The Listening Project

The Listening Project Fall 2009 UNST 421-533 T/Tr 10-11:50am, SEH 106 CRN : 13861 Instructor Celine Fitzmaurice Portland State University -Center for Science Education 1st Floor - Stephen Epler Hall Phone: 503.725.8260 Fax: 503.725.3884 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: By Appointment

Course Description This course will explore the concept of listening as a tool for social change worldwide. Our partner for the course will be the Macdonald Center, an outreach program for homeless and mentally ill residents of Portland’s Old Town District. Students will “listen” to members of the Old Town community as part of a hospitality program for homeless individuals or a visiting program to residents of single room occupancy hotels.

This course will meet twice a week in the classroom for discussion and classroom activities. In addition, you will be required to volunteer for one of the Macdonald Center programs for 3-4 hours each week. You will have the opportunity to choose your program and volunteer timeslot from a variety of options.

Student Learning Outcomes By the end of this course, you will be able to: . Apply effective listening skills in a variety of settings (Communication) . Describe the factors which contribute to homelessness in our society (Critical Thinking, Appreciation for Diversity) . Describe key challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness (Critical Thinking) . Distinguish among the experience of homelessness for a variety of populations (Appreciation for Diversity, Critical Thinking) . Critically analyze grassroots and policy responses to issues of homelessness (Critical Thinking, Social and Ethical Responsibility) . Apply communication, organizational, and critical thinking skills to the design of a final product for the Macdonald Center. (Communication, Critical Thinking)

(Relevant University Studies goals are given in italics after each course goal.)

Course Activities . Meetings with our community partner to learn about the Macdonald Center, identify the program’s needs, and receive feedback on our work . Classroom discussions and experiential learning activities relevant to the course goals . Three to four hours of volunteer time outside the classroom each week . Lunch at Sisters of the Road Café in fulfillment of RW #4 (visit must take place by Nov. 5th) . Field Trips . Group reflection on your service experiences . Reflection papers and assigned readings

Community Partners The Macdonald Center is our community partner for this course. The Macdonald Center recognizes that social isolation is a common side effect of homelessness and mental illness yet few services are in place to address this concern. Through its outreach programs, the Macdonald Center aims to build trust and respect, to nurture a sense of community, and to link Old Town residents to services which will help them address the particular challenges they face. They also view themselves as a center for service-learning through which volunteers learn first-hand about issues of poverty, social justice, mental illness, and community building. You will be working with the following individuals at the Macdonald Center:

. Marylee King, Program Director, [email protected], 503-222-5720 x3 . Sarah Knuth, Outreach Coordinator, [email protected], 503-222-5720 x4

The Macdonald Center’s address is: 605 NW Couch Street, Portland, OR 97209.

Reflective Writing The purpose of reflective writing assignments is to a) record observations, insights, and questions that occur as part of your Capstone experience and b) connect the course experiences to University Studies goals. Each assignment should be typed, single-spaced, and at least one full page in length. Late papers will lose 20% credit unless prior arrangements have been made. Writing prompts will be due in class on Tuesdays on the dates listed in the course schedule. Reflective writing assignments will be read and returned the following week. No late papers will be accepted after assignments have been returned. You are welcome to skip one reflective writing assignment (#2-6) without penalty.

Reflective writing papers will be graded on the following 10-point scale:  Paper responds to the writing prompt: 2 points  Paper is well-organized and free of grammatical or spelling errors: 2 points  Paper demonstrates critical analysis: 4 points (I.e. raises questions, poses arguments, responds to readings/prompt)  Paper demonstrates synthesis with other course components and/or your life experience: 2 points

Final Project: The final project for this course will include interviews with long-term volunteers of the Macdonald Center’s visiting program. Excerpts of these interviews, along with a history of the visiting program, will be posted on the MacDonald Center website. Clear guidelines for the project will be determined by the class as a whole, with the guidance of the instructor and community partner.

The final project will require that you work in small groups. You will need to maintain phone, email and, frequent in-person contact with our community partner and your group members throughout the term to ensure a successful final project. Students are expected to approach the project with integrity.

Grading Grades will be based on participation in the class as measured by: Attendance at class sessions and service placement (25%) Participation in class activities and service placement (25%) Reflective Writing Papers (25%) Final Project & Presentation (25%)

The standard 90/80/70/60 grading scale will be used. There will be no final exam for this course. Peer and self review will be taken into account when calculating the final grade for this course.

Materials The following book is required reading for this course. Articles or web links for additional reading will be distributed in class for discussion the following week.

Morell, Jessica P. Voices from the Street: Truths about Homelessness from Sisters of the Road. Gray Sunshine Publishing, 2007.

On-line Access to Course Information The course syllabus, handouts, reflective writing prompts, and articles or weblinks for reading assignments will be made available on-line through Blackboard. To access this information, you must have a PSU ODIN account. Your Blackboard ID will be the same as your ODIN username and your password will be the last four digits of your PSU Student ID number. You will log into the course by going to http://www.psuonline.pdx.edu and entering your id and username in the “Online Course Login” section to the right of the page.

Students with Disabilities Please see me if you have a disability that may require some modification to the course. I will work with you and the Disability Resource Center to arrange needed supports.

Plagiarism Please note that plagiarism will not be tolerated in this course. If you are quoting or relying heavily on another’s work in your written assignments, you must use quotation marks or acknowledge the source appropriately.

Weekly Schedule Our tentative weekly schedule is attached. Please note that the schedule is subject to change. The Listening Project Course Schedule Fall Term 2009 T/Th 10-11:50am

Week 1 Tues., Sept. 29 Introductions Capstone Overview Syllabus Review and Discussion

Thurs., Oct. 1 Macdonald Center Orientation and Final Project Overview (Meet at the Macdonald Center by 10:15am) Choose Volunteer Placements Reflective Writing for Next Week

Due: Read Student Capstone Handbook Complete the Capstone Student Inventory

Week 2 (Begin Service Placements) Tues., Oct. 6 Walking Tour of Old Town (Meet at the Macdonald Center by 10:15am – dress for the weather!)

Due: Assigned Readings & Macdonald Center orientation materials

Thurs., Oct. 8 Listening Skills - Part I

Due: Reflective Writing #1

Week 3 (Listening Skills/Homelessness) Tues., Oct. 13 Debrief Volunteer Activities Listening Skills – Part II Guest Speaker: Yehudah Winter, Compassionate Listening Project

Due: Assigned readings

Thurs., Oct. 15 Defining Homelessness (Data, Root Causes, and Public Policy)

Due: Reflective Writing #2 Week 4 (Homelessness and Mental Illness) Tues., Oct. 20 Guest Speaker: Joseph Marinucci Volunteer and final project check-in with Marylee King

Due: Assigned Readings

Thurs., Oct. 22 Classroom Activity/Discussion Mid-term conferences

Week 5 (Homelessness and Addictions) Tues. Oct. 27 Field Trip: Volunteers of America, Men’s Residential Treatment Center (We will arrange a carpool to this site.) Guest Speakers: Greg Stone and Jerome Gilgan

Thurs., Oct. 29 Site Visit Debrief Final Project Work Session Mid-term conferences cont.

Week 6 (Youth and Homelessness, ) Tues., Nov. 3 Site Visit to Outside In? (Tentative)

Thurs., Nov. 5 Guest Speaker(s): Brendan Phillips from Sisters of the Road Café

Due: Reflective Writing #4 (Sisters of the Road Assignment)

Week 7 (Policy Responses to Homelessness)

Tues., Nov. 10 Portland’s “Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness” The Sit/Lie Debate

Due: Assigned readings Review “10 Year Plan to End Homelessness” Thurs., Nov. 12 Debriefing the Service Experience visit with Macdonald Center Staff Final Project Check-in

Week 8 (Grassroots Efforts to Address Homelessness) Tues., Nov. 17 Dignity Village Site Visit (Tentative)

Due: Assigned Readings

Thurs., Nov. 19 Guest Speakers: PHLUSH (Public Hygiene Makes Us Human)

Week 9 (Homelessness on a Global Level) Tues., Nov. 24 Classroom Activity/Discussion

Thurs., Nov. 26 – Thanksgiving Holiday

Note: Last Week of Service Placements

Week 10 Tues., Dec. 1 Community Partner Presentation

Due: Polished Draft of Final Project for Community Partners

Thurs., Dec. 3 Closing Ceremony (Slideshow Activity) at the Macdonald Center Course Evaluations and Celebration!

Due: Reflective Writing #7 Revised Drafts of Final Project (if community partners requested revisions)

Finals Week -- No class