HED 397A
SERVICE LEARNING FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
FALL 2008
Mondays and Wednesdays 4-5:15pm
CESL 102
Instructor: Jenny J. Lee
Class Room: CESL 102
Email: JennyLee@u.arizona.edu
Office: 305 Education Building
Office Hours: Tues and Wed, 2-4pm
(Sign-up in EDU 321)
TA: Lydia Bell
Email: lfbell@email.arizona.edu
TA: Kevin Dougherty
Email: kevinad@email.arizona.edu
TA: Sandra Luca
Email: guillen@arizona.edu
TA: Christine Nelson
Email: cnelson3@email.arizona.edu
Project SOAR Coordinator: Amanda Sox
Email: asox@email.arizona.edu
Course Description
Project SOAR is a service-learning course designed for those committed to providing mentoring for students at
under-resourced middle schools in the Tucson community, in an effort to increase the academic achievement for
these students. You will study learning and developmental factors as well as cultural, social and environmental
factors that affect students’ academic achievement and their path to higher education.
Prior to working with the middle school students, you must demonstrate knowledge and competency in the
following areas:
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Analyze the developmental, cultural, social and environmental factors that affect student academic
achievement in secondary education,
Understand the major theories and research conducted on outreach programs, and the implications for
effective learning,
Create a set of strategies to promote academic achievement in a variety of fields,
Develop partnerships with a variety of stakeholders including the GEAR-UP program, Tucson middle
school administrators and teachers, parents/guardians, and the student mentees, and
Develop methods in which to encourage student mentees to pursue higher education.
Rationale
Project SOAR consists of two sequential courses, HED 397A during Fall 2008 (3 units) and HED 397B during
Spring 2009 (1 unit). HED 397A is focused on college access and educational attainment theories and on-site
preparation. HED 397B will focus on implementation of the various outreach programs, with special attention paid
to the enrollees’ own experiences in college outreach, and those of middle school and high school students, in
implementing the strategies derived in the course. The outreach opportunities include mentoring middle school
students at designated schools in Sunnyside School District, Tucson Unified School District, and local charter
schools (Wildcat School, Ha:san Preparatory School). You are expected to adjust and refine these strategies and
practices, relating back to theories and research learned from the course.
Weekly class attendance is required, and you must spend a minimum of 2 hours per week (or 25 hours total for the
semester) of on-site fieldwork. A $200 scholarship is provided for participating in Project SOAR provided that you
have met the mentoring requirements outlined above and completed all necessary paperwork (i.e., fingerprinting,
timecards, etc.) by assigned deadlines.
Required Course Materials
Reading assignments available on D2L website at www.d2l.arizona.edu under Content.
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Course Policies
Fingerprint Clearance Card
Students enrolled in H ED 397A must have fingerprint clearance before they can work in participating schools. All
students should present a copy of their Fingerprint Clearance Card (from the Arizona Department of Education) or
a copy of the submitted application for one NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 3, 2008. Any student who has not
submitted the appropriate documentation by the September 3, 2008 deadline may be administratively dropped from
the course and will not be eligible to receive the scholarship given at the end of the semester. Fingerprint Clearance
Card applications are available from the Office of Admissions, Advising, & Student Services, in the College of
Education. To access more information about the Fingerprint requirement, go to the UA College of Education
website at
http://coe.arizona.edu/pages/dep_aass/fingerprint.php.
Assignments
Assignments are expected at the times listed on the syllabus. All late assignments will receive half-credit. All
grading rubrics will be available on D2L.
Special Needs
Students needing special accommodations or special services should contact the Disability Resource Center
(http://drc.arizona.edu). Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations to fully participate in
course activities or meet course requirements must register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC). If you
qualify for services through DRC, please bring your letter of accommodation to the professor as soon as possible.
Academic Dishonesty
The University of Arizona observes a Code of Academic Integrity, which demands that all material submitted by a
student is the student’s own work. This also pertains to a student doing his/her own work on all tests and quizzes.
Failure to comply with this code will result in disciplinary sanctions. A complete copy of this code is available
from the Office of the Dean of Students or the Committee on Academic Integrity.
Student Mentor Expectations
Class Discussion. Students are expected to reflect and discuss their experiences regarding academic achievement
and college access with members of the class as well as the middle school students. Students are expected to adjust
and refine strategies used in mentoring middle school students, relating back to theories and research learned from
the course, and expand on their learning of developmental and learning theories and practices.
D2L. Having registered for this course, you are connected to the D2L educational platform. You are expected to
check the D2L site regularly (d2l.arizona.edu) for general announcements regarding deadlines and additional
service opportunities. It is highly recommended that you forward your D2L messages to the email address you use
regularly to ensure that you receive information on a timely basis.
Class and Mentoring Behavior. Students will agree to adhere to the University of Arizona Code of Conduct,
Equal Opportunity Sexual Harassment policy, and the Professionalism criteria outlined in this syllabus and will
sign a mentor contract that details appropriate behavior and style of dress when mentoring middle-school students.
Failure to adhere to these standards will result in dismissal from the program and being dropped from the course.
Professionalism Criteria. You are expected to demonstrate that you are prepared to mentor middle school
students. This readiness comes from a combination of class discussion and the possession of essential human
characteristics. You will be screened throughout the program using the criteria below. If these criteria are not met,
you may be denied the opportunity to mentor or be prevented from continuing as a mentor in Project SOAR.
Personal and professional demeanor.
 Mentors will demonstrate positive personal hygiene.
 Mentors will dress appropriately when working in or with the middle schools and students.
 Mentors will demonstrate personal interactive attributes required for successful mentoring. These
include the ability to accept and act upon constructive criticism, enthusiasm for working with
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fellow mentors, the ability to separate personal and professional issues, a positive attitude toward
teachers, mentors, and students, a disposition to act for the benefit of the students, and a
perspective on mentoring that embraces ethnic, cultural, and developmental diversity.
Cultural and social attitudes and behavior.
 Mentors will respect peers, teachers, and students.
 Mentors will look beyond themselves in their interactions with others and respect differences in
race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, social class, national allegiance, and cultural heritage.
 Mentors will work productively with their peers.
 Mentors will speak in a manner appropriate for the school setting.
 Mentors will demonstrate positive social skills in professional and social interactions with peers,
teachers, and students.
Professional Criteria adapted from The University of Arizona College of Education 2006-2007 Professional
Student Handbook
Course Requirements
Class Participation and Attendance
A key learning tool for this class is weekly participation in discussions and exercises. It is not only important to
attend class but you are also expected to actively participate in all class discussions, exercises and special outside
activities.
Because of the importance attached to regular class attendance, each class meeting will contribute to the attendance
grade. More than three (3) absences, which do not result from a documented medical emergency or Dean of
Students excuse, will result in the loss of a letter grade. Students who arrive late or leave early will receive half
credit for the day’s attendance.
Regardless of reason, all students are required to complete and submit course assignments on or before their due
date.
Mentee Interviews
You will have the opportunity to get to know your mentees through this assignment. You must interview at least 3
mentees and ask them about their future career goals, educational expectations, and personal interests. An
interview protocol will be provided in class. You must transcribe each interview and summarize them. You must
include at least one reference (outside of class material) to explain your findings.
Reflection Papers
You will submit 3 reflection papers over the course of the semester via D2L. Reflection papers should be at least 34 pages in length, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins, and Times New Roman 12-point font. Papers should
accurately analyze key points in one or more of the articles read, with at least half of the paper relating the materials
to your personal experiences or expectations regarding college access and outreach. Reflection papers are due by
4pm on Mondays in your D2L Dropbox. Paper copies will not be accepted.
On-Site Participation
You must spend 2 hours per week (or 25 hours total for the semester) of on-site fieldwork. You are expected to
document your hours and have a site coordinator verify your participation. Time cards will be collected during the
Monday sections. You will be required to keep track of preparation time, driving time, and mentoring time each
week.
If you are unable to attend a mentoring session, you must notify Amanda Sox, via email, at least 24 hours in
advance of your assigned mentoring session. In the event of an emergency situation prevents you from attending
your mentoring session on your assigned day, you must contact the school directly. A directory of school contacts
is available on D2L.
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When working in the field with students, please know that you are representing The University of Arizona and the
various outreach programs with which Project SOAR collaborates. The University and the outreach programs have
high expectations for you, as do your mentees. It is expected that you will treat students and their families with
respect, sincerity, enthusiasm and integrity. The Project SOAR coordinator, Amanda Sox, will give feedback to
class instructors about your performance and attitude when working in the field.
Mid-term and Final Exams
Two major exams will be administered during the course. Both the mid-term and final exams will include openended questions that will require short answer/essay responses.
Grading Standards
Class Participation/Attendance
Reflection Papers
Mentee Interviews
On-Site Participation
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Total
20%
20%
10%
15%
15%
20%
100%
Course Schedule
The syllabus and/or course outline is subject to change during the term by the professor. If you are not in class,
you will still be held accountable for submitting the material by the due date and seeking updates on discussions
that were missed.
Class Date
Mon, August 25
Class Description
Introduction to Course
Wed, August 27
Service Opportunities and Logistics
Mon, September 1
Labor Day, NO CLASS
Wed, September 3
Educational Attainment and Theories I
Day, J. C. & Newburger, E. C. (July 2002). The Big Payoff: Educational Attainment and Synthetic Estimates of
Work-Life Earnings. Washington DC: US Department of Commerce- US Census Bureau.
Bidwell, C. E. (1989). The Meaning of Educational Attainment. Research in the Sociology of Education and
Socialization, 8, 117-138.
Mon, September 8
Identifying Your Mentees Interests
Wed, September 10
Educational Attainment and Theories II
Hossler, D., Schmit, J. & Vesper (1999). Going to college: How social, economic, and educational factors
influence the decisions students make. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Read pp.141-156.
Mon, September 15
Career Investigation
Wed, September 17
Asset-based Outreach I
Solórzano, D.G. & Solórzano, R.W. (1995). Chicano education experiences: A framework for effective schools in
Chicano communities. Educational Policy, 9(3): 293-314.
Mon, September 22
Goal Setting
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REFLECTION #1 DUE
Wed, September 24
Asset-based Outreach II
Moll, L. C., & González, N. (2004). Engaging life: A funds of knowledge approach to multicultural education.
In J. Banks & C. McGee Banks (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Multicultural Education, 2nd edition, pp 699715. New York: Jossey-Bass.
Kahn, L. & Civil, M. (2001). Unearthing the mathematics of a classroom garden. In E. McIntyre, A.
Rosebery & N. Gonzales (Eds.), Classroom Diversity, pp. 37-50.
Mon, September 29
Your Mentee(s)’ Funds of Knowledge
Wed, October 1
Pedagogy for Learning
Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum. Read pp.71-86.
hooks, b. (1993). Transformative pedagogy and multiculturalism. In T. Perry & J.W. Fraser (Eds.).
Freedom’s Plow: Teaching Multiculturalism in the Classroom. New York: Routledge.
Mon, October 6
Mid-term Review
MENTEE INTERVIEWS DUE
Wed, October 8
Mid-term Exam
Mon, October 13
Conflict Mgmt. & Bullying
Wed, October 15
Structural Forces in College Access I
Kozol, J. (2005). The shame of the nation. New York: Crown Publishing Group. Read Chapters 2 & 7.
Mon, October 20
Self-esteem Building
Wed, October 22
Structural Forces in College Access II
Weber, L. (2001). Understanding race, class, gender, and sexuality: A conceptual framework. Boston: McGrawHill. Read Chapters 6 & 7.
Mon, October 27
Healthy Choices
Wed, October 29
Background Factors that Impede or Enhance Academic Success I
Freeman, K. (1997). Increasing African Americans’ participation in higher education: African American highschool students’ perspectives. Journal of Higher Education, 68 (5): 523-550.
Valencia, R.R. & Black, M.S. (2002). “Mexican Americans Don’t Value Education!” – On the basis of
myth, mythmaking, and debunking. Journal of Latinos and Education, 1(2): 81-103.
Mon, November 3
Getting Your Mentee(s) Organized
Wed, November 5
NO CLASS
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Mon, November 10
Study Skills-Part I
R
REFLECTION #2 DUE
Wed, November 12
Background Factors that Impede or Enhance Academic Success II
Readings TBA
Mon, November 17
Study Skills-Part II
Wed, November 19
Psychological Factors that Impede or Enhance Academic Success
McMillan, J. H. & Reed, D. F. (1994). At-risk students and resiliency: Factors contributing to academic success.
The Clearing House, 67(3), pp. 137-140.
Astin, A. W. (2007). Mindworks: Becoming more conscious in an unconscious world. Charlotte, NC.:
Information Age Publishing. Read Chapter 2.
Steele, C. M. (1997) A Threat in the air: How stereotypes shape intellectual identity and performance. American
Psychologist, 52(6), pp. 613-629.
Mon, November 24
Requirements for College Admissions
Wed, November 26
Thanksgiving, No Class
Mon, December 1
College Exploration
REFLECTION #3 DUE
Wed, December 3
Environmental Factors that Impede or Enhance Academic Success
Tobolowsky, B. (2006). Beyond demographics: Understanding the college experience through television. New
Directions for Student Services, 114, pp. 17-26
Fann, A., Calderon, S. & McDonough, P. (2006). No child left unrecruited: When military recruiters play the role
of high school college counselors. Paper presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education
Conference, Anaheim, CA.
Mon, December 8
Final Exam Review
Wed, December 10
Final Exam
Complete Final Online Survey
*Syllabus dates and requirements subject to change.
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