AGENDA ITEM BACKGROUND
TO: GOVERNING BOARD
DATE
FROM: PRESIDENT
March 4, 2013
SUBJECT:
2011-12 Professional Development Leave Reports
REASON FOR BOARD CONSIDERATION
ENCLOSURE(S)
ITEM NUMBER
INFORMATION
Page 1 of 3
E.7
BACKGROUND:
The professional development leave reports for the 2011-12 academic year Professional Development
Leave Reports can be found at:
Megan Caspers, Math Department
Geneffa Jonker, English Department
Each report was reviewed and approved by the Sabbatical Leave Review Board for form and content as
prescribed in Article 9 of the agreement between the Cabrillo College Federation of Teachers and the
Cabrillo College District.
Administrator Initiating Item:
Kathleen Welch, Vice President Instruction
Academic and Professional Matter
If yes, Faculty Senate Agreement
Senate President Signature
X Yes  No
X Yes  No
Final Disposition
Sabbatical Proposal Abstract for Geneffa Popatia Jonker
Background
Since joining the Cabrillo College English department full-time faculty in fall 2000, I have given
autobiographical assignments at all levels of the composition sequence and in English 12A (Creative Writing:
Fiction). I propose to explore the field of autobiography further through a one-year sabbatical leave project that
allows me to draft a portion of my autobiography, study and theorize the autobiographical writings of select
underrepresented groups, and update techniques and texts for our composition and creative writing classes. My
project can be divided into two main parts—the research and documentation of autobiographies, theories, and
techniques (that satisfies Article 9.1.a, b, and d of the CCFT Contract) and the drafting of my autobiography
(that satisfies 9.1.a of the CCFT Contract). Upon my return to teaching, I hope to offer new techniques and
readings in composition, college success, and creative writing classes.
Objectives
1. Read and annotate current life-writings by displaced people of the MEMSA diasporas.
2. Compile and categorize a list of at least 20 autobiographies from a broader range of diasporas.
3. Update my knowledge of current theories and techniques of autobiography by reading at least 10
theoretical works on the topic of autobiography and writing a 10 page literature review.
4. Draft a portion of my autobiography amounting to at least 50 pages.
5. Research and develop my original theory of autogeography culminating in a 10 page essay.
6. Create a syllabus for English 12E.
Activities (not necessarily in order of execution)
1. Create an annotated bibliography of at least 10 autobiographies from the MEMSA diasporas.
2. Create a bibliography of at least 20 other autobiographies from a broader range of diasporas.
3. Read at least 10 works of autobiographical theory and write a 10 page literature review.
4. Draft a portion of my autobiography amounting to at least 50 pages.
5. Write a 10 page academic essay about my original theory of autogeography.
6. Develop a syllabus for English 12E (Autobiography).
7. Research at least five syllabi from autobiography classes taught at the college level.
8. Take English 12E (Autobiography) at Cabrillo College during spring 2012.
Benefits to the College
1. Increased currency in knowledge of underrepresented autobiographies.
2. Increased currency in knowledge of various multicultural autobiographies.
3. Increased currency in contemporary autobiographical practices and theories.
4. Increased creative ability to produce autobiographical writing.
5. Expanded knowledge of new interpretive frameworks for autobiography.
6. Updated course materials for English 12E.
Outcomes
1. Annotated Bibliography of at least 10 autobiographies by writers of the MEMSA diasporas.
2. Bibliography (non-annotated but categorized) of other multicultural autobiographies.
3. Literature Review (10 pages) of critical frameworks for analyzing and generating autobiography.
4. Drafted portion of my Autobiography (at least 50 pages).
5. Critical essay (10 pages) introducing autogeography.
6. Syllabus for English 12E (Creative Writing: Autobiography).
Abstract for Megan Caspers
Introduction and Background
Over the past twelve years at Cabrillo College, I have taught courses ranging from Pre-algebra to Calculus. During this time,
I have been fortunate to take courses and participate in workshops at Cabrillo. While I have gained immense skills from
both, there are still many projects on which I wish to work. I propose to spend a year to accomplish the following which I
see as important to my students’ success. The purpose of my sabbatical is to:
Research a variety of topics to improve lessons for a MATH 154 Elementary Algebra course,
Create a database of Elementary Algebra questions for use with a student response system, and
Develop a workbook for a MATH 154 Elementary Algebra course and upload it to my website.
Sabbatical Objectives
Acquire knowledge to more successfully write current, relevant algebraic application problems.
Develop a database of Elementary Algebra questions for a student response system.
Develop and post online a course workbook for Elementary Algebra so that my students can practice the material
effectively without purchasing a textbook.
Sabbatical Activities
During Fall 2011, I would read the book Rethinking Mathematics: Teaching Social Justice by the Numbers by
Eric Gutstein & Bob Peterson.
During Fall 2011, I would thoroughly research websites, such as radicalmath.org, to find articles, data and links
for topics such as social justice and sustainability in math.
During Fall 2011 and Spring 2012, I plan to develop a database of at least 50 problems for a student response
system to use in a MATH 154 Elementary Algebra.
During Fall 2011 and Spring 2012, I plan to develop a workbook for MATH 154 Elementary Algebra that contains at
least 1500 problems.
During Spring 2012, I will upload the above workbook to my website.
Benefits to Cabrillo College
The completion of the above activities will:
Enhance students’ understanding of MATH 154 Elementary Algebra topics through the incorporation of crossdiscipline application problems.
Increase the effectiveness of my MATH 154 Elementary Algebra lectures by incorporating the use of a student
response system.
Foster accessibility in my MATH 154 Elementary Algebra course by developing a free, online workbook.
Outcomes Submitted
Once I return from my sabbatical, I will submit:
1. An annotated bibliography of at least ten books, websites and articles that I researched to write Elementary Algebra
application problems.
2. A CD containing
A file that has at least twenty Elementary Algebra application problems based on topics such as social justice
and environmental sustainability.
A copy of my updated website.
A file with a database of at least 50 Elementary Algebra questions for use in a student response system.
The files for a MATH 154 Elementary Algebra workbook containing at least 1500 problems and their
corresponding solutions.