URI AASB 2009 blog:

URI Academic Alternative Spring Break 2009

2011-03-23T13:03:00.002-04:00

Welcome to ACADEMIC ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK. This course will invite you to look at a number of social issues with a new, many-sided view. Before reserving some of your life for ‘service’ to your community, it is important that you begin your understanding of ‘why your community needs service.’ We’ll begin with the broad issue of poverty and its root causes; we’ll talk about communities and families that have issues with unemployment and hunger; we’ll discuss housing and the lack of affordable housing in our community and globally. We will be getting ourselves ready for a service experience that will provide firsthand orientation to some of these social issues.

Course Purpose:

This course is designed to give you, the student, relevant academic background in anticipation of an “alternative spring break of service.” Research shows that there is increased value to a student when a service component (alternative spring break) is accompanied by an academic component (weekly discussion in preparation for the spring break.) This course is also in a category called ‘experiential education’, that is, much of the time in this course will be learning in the community as well as in the classroom.

Course Intended Learning Outcomes and Goals:

Understand the root causes of social problems, thereby developing an ability to better evaluate situations
Understand one’s multiple social identities, thereby developing problem solving skills in intra and inter personal learning
Become familiar with different conceptualizations of citizenship, thereby developing competency in identifying community assets
Understand individual vs. institutional ‘isms’, thereby developing cross-cultural communication skills
Understand the social change model of leadership, thereby developing the skills that facilitate the sharing of leadership roles
Understand the issues of home, homelessness and housing policy, thereby preparing oneself for the Habitat experience
Learn how citizen groups have effected change in their communities

Elise :o)

2009-04-21T23:39:00.002-04:00

So I've been thinking about what to write in this journal for a pretty long time, and STILL haven't come up with anything good. But I guess that kind of fits our trip, since it was completely indescribable. From the people we helped, to the things we saw, to the friendships we made, pretty much everything that happened in Birmingham leaves me at a loss for words. Whether that's because I was awestruck by the testimonies of Dr. Lafayette and Colonel Johnson, or laughing too hard during the numerous games of Catch Phrase, who knows :o) But this past spring break was full of memories, thoughts, jokes and lessons that will forever be imprinted on my heart.

First of all, the construction experience we all got over the trip was a miracle in itself. I never thought I'd be able to use a regular saw, much less a skill saw, and I hadn't even thought for a second that I would be up on a roof. That we were able to get work done on the houses—and do it right—all within a week's time was incredible. Our site supervisors are probably the most patient people on the face of the earth, having to figure out how to train new volunteers AND get work done in only a week. I don't think Geronimo stayed in one spot for more than five seconds during the four days we were on site; he was constantly running around trying to help everyone who called his name, yet doing it with a smile and a great sense of humor. And Milton, as we all know, was like a fountain of knowledge...I wish I could have written down all the inspirational things that came out of that man's mouth, as everything was worth quoting. It was amazing to see how a person could turn so much tragedy into so much love, compassion, and wisdom. Milton and Geronimo are passionate about living out their faith and serving other people, and their example is an inspiration to live out my faith as well, and to lead a life of service. It is one thing to claim that you belong to a certain religion and simply attend services once a week. It is another, deeper, more rewarding experience to actually live a life driven by your beliefs and a willingness to serve other people.

Speaking of being driven by your beliefs, we also had the amazing opportunity to visit Civil Rights movement monuments and hear stories from demonstrators who put their lives on the line because of what they believed. It is hard to think that Dr. Lafayette and many other demonstrators were our age, or even younger, when they got involved in the movement. I found myself wondering if I would be willing to drop out of college, go to prison, and risk my life for liberties that we too often take for granted. The sacrifice and pain the demonstrators endured is devastating, yet liberating at the same time. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the clock in the 16^th Street Baptist Church that had stopped at 10:22, the time of the bombing, and chills ran down my spine when I first saw the statue of the man and woman, backs turned against the water hoses, in Kelly Ingram Park. We were able to witness a small portion of the violence and pain that characterized the Civil Rights movement, but were also lucky enough to see the good that came out of it. The Civil Rights Institute is a testament not only to the movement of the 1960’s, but also to the ongoing battle for civil rights that is present in our country today. Kelly Ingram Park was once a site of violence and hatred, and now it is a place filled with memorials and plaques dedicated to the demonstrators who marched there. It was heartbreaking and inspiring to walk through the park and the church, and it was definitely an afternoon I’ll never forget.

But of course, I would be leaving out one of the most important parts of our trip if I did not mention our class. The camaraderie and friendships that were formed throughout the week left me, again, at a loss for words. I've been on multiple week-long trips and retreats, but I have never experienced anything like the friendship that we formed down in Birmingham. When I got home on Saturday afternoon, I found myself missing every single person from our trip and counting down to the next time we would all be together. I’ve never encountered twenty six completely different people who were able to get along so well with each other; it was truly a blessing to spend a week with all y’all wonderful people :o) Somewhere between the construction sites, heated games of catch phrase, home-cooked dinners and fabulous living quarters, a special bond was formed that will never be forgotten or replaced.

There is really nothing one can say to describe the alternative spring break of 2009. All the quotes, pictures and memories could not do it justice. But, while waiting for our flight in the Birmingham airport, I stumbled across something that may begin to shed some light on what was so special about our trip. I picked up a postcard that had a picture of the city skyline and in big letters across the top of the card read the phrase, Birmingham: The Magic City. Whether it was the satisfaction of knowing our hard work would provide someone with a home, or the appreciation one got after listening to testimonies of the Civil Rights movement, or the formation of a friendship with someone that you already can’t imagine your life without, I believe we all experienced something magical on our spring break. I am so grateful for every single one of you for giving me one of the best weeks of my life. I felt inspired, encouraged, grateful, and a bit sunburned after our trip, and I loved every second of it. You are all wonderful people, keep spreading the love—and the magic!

Infinite x's and o's,

Elise :o)

Kristina Camarena OR "X-Tina!" :]

2009-04-09T16:01:00.005-04:00

Sooooooo.........DB you wrote waaaaaaaaayyyy more than I am going to post. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. :]

I decided to write a poem....It's not very good but here it is. >.<

In the air
In the atmosphere
In the smiles and warm, endearing hugs
Love is all around us here
Bringing us together
As a community
As friends
Dedicated and determined
To accomplish something
So much bigger than ourselves.
In a place so far from home
So far from what we’re accustomed to
What we’re comfortable with
We’re taken aback and
Surprised
At what we find
But we step outside these comfort zones
And understand
That we can choose to take the opportunity
To help those in need
Those who live so differently
Than we ever knew.
We roll up our sleeves
Lend a hand
And are brought together
By this love
This desire to be a part of something
With such a great purpose.
In the end
It makes us smarter
Stronger
And better connected not only to the community
But to each other
And ourselves.

I love you guys! <3

Now you can't say anything about not posting to ME, Chris. :]

Ryan Kilpatrick "Sir DB"

2009-03-26T10:55:00.006-04:00

Where to begin. It was a cold New England day when I boarded the plane in Providence to embark on this trip to Alabama. I had no idea what was in store for the week ahead. Let's just say I wasn't disappointed. I think it is safe to say that our class trip to Birmingham was one of the best trips I've ever been on. Ever. In my life. I never expected to have so much fun. I was a little anxious before we left, as I'm sure most of us were, since our class was not closely-knit. We saw little of each other outside of the classroom, and most of us didn't even speak during class time. I don't even know that class anymore. After spending a week together in a musty old church basement, we all got to know each other pretty well. Now, I really look forward to going to class. Not that I didn't before the trip, it's just different now. I know everyone's name now. A Bomb, Mad Meg, Seg, Dude, Princess, X-Tina, Lindsaaay, Sweet Thang, Maak. The list goes on. These are my peeps now. I love how just 2 weeks ago I knew absolutely nothing about these people and now I'm calling them by wicked outrageous nicknames. The transformation astounds me. I could ramble on foreva, but I'm going to focus on just a few of my favorite parts of the trip.

1. Accents
Let me start by just asking a simple question: Can anyone speak correctly after this trip? Probably not for a little while. I don't think I've butchered the English language more in my entire life than I did on this trip. There were so many accents flying around. New Yawk, Massachusetts, Da Souf, Nigeria, Rhode Island. It was crazy. I loved every second of it. I think a perfect testimony to how out of control everyone's speech was is that multiple people told me they had no idea what my voice actually sounded like. I had Jami going for a while. She thought I really was from Mass. The point is, it was hilarious and it made the trip that much more fun for me and I'm sure everyone else.

2. Jess and Tolu
Two things: 1. "Sweet Thang!" 2. Tolu shakin it like a Polaroid. Nuff said.

3. Catch Phrase
I've never played Catch Phrase before this trip. Now, it's all I want to do. Some of the best quotes from the trip came during our intense CP battles. My absolute favorite:
Lindsay: "Guys like it when girls do this..."
Adam: (screams) "EVERYTHING!"
You can't buy moments like that. Catch Phrase brought the group together and allowed us all to really bond. I've never had so much fun.

4. Camaraderie
I loved being at the work site everyday. We all worked together so well. I was impressed with everyone's work ethic and diligence. Everyone was so supportive and had a positive attitude everyday we stepped on the site. Bryant and Brian were wicked cool and thankfully very patient. No matter how many times I messed something up, and there were plenty of times, Bryant never lost his cool. They were so easy to get along with and made working with them a total blast. Unfortunately I did not get to be Brian's protege, but I had a good time nonetheless. Gail said it best when she said, "Doing good brings out the best in everybody." All I saw at the worksite was everybody's best. We should be proud of what we accomplished.

5. The Weather
Unbelievable. It made me not want to leave. My neck is still peeling.

6. Service
Who knew we could have so much fun roofing? I feel good about what we were able to do for Devarez and his family. I enjoyed being able to talk to him about his hopes and dreams and to laugh and cut up like kids. Habitat is providing more than a house to these people. They're providing a sense of security, a safe haven, a place of rest, a place to grow, and all the other things that a home is supposed to be. To be a part of that is really special. I don't intend to stop there.

7. Everyone
I got to know just about everyone on this trip and I have to say: I love you all. You made this one of the best experiences of my life and I thank you for that. I can honestly say that I was happy literally the whole time I was in Alabama. I enjoyed spending time with you all and I hope we get to see much more of each other in the future.

Ok I know that was a little more than a few things, but that's the best I could do. If I've taken anything away from this trip I would have to say it is inspiration. Inspiration to use my two hands to benefit this world the best way I can. There are millions of people in this world with needs. Most of them will never have those needs met because there aren't enough servants or leaders. I want to be a servant. Granted, it shouldn't take a one week trip to Alabama to open my eyes to the social injustices of the world, but maybe that was just what I needed. I'm young, healthy, and somewhat intelligent. I have the tools necessary to make a difference. There is plenty of time for fun. Now is the time for action. I want to get more involved and I think I'm going to start with Habitat for Humanity. From there, who knows. All I know is that I have a responsibility, and I plan on fulfilling it. I'm very glad I did not get into the Fall Colloquium. I would have missed out on one of the greatest experiences of my life. Wow. What a trip.

About Service Learning

2009-03-24T19:19:00.006-04:00

What is service learning?

Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.

Chris Lombardozzi

2009-03-24T18:44:00.006-04:00

My experience in Birmingham Alabama working with Habitat for Humanity through URI was truly an eye-opener. The friendships I formed, the fulfillment I got from services I was giving as well as a deeper understanding of a place so different form the place I grew up, I now consider a crucial part of my education. By developing my understanding of service learning both academically and through the hands on work we did, I now can see the importance that service learning plays within a community.

What stood out most for me during this week was our group as a whole. They way we adapted to a surrounding that was new to all of us and we came together and did what we needed to do. Any differences they we had within us or what ever unknowns there were in the group, instantly did not matter as soon as we picked up a hammer. I felt like there was a sense of all of us working toward a common goal that had nothing to do with any of us as an individual. It all had to do with a much bigger goal that was going to contribute a cause of poverty in Birmingham. Any of us could have chosen to spend our spring break elsewhere, relaxing on a beach or on any other conventional vacation but we all choose to do something much larger. That something I believe will be much more beneficial to each of us that participated and for all of families we helped in the long term. Here is one of my favorite picture from trip on the site that we worked on.

Habitat for Humanity: Birmingham AL

2009-03-24T10:38:00.008-04:00

Contact

2009-03-23T17:10:00.003-04:00

Gail Rashed Faris
Assistant Director

Womens Center
22 Upper College
Road Kingston RI, 02881

Phone: (401) 874-5464
Fax: (401) 874-9380
Email: gailfaris@uri.edu

Class Syllabus

2009-03-23T15:29:00.001-04:00

Academic Alternative Spring Break

CSV 302 (H), Section 4, 3 credits

Tuesdays 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Lippitt Hall, Room 401, Kingston, RI 02881

Spring 2009

Instructor: Gail Rashed Faris

Office: URI Women’s Center, Room 105

Office Hours: Each Tuesday from 1:30 to 3:00 or by appointment

Office Phone: 401-874-5464

Home Phone: 401-789-3658 (between 8 am and 8 pm only)

Cell: 401-524-6362

Email: gailfaris@uri.edu

Prerequisites:

A willingness to be open to new thoughts, ideas and experiences. A willingness to view ‘service’ in a systemic sense with the idea of being committed to some form of it for a lifetime.

Required Text:

None, but the Portfolio that you produce can be your own text for the future.

Course Description:

Course Purpose:

Course Intended Learning Outcomes and Goals:

Understand the root causes of social problems, thereby developing an ability to better evaluate situations
Understand one’s multiple social identities, thereby developing problem solving skills in intra and inter personal learning
Become familiar with different conceptualizations of citizenship, thereby developing competency in identifying community assets
Understand individual vs. institutional ‘isms’, thereby developing cross-cultural communication skills
Understand the social change model of leadership, thereby developing the skills that facilitate the sharing of leadership roles
Understand the issues of home, homelessness and housing policy, thereby preparing oneself for the Habitat experience
Learn how citizen groups have effected change in their communities

Personal Learning Goals for this Course:

Use the spaces below to list a few personal goals for this course. These will be helpful to you when completing your learning contract.

Classroom procedures:

Because students will be giving so much time to the community, this class will only meet once a week. However, there will be one or two weekdays when we are scheduled to work with the South County Habitat for Humanity Chapter on a local housing project. This local experience will allow us a better preparation for our Spring Break experience and it will also permit us to get to know each other better.

Each week we will explore a topic that helps support our “Intended Learning Outcomes and Goals.” Each class will include discussion; class participation will be personally beneficial, beneficial to the class, and possibly beneficial to your grade.

Course materials will be in a paper, hand-out form or available through WEBCT. This class will rely heavily on WEBCT, so it is expected that students will check this frequently. This medium will post messages, emails, reading materials, announcements, changes, and interactions. It is a vital tool to CSV 302, Section 4, especially since the class will meet only once per week. MAKE WEBCT A BEST FRIEND and a regular study habit.

Participation:

Readiness to learn means that you will come to class prepared. Assigned readings should be read prior to coming to class. There will be a short quiz on the readings each time one is due. Your questions and insights, and your readiness to discuss the relevance and application of these materials will assist you in meeting your learning outcomes.

Characteristics of Students Who Excel in this Class

come to class with reading assignments finished
bring thoughtful questions to class for discussion
take notes in class discussions and during your readings
begin thinking in advance about your final product, your PORTFOLIO

Assignment Description:

Learning Contract: This is the first assignment you will have. Review the goals you have for the class. From these goals, you may be able to develop your learning contract. In the learning contract, you should identify two or three learning goals you hope to achieve during the course of the semester. The learning contract consists of:

goals
activity
evidence

A fuller example of the form this contract should take is found on WEBCT.

There will be several class assignments. You will find that they are in each of the following areas: Reading, Writing, Doing and Telling.

READING: Most of the reading assignments will take place prior to Spring Break. It will consist mostly of the readings pertinent to the topic of the day. It is expected that references to these readings will be frequently made when each of you are preparing other aspects of your assignment. For example, your portfolio should liberally reflect these assigned readings.

Your assignments in the following three areas are somewhat weighted in favor of the second half of the semester. However, it is important that you understand them now so that some aspects of those assignments can be partially done, reflected upon and anticipated.

RITING: There will be several different kinds of writing assignments. In all these assignments, I am asking you to use “critical questions” in your writings. This use of critical questions will deepen personal exploration, ask for evidence to defend your claims, ask you to deal with differing viewpoints, and ask you to evaluate the effect on the community. A separate sheet will be given to you to assist in this process. With use of these “critical questions” in mind, I will ask you to write a minimum of two letters home during our spring break in Birmingham. You need not mail these letters, but I would like for you to explain and describe your experiences/feelings to a friend or relative or loved one. Your most significant writing experience will be your portfolio documenting your entire journey from January 29, 2008 to April 29, 2008. A separate sheet is attached for your detailed instructions regarding this portfolio. Don’t forget to add your letters to it.

DOING: We will have at least two significant “doing” exercises. We will do an exercise entitled “Tapped into Citizenship: A Simulation” at a time to be determined. This exercise is intended to demonstrate the power of norms and status within society. The second “doing” exercise will be practiced in class after our spring break experience. From after spring break to the end of the semester, you or a small group of you will be conducting the reflection exercise during the course of each class meeting. What is being asked of you as facilitator is to:

Validate everyone’s opinions and contributions
Be challenging
Be neutral

Additionally, you are being asked to incorporate three crucial questions in each of these discussions:

What did you see?
How did you feel about it?
How can you apply it?

TELLING: The primary activity for ‘telling’ will consist of the reflective interview, incorporating the use of the ‘three questions’. Each student will interview one other student and will herself/himself be interviewed by a different student. The interview will be recorded and the questions will be determined by the class but will most likely cover points such as the following:

A history of that student’s service
A recounting of what learning had occurred in these experiences and why, with special emphasis on our most recent Spring Break experience
A section on ‘reflecting on reflection’; a reflection on what the student’s intent is for the future
A summary

Again, during the course of this interview, the students will be asked to employ the following questions:

What did you see?
How did you feel about it?
How can you apply it?

Service Portfolio:

This is your final product. Through this you will receive your final grade. This portfolio will be returned to you. A few pages will be copied for the ‘master’ class portfolio. This document should be important to the both of us.

The portfolio project is a way to highlight your experiences as a member of the CSV 302(H), Section 4, Academic Alternative Spring Break 2009 class. You have established goals for yourself; the portfolio provides you with a chance to develop evidence to support your successful achievement of these goals. It is meant to give you a vehicle to express both your acquired academic learning and to reflect on aspects of your personal growth. While it is important to fulfill the various required components, this is your portfolio, which means it is specific to your learning experience. Since this is the case, it allows for creativity. You may include pictures of activities with captions as well as any activities that lend themselves to your positive learning experience. Use a small binder and sheet protectors throughout your portfolio.

Portfolio Includes:

Title Page (1 page)

Your name
CSV 302(H), Section 4
Spring 2009 semester

Introduction (1 page)

Brief summary of how you learned about and how your involvement began in AASB 2009

Learning Contract (1 page)

Introduces the 2 goals you have established for the semester
Lists the activities you will do to achieve your goal
Gives supportive evidence of above

Annotation and Evidence (1-2 pages per annotation)

See sample annotation
Explain what your goals were for the class, how they were achieved, and what you learned
Prove that you successfully achieved your goal

Letters 2 letters to persons at home (E.g. to an older person (grandparent) and a younger (kid brother or sister)

Reflective Interviews – You as Interviewer and You as Interviewee

Your country – 2-3 pages on the meaning and role of Habitat in your country according to the rubric provided

Social Change Model of Leadership (2-3 pages)

Apply the model to Birmingham, AL 1963

Student Academic Learning Measurement – THIS IS A HEAVILY WEIGHTED SECTION OF YOUR PORTFOLIO. You are asked to prepare a well-constructed essay of 3-4 pages, double-spaced, 12 point, 1 inch margins, that utilizes and integrates the main points of at least 3 or the 6 essays assigned to show how the class readings enlarged your understanding of the service experience. Footnotes required. See next page for scoring Rubric.

Self-Evaluation (2-3 pages)

Critically explores what you did, what you learned, and if you accomplished your action and learning goals.
Please answer the question: What did I learn about myself as a result of this course and this experience? See Rubric on next page.
Please answer the question: What is your intent for continuation of service to the community? See Rubric on next page.
Include a letter grade.

Closing statement (1 page)

Display uniquely what this experience meant to you. Say something different/differently from all else you have said.

Rubric for Student Academic Learning Measurement

TASK DESCRIPTION: In the portfolio section entitled “Student Academic Learning”, students will prepare a well-constructed essay of 3 to 4 double-spaced type written pages that utilizes and integrates the main points of at least 3 of the 6 essays assigned to show how the class readings enlarged their understanding of the service experience.

STRONG EXPRESSION

MODERATE EXPRESSION

MINIMAL EXPRESSION

Written expression of the academic learning acquired in AASB

Student will show mastery of the key points in each of the three articles chosen and will be able to exhibit relevant integration among the assigned readings, lectures and activities. They will make pertinent and applicable connections between the readings and their service experience.

Student will show an understanding of the three articles chosen and they will make a few references and/or interconnections among the assigned readings, lectures, and activities. They will make one or two connections between the readings and their service experience.

Student will show little or no understanding of the three articles chosen and will make only vague references to how those readings may have enhanced their service experience.

Rubric for what you have learned about yourself

TASK DESCRIPTION: In the portfolio section entitled “Self-Evaluation”, students will be asked what they learned about themselves

as a result of this course (various aspects of self-awareness)

STRONG EXPRESSION

MODERATE EXPRESSION

MINIMAL EXPRESSION

Students will reflect on increased self-awareness

Student develops a progression of awareness, stating clearly how he/she previously understood self and then give concrete examples of how personal change occurred as a result of the Academic Alternative Spring Break course and service experience

Student expresses an awareness about how much he/she learned about self, physically, emotionally, and academically, as a result of the Academic Alternative Spring Break course and service experience

Student shows an awareness that he/she grew a lot without expressing details about the kind of change

Rubric for your intent regarding future continuation of service to the community

TASK DESCRIPTION: In the portfolio section entitled “Self-Evaluation”, students will disclose their intent for

continuation of service to the community

STRONG EXPRESSION

MODERATE EXPRESSION

MINIMAL EXPRESSION

Student discloses intent to do service

Student states that he/she intends to do service again, has already done additional service or has inquired about service opportunities with various groups. Student is also thinking/planning to organize a group of others to perform regular service as a team.

Student states that he/she intends to do service again, has already done additional service or has inquired about service opportunities with one or more groups.

Student states that he/she intends to do service again.

Service Portfolio Requirments

2009-03-23T13:50:00.000-04:00

The portfolio project is a way to highlight your experiences as a member of the CSV 302(H), Section 4, Academic Alternative Spring Break 2009 class. You have established goals for yourself; the portfolio provides you with a chance to develop evidence to support your successful achievement of these goals. It is meant to give you a vehicle to express both your acquired academic learning and to reflect on aspects of your personal growth. While it is important to fulfill the various required components, this is your portfolio, which means it is specific to your learning experience. Since this is the case, it allows for creativity. You may include pictures of activities with captions as well as any activities that lend themselves to your positive learning experience. Use a small binder and sheet protectors throughout your portfolio.

Portfolio Includes:

Title Page (1 page)

Ø Your name

Ø CSV 302(H), Section 4

Ø Spring 2009 semester

Introduction (1 page)

Ø Brief summary of how you learned about and how your involvement began in AASB 2009

Learning Contract (1 page)

Ø Introduces the 2 goals you have established for the semester

Ø Lists the activities you will do to achieve your goal

Ø Gives supportive evidence of above

Annotation and Evidence (1-2 pages per annotation)

Ø See sample annotation

Ø Explain what your goals were for the class, how they were achieved, and what you learned

Ø Prove that you successfully achieved your goal

Letters 2 letters to persons at home (E.g. to an older person (grandparent) and a younger (kid brother or sister)

Reflective Interviews – You as Interviewer and You as Interviewee

Your country – 2-3 pages on the meaning and role of Habitat in your country according to the rubric provided

Social Change Model of Leadership (2-3 pages)

Apply the model to Birmingham, AL 1963

Self-Evaluation (2-3 pages)

Ø Critically explores what you did, what you learned, and if you accomplished your action and learning goals.

Ø Please answer the question: What did I learn about myself as a result of this course and this experience? See Rubric on next page.

Ø Please answer the question: What is your intent for continuation of service to the community? See Rubric on next page.

Ø Include a letter grade.

Closing statement (1 page)

Display uniquely what this experience meant to you. Say something different/differently from all else you have said.