Seminar on the At-Risk Child
CI 3540 - 425
Instructor: William G. Apple
Office: 303G Edwin Duncan Hall
Email: applewg@appstate.edu
Tuesdays/Thursdays 12:30 – 1:45
Office hours: by appointment
Telephone: Home – 297-4499
Course Description: This introductory course will explore current literature and teaching
practices related to at-risk school aged students. The characteristics of these students and
effective teaching strategies for them will be examined through readings, lecture and class
discussions.
Course Objectives:
1. Explain the concept “at risk”
2. Describe how children cope with a risk conditions
3. Describe how teachers can build relationships and promote resiliency skills and
classroom success in all children, with emphasis on children in challenging situations.
4. Identify and discuss educational and organizational approaches used in public school
services for children in challenging situations.
5. Develop an ethic of care in teaching children facing risk conditions
Texts:
Frank, A., The Diary of a Young Girl
Hayden, T., Beautiful Child
Frieman, B., What Teachers Need to Know About Children at Risk
Additional Readings and Resources:
Suskind, R. A Hope in the Unseen
Steele, C. Whistling Vivaldi and Other Clues to How Stereotypes Affect Us
Weber, K. Waiting for Superman How We Can Save America’s Failing Public Schools
Payne, R. A Framework for Understanding Poverty
Attendance:
Regular and punctual attendance is expected. Please notify instructor of any planned absences.
Student participation is vital to the quality of this course experience and authentic dialogue is
essential to the creative work that we will do together. You are allowed two absences only.
Assignments:
 READINGS - these are due the day listed on the schedule. They will serve as the basis for
our discussions. Please be prepared to share your observations of the reading material,
and whenever possible, feel free to relate that material to your own life experiences.
 JOURNALS - You will keep an electronic journal. The journal will be submitted
periodically by e mail throughout the semester so that I can respond to your reflections
related to aspects of our course work. Your journal speaks to the degree to which you
become involved in this course experience. What you say is up to you, but you should
have something to say about every class assignment.
 D.C. TRIP – You will be asked to do outside research in preparation for your D.C. trip and
report on your findings. You will also be responsible for developing a set of relevant
questions in anticipation of the trip experience. Finally, you will be required to provide
written/visual reflection of that experience upon return presentation. A check sheet will
be provided of critical elements to include.
 REFLECTIVE SUMMARY PAPERS – You will be asked to provide written reflections via
email related to the text materials used in this course. Your reflections should include
connections to teaching and learning within the context of our discussions. Papers
should be 1 – 3 pages in length. See reflection rubric.
 COLLABORATIVE REASONING DISCUSSIONS – Find and read articles from reputable
outside sources that deal with an issue related to the questions assigned to your group.
Use index cards and note 4 points from your articles that affirm or deny the suggestion
posed by the question. Bring your articles and your notes to class on the date of your
assigned group discussion. (See 2/1 below)

GRADING - Attendance and class participation: 35%
Reflective Summary written assignments – 5 papers: 50%
Individual/Group Presentations: 15%
NOTE – OUR SYLLABUS IS A “LIVING” DOCUMENT. IT ALMOST SURELY WILL CHANGE AS THE
SEMESTER EVOLVES. BE PATIENT AND FLEXIBLE!
Tentative Schedule:
1/11 Introductions and discussion of the syllabus. What makes a student at risk? In
class: write about someone you know who is “at-risk”. For next class, ask three
people who are not involved in education what “at risk” and “resilience” means
and do the same for three people who are not in education. Is there a
difference?
1/13
What is resilience? Read: http://www.ericdigests.org/1998-1/risk.htm What is
a “turnaround teacher”? Read: http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-2/fostering.html.
Form groups for class presentation assignments related to Frieman’s Children
At Risk. Groups to be assigned: 1) Risk and Resiliency; 2) Psychological
Conditions; 3) Physiological Conditions; and 4) Social Conditions
1/18
Write in your journal: “What are my risk factors?” and how have I overcome
them? In what ways have I developed or shown resilience? Consider the three
“protective factors or processes”. Class presentations 1 & 2 and discussion.
1/20
Class presentations 3 & 4 and discussion. Assign groups for “Collaborative
Reasoning Discussion” Group#1 for 2/1: “Can schools and school policies be
sources of risk?” Group #2 for 2/3: “Are Charter Schools ‘Better Than’ Regular
Schools?” Group #3 for 2/8: “Should boys be treated differently?” Group #4
for 2/10 “Do SES and/or race stereotypes influence students becoming at risk?”
1/25
DVD Freedom Writers’ Diary
1/27
DVD Freedom Writers’ Diary. Summary discussion of Freedom Writers’ Diary
Reflective Summary due on 1/30 via email: applewg@appstate.edu
2/1
Collaborative Reasoning Discussion – Group #1. Read: Hayden,Chapters 1 - 8
2/3
Collaborative Reasoning Discussion – Group #2. Read: Hayden Chapters 9-17
2/8
Collaborative Reasoning Discussion – Group #3. Read: Hayden Chapters 18-24
2/10
Collaborative Reasoning Discussion – Group #4 Read: Hayden,Chapters 25-35
2/15
Summary discussion of Beautiful Child. Reflective Summary due on 2/20 via
Email: applewg@appstate.edu DVD “Inside the Teenage Brain”.
2/17
Read: Diary of Anne Frank
2/22
Read: Diary of Anne Frank pages 141 – 283 Summary discussion of Anne Frank.
Reflective Summary due on 2/27 via email: applewg@appstate.edu
2/24
Read: A Hope in the Unseen Chapters 1 - 6
3/1
Read: A Hope in the Unseen Chapters 7 - 14
3/3
Stereotypes and the at risk student
3/15
DVD Bang, Bang, You’re Dead
pages 1 – 140
3/17
DVD Bang, Bang, You’re Dead. Summary discussion of Bang, Bang, You’re
Dead. Reflective Summary due on 3/20 via email: applewg@appstate.edu
3/22
Field Trip?
3/24 Meet in the computer lab. Review D.C. school web sites and make notes regarding
school facilities, the curriculum, expectations of student behavior and academic performance
etc.
Develop 5 – 10 questions that you would like to ask teachers, students or school
administrators at the D.C. schools.
Consider the question: “Why is this D.C. school visit a focus of CI 3540?”
3/29
Poverty and at risk students
3/30 – 4/1
D.C. Trip
4/5
D.C. Trip reflections
4/7
Boys of Baraka
4/12
Boys of Baraka Summary discussion
4/114
Poverty and at risk students
4/19
Guest speakers
4/21
Stereotype Threat
4/26
Stereotype Threat
4/26
Concluding review and discussion
"Appalachian State University is committed to making reasonable accommodations for
individuals with documented qualifying disabilities in accordance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Those seeking
accommodations based on a substantially limiting disability must contact and register with The
Office of Disability Services (ODS) at www.ods.appstate.edu or 828-262-3056. Once
registration is complete, individuals will meet with ODS staff to discuss eligibility and
appropriate accommodations."