Civic Engagement and Education
Engelhard Unit
Readings due: Dec. 4 (see below for titles)
Writing Assignment and Survey Response: Due by 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7.
About the Engelhard Foundation Pilot Project
Georgetown is one of seven colleges chosen as a demonstration site for Bringing Theory to Practice, a project that examines the effects of linking the content of college courses with student civic engagement and mental health issues. Our course has been selected as one of the courses on the GU campus that illustrates these connections through an innovative approach to teaching and learning. Our class will approach mental health issues from the perspective of civic engagement and social justice.
Our Engelhard Content
In general, this course has emphasized education of the whole person, in contrast to courses (both in k-12 and college) that focus on the intellect. We’ve talked about the effects of the learning and broader cultural environment on the social, emotional, and psychological growth of people (including ourselves). We’ve also participated in class-related activities deliberately designed to engage us (and others such as the high school students) as whole human beings and promote our (and their) social, emotional, intellectual, moral, and psychological growth. Think back to our first day of class when we drew pictures to represent ourselves, talked about racism on our campus and in education, shared food and bonded with the high school students, and the feelings you experienced as you coached and then saw your students perform publicly at our celebration of their (and your) voices.
In this last week, we’ll focus on a specific issue that impacts student learning and psychological well-being. Through our experiences with the local high school, we saw that violence within the school and in the larger D.C. community definitely impacts students and their families. This impact affects the emotional, social, and intellectual growth of young people, and ultimately constraints their ability to learn and ultimately, their identities, behaviors, and opportunities as adults.
Education, then, must take into account the ways that violence enters and constrains the lives of many young people in DC and across the world. Effective communication with these young people requires that we have at least a basic understanding of its role. If we are to work with young people and in environments where violence is a possibility, we also need to develop the skills needed to respond intelligently and appropriately when/if violence occurs. Also, given the prevalence of violence in the lives of our students, as educators, we must help our students develop the skills and knowledge they need to successfully manage conflicts before violence develops and how to de-escalate violence situations when they arise, and how to best protect themselves in an environment where violence is a fact of life.
As part of this unit, we will discuss the ways in which we have seen violence touch the lives of young people, and its impact on their development. We will read:
Youth Violence: The Facts (see http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/yvfacts.htm) and
Youth Violence: An Overview by D.S. Elliot (available on BB)
On Dec. 4th, we will have a guest speaker visit from Peaceoholics, a group that is very active in addressing issues of violence within the D.C. community, particularly as it impacts young people.
Writing Prompt (due date above)
You will be asked several questions related to the content included in this unit as part of the evaluation process for the Engelhard Project. The overall length of your response should be no longer than 2 pages and should be e-mailed to me by the deadline.
Survey (due date above)
To evaluate the Engelhard Program, each class is required to fill out a short survey about the experiences it had relative to the material associated with the Engelhard Project. You may also be invited to participate in a student focus group in the future as a follow up.
To access the survey, visit the following link: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB2287YSALMRW