thought this might interest some of you...

I Am - Movie Website

From the Sustainable Seattle Blog:

Special Appearance at the Varsity Theatre (Seattle, WA):
Director Tom Shadyac will appear In Person Friday, February 25 for a Q&A after the 7:10pm show and to introduce the 9:30pm show.