Discussion posts (20% of your final grade): Due each week
The success of this seminar depends on your reading the assigned texts thoroughly and carefully each week, and thinking about the themes and implications in these readings in advance of class. There is a considerable amount of reading each week, and you will need to plan your week carefully so that you can read the texts and/or watch/listen to various media over the course of the week. You will not be able to read and reflect on the depth of these materials at the last minute. Often, I will post questions to help you focus your reading. You are not expected to answer all of the sub-questions in your posts; however, you may decide that one or more of the questions are useful for focusing your response papers. There are two parts to this assignment. Please read these instructions carefully.
You will write 8 discussion posts over the course of the semester, posted on Courseworks each Monday by noon. Each response paper should directly address all of the readings/media for the week in at least 500 (and not more than 600) words. Although you should quickly state the main argument, or define key concepts addressed in each text, the papers are not to be simply a summary of the readings/media. Be sure, however, that it is evident that you have read/watched/listened to the readings/media in full.
Please cite at least one key quote from each text as a way of grounding your own thoughts. Choose these quotes carefully. They should add to, extend and/or help you to explain a cogent point you are making. In these posts, you will explore issues or questions about the readings, address the relationship between the different readings and draw these readings into conversation with your experiences of gender and sexuality in schools. These posts are intended to give you a chance to think more deeply about the readings before you come to class and will help stimulate discussion. The goal of this overall assignment is for you to (1) use writing to think deeply about what you are reading and the issues at hand; and (2) to document your learning over the course of the semester. You should not spend enormous amounts of time on these posts; they are meant to help you think, not be polished pieces of writing. If you need help strategizing, please see me for support.
Conclude each post with at least two discussion questions, takeaway points, or thoughts to share with our group. Think of these as prompts for when you participate in class.
Writing is not just a means to communicate fully formed ideas; it can be used to raise questions and speculate about texts as well. Your discussion posts are intended in this second way. Sharing papers that are speculative and inquisitive supports all of us to recognize that deep learning develops from questioning, uncertainty, and more.
Because your peers and I will read and respond to these posts before class, late posts will not be accepted and cannot count toward your required 8. All 8 posts are due to earn a passing grade. I will not provide written feedback on these posts, but will read them to check for completion and then use them as the foundation for that day’s discussion.
Respond to at least one main post in the discussion thread for that week by 3pm on Mondays, no more than one paragraph, 8 times over the course of the semester. This is a place to notice themes or raise questions provoked by your peers. This assignment helps you learn from each other and think collectively before class about the topics at hand. Your responses to your peers will also factor into your participation grade.