HONORS 3260: Literacy, Community, and Public Schools

Holmes / Fall 2014

Georgia State University
Honors College
Course Information & Websites

Honors 3260 / Mon. 1:00-3:30 PM / 100 Auburn Avenue, Room 223

WordPress Website: http://honors3260fall14.wordpress.com/ (schedule, assignments)

Desire 2 Learn (D2L): http://d2l.gsu.edu (readings, assignment submissions)

Instructor & Office Hours

Dr. Ashley J. Holmes / 25 Park Place, Rm. 2430 / aholmes@gsu.edu (preferred / primary email)

In-Person Office Hours: By appointment only. Email or see me after class.

Virtual Office Hours: Tuesdays 9:30 11:30 AM
During my virtual office hours, I will be logged-in to my GSU email account to respond quickly
to emails. I will also be available via Google + for chatting (through instant messaging) and/or
video hangout. You can either schedule a video/chat appointment or you can invite/email me at
holmes.ashley@gmail.com.

Please note that the course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be
necessary.

Course Description & Objectives

This interdisciplinary seminar invites students to study histories and theories of literacy with an
emphasis on the intersections between literacy in public schools and community-based literacies.
Because of the complexities of issues surrounding class, race, socioeconmics, and standardized
testing, students in public schools often experience tensions between the expectations of
academic literacies and the literacies developed within ones home and family. These tensions
may result in cognitive dissonance for students who are not well-versed in the literacies valued in
schools and may serve to further marginalize students by distancing them from privileged
languages of power. However, theories of community literacy build on the skills and expertise
students bring to the classroom, respecting home literacies and using them as a springboard to
wider literacies needed for further education and career success. Moreover, community literacy
provides an opportunity for urban youth to critically engage with and address personal and local
issues, using writing to take literate action.

Through readings, course discussions, and service-learning experiences, students will
Understand histories and theories of literacy, especially the range of literacies we use in
different discourse communities (school, family, workplace, etc.)
Understand the complexities of public education in the United States, including its
historical ties to democracy, citizenship, and the public good, as well as the contemporary
challenges of high-stakes testing and low funding.
Understand, practice, and apply theories of community literacy, such as freewriting,
rivaling perspectives, story behind the story, and counter-public performances.
HONORS 3260: Literacy, Community, and Public Schools

Holmes / Fall 2014

Georgia State University
Honors College
Reflect upon and write about ones own literacy experiences.
Understand best practices for service-learning and community partnerships, including key
concepts such as reciprocity and respect, as well as distinguishing service-learning from
volunteerism and charity.
Participate in service-learning site visits to partnering middle school in which students
will work in mentoring groups to apply course concepts.
Collaboratively develop a mentorship activity.
Mentor middle school students through a series of topic-based workshops held at the
middle school.
Investigate a self-selected community literacy issue using library-based research
methods, as well as action research methods that draw on service-learning experiences.
Learn about and employ a process-based approach to research and writing, which will
involve explicit planning, drafting, peer review, and revision.
Hone critical thinking, engaged reading, and reflective writing techniques through weekly
journal entries in response to course readings and service-learning experiences.

Service-Learning Requirement

My approach to teaching values the kind of learning that happens when students engage with
public issues and interact with local community groups. This course prompts you to actively
engage your role as an academic citizen, and we will discuss what it means to apply your
college-based learning to public contexts. Moreover, you will have the opportunity to experience
being an academic citizen by engaging in a service-learning project.

Service learning is a type of teaching that partners teachers and students with community groups.
In our partnership with a local middle school, you will gain an opportunity to apply course
theories within a realistic context, serve your local community, experience the day-to-day
context of an urban middle school in your community, collaborate with and learn from middle-
school students, practice literacy mentorship, as well as reflect on your site-based learning
through class discussions. In short, knowledge is much more powerful when connected with
experience, and the service-learning component of this course will enable you to develop and
apply your learning within a broader community context than simply your college class or
university campus.

Having taught service-learning classes in the past, I can assure you that there will be many
unknowns. I will not be able to tell you exactly how your experiences and assignments will
unfold because they will develop through your experiences with our community partner. The
unknowns of the process can be disconcerting for some students, but, as long as you keep an
open line of communication with me, we will be able to work through things so that you can
succeed in the course assignments and have a meaningful service experience.

Logistics: In the first week of class, we will discuss transportation options for the required site
visits to Inman Middle School. Ideally, several students in the course will have cars that they
would be willing to use for carpooling peers in the class who do not have cars. However, in the
HONORS 3260: Literacy, Community, and Public Schools

Holmes / Fall 2014

Georgia State University
Honors College
event that you do not have a car or are not able to align with a carpool, I will provide you with
instructions for using public transportation (MARTA train and bus) to get from GSU to Inman.

Required Textbook & Digital Access for Additional Readings

Loeb, P. R. (2010). Soul of a citizen: Living with conviction in challenging times. New and
Revised Edition. New York: St. Martins Griffin.

All remaining required readings will be available online through D2L, thus you will need
consistent access to a computer outside of class. It is my expectation that you will bring print or
electronic copies of the required readings to class for our discussions.

Course Assignments

You will receive more detailed assignment sheets for each of the following assignments.

Weekly Journal Entries (20%)
These entries will be at least 250 words, and prompts will connect to course readings
and/or students service-learning experiences. You will receive a check plus, check,
check minus, or zero (for no submission) for each of your journal entries.

My Path to GSUs Honors College: Narrative Essay (20%)
In this 4 to 6 page essay, you will write a narrative that focuses on key moments within
your life that led to your current position as a student in GSUs Honors College. You may
narrate obstacles you have overcome, describe your pathway to success, and/or highlight
the significance of a mentor or role model in your life. We will read examples of
inspirational narratives to use as models, and you will be required to peer review and
revise a draft of this essay.

Mentorship Activity & Participation (20%)
Students will work in groups of 3 to 4, and in consultation with Dr. Holmes, to develop a
mentorship activity that will be used in one of the service-learning site visits. This
activity might be a role-playing scenario, a mini-lesson, a questionnaire, a worksheet,
and/or a writing activity. Your engaged and active participation in middle school
mentorships and your attendance for site visits will also be included in this component of
your grade.

Literacy, Community, & Public Schools Research Project (40%)
You will investigate a topic of interest to you that relates to the course focus on literacy,
community, and public schools. You will be required to incorporate a mix of traditional
library-based research with community-based, action research methods, such as
conducting an interview, observation, or survey. This project will be broken into
component parts: submit a proposal, conduct process-based research and writing steps,
submit a draft, peer review, and revise your draft paper. Proposals will be due at midterm
and the final paper (8 to 10 pages) will be due at the end of the semester. You will give a
presentation of your research paper during our final exam session.
HONORS 3260: Literacy, Community, and Public Schools

Holmes / Fall 2014

Georgia State University
Honors College
Course Policies

Attendance Policy & Expectations for Participation
Because this is an interdisciplinary seminar, our discussions during class timeand thus your
daily attendance and contributions to our discussionsare essential to your success in this
course. Similarly, our site visit days to Inman Middle School provide an important experiential
component to the course that simply cannot be made up in any other way. I expect you to
attend all class sessions (including the scheduled site visit days), be on time, and arrive prepared
having completed required readings. I will take attendance daily at the start of class. However, in
the event that you cannot make it to class, please be sure you understand the course attendance
policy as follows: If a student misses 2 classes (including site visit days), he or she has
missed 15% of the course, and thus cannot earn higher than an 85 (B) as a final course
grade. If a student misses more than 2 classes (2 weeks), he or she may risk failing the
course. The midpoint for the semester is October 14
th
. Students wishing to withdraw should do
so before this date in order to receive a grade of W for the course.

Late Work
Course assignments are due at the specified time on the date stated. If you foresee not being able
to submit an assignment on time because of extenuating circumstances, please talk to me or
email me in advance to inquire about an extension. If you submit late, without an approved
extension, your grade drops one third of a letter grade per calendar day, which includes days that
we do not meet for class. I would much rather you submit an assignment late than not at all, so
please contact me if you are having a difficult time submitting an assignment; we can typically
work out an arrangement.

Submission Policies
You may be asked to submit your work in print or electronic forms, either in-class or at a date
and time out of class. Please follow all stated instructions for how, when, and where to submit
your assignments for this course.

Grading Scale
A+ 97 - 100%, A 93 - 96%, A- 90 - 92%, B+ 87 - 89%, B 83 - 86%, B- 80 - 82%,
C+ 77 - 79%, C 73 - 76%, C- 70 - 72%, D+ 67 - 69%, D 63 - 66%, D- 60 - 62%, F 59% - 0%

Academic Honesty
As members of the academic community, students are expected to recognize and uphold
standards of intellectual and academic integrity. The university assumes as a basic and minimum
standard of conduct in academic matters that students be honest and that they submit for credit
only the products of their own efforts. According to GSUs handbook, dishonorable conduct
includes plagiarism, cheating, unauthorized collaboration, falsification, and multiple submissions
of your academic work. For specific examples and definitions of each of these forms of conduct,
please see the Policy on Academic Honesty, section 409 in the Faculty Handbook:
http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwfhb/fhb.html.



HONORS 3260: Literacy, Community, and Public Schools

Holmes / Fall 2014

Georgia State University
Honors College
Course Assessment
Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at
Georgia State. Upon completing the course, please take time to fill out the online course
evaluation.

Accommodations
I am happy to accommodate any student who has a documented disability registered with GSUs
Office of Disability Services. If this applies to you, please plan to make an appointment with me
during the first weeks of the semester so we can make a plan for the best way to accommodate
your needs. Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by
registering with the Office of Disability Services. Students may only be accommodated upon
issuance by the Office of Disability Services of a signed Accommodation Plan and are
responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which
accommodations are sought.

Campus & Online Resources

Counseling & Mind-Body Health Resources
404-413-1640, http://counselingcenter.gsu.edu/
The demands of work, family, and ones personal life can get complicated when you mix in the
high expectations and fast-paced nature of a college education. Students sometimes feel
overwhelmed, experience anxiety or depression, and struggle with relationships or family
responsibilities. GSUs Counseling & Testing Center offers counseling, crisis, and mind-body
health resources to help students cope with difficult emotions and life stressors. If you are
unsure how or who to reach out to for help, please speak with or email me first, and I will
get you in touch with professionals on campus who can help you, and you and I can work
out a plan for helping you succeed in the course.

The Writing Studio
http://www.writingstudio.gsu.edu/
The purpose of the Writing Studio is to enhance the writing instruction that happens in academic
classrooms, by providing undergraduate and graduate students with an experienced reader who
engages them in conversation about their writing assignments and ideas, and familiarizes them
with audience expectations and academic genre conventions. We do not provide editing or
proofreading services. We aim to create better writers, not perfect papers, so we address
works-in-progress in tutorials, and not finished texts.

Library & Research Resources
http://honors.gsu.edu/library/
The Georgia State University Library offers extended services to support Honors College
students. Visit the website above to look at our FAQs to learn more about the University Library
and the resources offered to Georgia State Honors College students.

Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
This is an excellent online resource for help with MLA or APA citation, as well as grammar.
HONORS 3260: Literacy, Community, and Public Schools

Holmes / Fall 2014

Georgia State University
Honors College
Course Schedule

This course schedule is subject to changes. Please check the calendar on the course website for
the most up-to-date version of the schedule of readings, assignments, and due dates. Also check
the news feature on D2L for announcements of changes.

Aug. 25: Citizen-Scholars, Service Learning, and Community Outreach

Homework to complete in advance of class:
Read: Introduction (pages 1-19) of Soul of a Citizen: Living with Conviction in
Challenging Times, by Paul Rogat Loeb

In-Class Activites:
Introduce syllabus and preview major assignments.
Discuss the style and expectations of an interdisciplinary seminar.
Discuss what it means to be a citizen-scholar.
Overview of key tenets of service learning.
Discuss school partnership, logistics, and begin organizing carpool.
Complete mentorship questionnaire and discuss topics for mentorship sessions.
Assign Narrative Essay.

Sept. 1
Labor Day holiday: no class.

Sept. 8: Literacy & College Success: Telling Inspirational Stories
Reading to complete in advance of class:
Sponsors of Literacy, by Deborah Brandt
Ben Carson: Gifted Surgeon and excerpt from Gifted Hands
Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan
http://www.shawnashapiro.com/courses/wrpr0102a-s10/Tan_MotherTongue.pdf
I Just Want to Be Average, by Mike Rose (excerpt from Lives on the Boundary)
http://userwww.sfsu.edu/mmartin/rose.pdf
10 Students Who Overcame Massive Obstacles to Achieve Their Dream of an
Education http://www.degreescout.com/business-degrees/10-students-who-overcame-
massive-obstacles-to-achieve-their-dream-of-an-education
Remember to bring printed-out or electronic (via laptop or tablet) copies of these
readings to class for our discussion.

Writing to complete in advance of class:
Journal Entry # 1: Which, if any, of the readings did you find the most inspiring? What
about the reading was inspiring to you? If none of the readings was inspiring to you,
explain why. Reflect on the significance of inspiring stories in the lives of young people,
as well as what elements, in your opinion, are necessary to make a story inspiring.
Be ready to discuss your journal response in class.
HONORS 3260: Literacy, Community, and Public Schools

Holmes / Fall 2014

Georgia State University
Honors College
Sept. 15: Schooling & Democracy
Reading to complete in advance of class:
Schooling, Citizenship, and the Struggle for Democracy, by Henry A. Giroux
excerpts from Democracy and Education, by John Dewey
Chapter 2 (The Banking Concept of Education) from Pedagogy of the Oppressed, by
Paulo Freire
The Scholarship of Engagement, by Ernest L. Boyer, pages 245-251

Writing to complete in advance of class:
Draft of Narrative Essay due in-class for peer review (1 printed-out copy).
Journal Entry # 2: TBA

In-class activities:
Preparing for partnership, mentorship guidelines
Peer review of Narrative Essay

Sept. 22: Mentorship Meeting # 1 at Inman Middle School
Reading to complete in advance of class:
Chapters 1 and 2 of Soul of a Citizen

Writing to complete in advance of class:
Journal Entry #3: TBA

Sept. 29: Race, Class, and Public Education
Reading:
Baltimore, Maryland, by Mike Rose from Possible Lives: The Promise of Public
Education in America pages 97-134
Dishonoring the Dead, by Jonathan Kozol from The Shame of the Nation, pages 13-38
Sociological Basics: School Functions, Social Locations, and Capital, by Annette B.
Hemmings from Urban High Schools: Foundations and Possibilities, pages 22-37

Writing:
Journal Entry #4: Reflection on Mentorship Meeting #1.

Oct. 6: Mentorship Meeting # 2 at Inman Middle School
Reading:
Chapters 3 and 4 of Soul of a Citizen

Writing:
Journal Entry #5: TBA




HONORS 3260: Literacy, Community, and Public Schools

Holmes / Fall 2014

Georgia State University
Honors College

Oct. 13: Community-Based and Action Research
Reading:
Six Street Youth Who Could . . . , by Elizabeth Whitmore and Colette McKee, pages
297-303
Funds of Knowledge for Teaching: Using a Qualitative Approach to Connect Homes
and Classrooms, by Luis Moll, Cathy Amanti, Deborah Neff, and Norma Gonzalez,
pages 71 87
Community Education and Critical Race Praxis: The Power of Voice, by Cassandra L.
McKay, pages 25-38

Writing:
Journal Entry #6: Reflection on Mentorship Meeting #2.

Midpoint: Oct. 14

In-class activities:
Getting curious, preparing for research

Oct. 20: Mentorship Meeting # 3 at Inman Middle School
Reading:
Chapters 5 and 6 of Soul of a Citizen

Writing:
Research proposal due.
Journal Entry #7: TBA

Oct. 27
th
: Public Schools & Testing
Reading:
From No Child Left Behind to the Common Core, 2001-2014, pages 360-390
Wrong Answer: In An Era of High-Stakes Testing, A Struggling School Made a
Shocking Choice, by Rachel Aviv
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/07/21/wrong-answer

Writing:
Journal Entry #8: Reflection on Mentorship Meeting #3.
Research notes due.

Nov. 3: Mentorship Meeting # 4 at Inman Middle School
Reading:
Chapters 7 and 8 of Soul of a Citizen

Writing:
Journal Entry #9: TBA
HONORS 3260: Literacy, Community, and Public Schools

Holmes / Fall 2014

Georgia State University
Honors College

Nov. 10: Writing in Public Schools
Reading:
The Neglected R, by the National Commission on Writing in Americas Schools and
Colleges (Chapter 1 only, pages 9-19)
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/writingcom/neglectedr.pdf
Improving Student Writing: Challenges and Expectations, by the National Writing
Project and Carl Nagin (excerpt from Because Writing Matters, pages 1-18)

Writing:
Journal Entry #10: Reflection on Mentorship Meeting #4.
Early draft of research essay due.

Nov. 17: Mentorship Meeting # 5 at Inman Middle School
Reading:
Chapters 9 and 10 of Soul of a Citizen.

Writing:
Journal Entry #11: TBA

Nov. 24

No class: Thanksgiving holiday.

Dec. 1: Next Steps, Continuing the Partnership
Reading:
National Literacy Campaigns, by Robert F. Arnove and Harvey J. Graff (excerpt from
Literacy a Critical Sourcebook)
Chapters 11, 12, Postscript, and Continuing the Journey of Soul of a Citizen

Writing:
Journal Entry #12: TBA
Revised, complete draft of research paper due in class for peer review.

In-class Activities:
Discussion of how to give a professional presentation of a research essay.

Dec. 8: Mentorship Meeting # 6 at Inman Middle School
Writing:
Journal Entry #13: TBA
Continued revisions to research paper.

Dec. 15: Exam
10:45 AM 1:15 PM
Presentation of Research Project (8 min. each)
HONORS 3260: Literacy, Community, and Public Schools

Holmes / Fall 2014

Georgia State University
Honors College
References

Arnove, R. F., & Graff, H. J. (1987; 2001). National literacy campaigns. In Cushman, E. R. Kintgen, B.
M. Kroll, & M. Rose (Eds.), Literacy a critical sourcebook (591-615). E.. Boston, MA: Bedford /
St. Martins.
Aviv, R. (2014). Wrong answer: In an era of high-stakes testing, a struggling school made a shocking
choice. The New Yorker. Retrieved from
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/07/21/wrong-answer
Boyer, E. L. (1996). The scholarship of engagement. In Introduction to service-learning toolkit: Readings
and resources for faculty (245-251). 2
nd
ed. Campus Compact. Providence, RI:
Brandt, D. (1998). Sponsors of literacy. CCC, 49(2), 165-185.
Cooper, K. J. (2010). Ben Carson: Gifted neurosurgeon. Stories of African-American achievement (59-
62). U.S. Department of State. Retrieved from http://www.america.gov/publications/books.html.
Degree Scout. (2012). 10 students who overcame massive obstacles to achieve their dream of an
education. Retrieved from http://www.degreescout.com/business-degrees/10-students-who-
overcame-massive-obstacles-to-achieve-their-dream-of-an-education
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. New York,
NY: Macmillan.
Fraser, J. W. (2014). From No Child Left Behind to the Common Core, 2001-2014. The school in the
United States: A documentary history (360-390). 3
rd
ed. Mahwah, NJ: Routledge.
Friere, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Bloomsbury academic.
Giroux, H. A. (2005). Schooling and the struggle for public life: Democracys promise and educations
challenge. 2
nd
ed. Boulder, CO: Paradigm.
Hemmings, A. B. (2012). Sociological basics: School functions, social locations, and capital. Urban high
schools: Foundations and possibilities. New York, NY: Routledge.
HONORS 3260: Literacy, Community, and Public Schools

Holmes / Fall 2014

Georgia State University
Honors College
Kozol, J. (2005). Dishonoring the dead. The shame of the nation: The restoration of apartheid schooling
in America (13-38). New York, NY: Three Rivers Press.
Loeb, P. R. (2010). Soul of a citizen: Living with conviction in challenging times. New and Revised
Edition. New York, NY: St. Martins Griffin.
McKay, C. L. (2010). Community education and critical race praxis: The power of voice. Educational
Foundations. 25-38.
Moll, L., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (2005). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a
qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. In N. Gonzalez, L. C. Moll, & C. Amanti
(Eds.), Funds of knowledge: Theorizing practices in households, communities, and classrooms
(71-87). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
National Commission on Writing in Americas Schools and Colleges. (2003). The neglected R: The
need for a writing revolution. Retrieved from
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/writingcom/neglectedr.pdf.
National Writing Project, & Nagin, C. (2006). Because writing matters: Improving student writing in our
schools. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Tan, A. (1990; 2011). Mother tongue. Rpt. In G. H. Muller. (Ed.), The McGraw-Hill reader: Issues
across the disciplines (76-81). 11
th
ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. Retrieved from
http://www.shawnashapiro.com/courses/wrpr0102a-s10/Tan_MotherTongue.pdf.
Rose, M. (1989). I just want to be average. Lives on the boundary. Retrieved from
http://userwww.sfsu.edu/mmartin/rose.pdf.
Rose, M. (1995). Baltimore, Maryland. Possible lives: The promise of public education in America (97-
134). New York, NY: Penguin.
Whitmore, E., & McKee, C. (2006). Six street youth who could . . . In P. Reason & H. Bradbury (Eds.),
Handbook of action research (297-303). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.