Creating Your Own Syllabus
With our conversations on education and its related structures and issues, it’s a good time to consider what you would do if given the chance to put together a course. This is an opportunity to design your own course (subject is up to you as well, talk to me if it’s something out of the ordinary), and then put together a syllabus according to a few guidelines.
Inspiration from your personal experiences is more than adequate as well as research, think academic journals, college websites, and the classes you have taken as good primary sources.. We will discuss and reflect on your choices in class. Consider what’s best for student and teacher as well as what aligns with your educational philosophy.
This will be worth a quiz grade. See website and board for due dates. Bring a printed copy to class. You are welcome to look at examples of syllabi out there for ideas, but you will not be copying or rephrasing any existing work.
Format: Up to you, can be written or drawn or typed. Feel free to creatively rename any section, just be sure to be clear and communicative to your audience. Consider an academic tone, even if it’s a wacky professor kinda academic tone or the like.
Requirements include (in any order):
Name of course (probably should go first)
Your philosophy - This should explain what you believe about education, your subject, and how students and instructors should interact. Consider what we’ve been talking about in class as of late and throughout the semester. (Deeper thinking *cough cough*)
Work policies - What categories will you use? What percent will each count for? How will students be assessed? What’s important enough to you to take for a grade?
Late & absent policies - What do you consider “late”? What is the penalty? Why? How will things be handled? What is the purpose of a late penalty? What climate will this create?
Required texts - Choose at least 3 (more is totally ok) that you’ll anchor your class in. Be sure to provide title, author, and ISBN number for each.
Course description - If you had to describe this course, what would you say? What will it encompass? What type of thought will it encourage? What will it evoke in its students? Issues covered?
Classroom policies - How will you ensure equal opportunity for all students? What rules /etiquette would you like students to follow? Eating? Tardies? Absences? Respect/behavior? Cell phones/technology? Consider what environment is the most respectful and beneficial to everyone in the room.
Structure of class - What types of activities will students participate in? Lecture? Large group? Small group? Projects? Individual assignments? Writing? Peer editing/critiques? Consider how this aligns with your philosophy and purpose.
Two Assignments – one small and one large (semester project, exam, essay/research paper, lab, etc.)
Anything else you find important or would want to notify your students of
Grading guidelines:
With our conversations on education and its related structures and issues, it’s a good time to consider what you would do if given the chance to put together a course. This is an opportunity to design your own course (subject is up to you as well, talk to me if it’s something out of the ordinary), and then put together a syllabus according to a few guidelines.
Inspiration from your personal experiences is more than adequate as well as research, think academic journals, college websites, and the classes you have taken as good primary sources.. We will discuss and reflect on your choices in class. Consider what’s best for student and teacher as well as what aligns with your educational philosophy.
This will be worth a quiz grade. See website and board for due dates. Bring a printed copy to class. You are welcome to look at examples of syllabi out there for ideas, but you will not be copying or rephrasing any existing work.
Format: Up to you, can be written or drawn or typed. Feel free to creatively rename any section, just be sure to be clear and communicative to your audience. Consider an academic tone, even if it’s a wacky professor kinda academic tone or the like.
Requirements include (in any order):
Name of course (probably should go first)
Your philosophy - This should explain what you believe about education, your subject, and how students and instructors should interact. Consider what we’ve been talking about in class as of late and throughout the semester. (Deeper thinking *cough cough*)
Work policies - What categories will you use? What percent will each count for? How will students be assessed? What’s important enough to you to take for a grade?
Late & absent policies - What do you consider “late”? What is the penalty? Why? How will things be handled? What is the purpose of a late penalty? What climate will this create?
Required texts - Choose at least 3 (more is totally ok) that you’ll anchor your class in. Be sure to provide title, author, and ISBN number for each.
Course description - If you had to describe this course, what would you say? What will it encompass? What type of thought will it encourage? What will it evoke in its students? Issues covered?
Classroom policies - How will you ensure equal opportunity for all students? What rules /etiquette would you like students to follow? Eating? Tardies? Absences? Respect/behavior? Cell phones/technology? Consider what environment is the most respectful and beneficial to everyone in the room.
Structure of class - What types of activities will students participate in? Lecture? Large group? Small group? Projects? Individual assignments? Writing? Peer editing/critiques? Consider how this aligns with your philosophy and purpose.
Two Assignments – one small and one large (semester project, exam, essay/research paper, lab, etc.)
Anything else you find important or would want to notify your students of
Grading guidelines:
- Consistency of philosophy reflected throughout syllabus
- Clarity
- Educational philosophy and ethics reflected in policies and materials
- Quality of work - mechanics, grammar, punctuation, clear formatting, etc.
- Deeper thinking - reflects thoughtful and research