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This page provides resource info about Culturally Responsive Teaching elements related to syllabus construction.

A Culturally Responsive Syllabus example is linked here, and many of elements from it are listed on this page.

• LINK: Sample Culturally Responsive Learning Syllabus

It’s the little things that change the VIBE of your syllabus. Here are a few ideas:

• Add your pronouns, if desired. FCC has some thoughts about this. According to the college web site, “Frederick Community College is dedicated to creating a culture and climate that respects people of all identities to ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.”

LINK: https://youtu.be/Nj8VmhvR218

• Rebrand Office Hours to “Student drop in” time. This lets students know the time is for them and not for you to work in your office. Here’s an example: “Student drop in time: these are times I set aside to work with you on any aspect of this course. You are not ‘interrupting’ or ‘bothering’ me. My job is to help you succeed in ENGL101/2, and I look forward to working with you. Your success is important to me, and I welcome all questions.”
  
• A Welcome Statement says “this is me.” Add a profile photo in Blackboard, too. This is mine.

“Welcome Statement: Welcome to ENGL101. I’m Bryan, the host of this little show, and I’m excited to work with you this term! I’ve been at FCC since 2006 and I’ve been teaching ENGL101/102 for a minute, and I REALLY enjoy this work. Have a look at me on Rate My Professors. Students have found our class environment to be positive and a good experience overall. Every term is new and has its own challenges, and I want you to know I’ll do whatever I can to help support your success in this class. So if you have questions, email or call and let’s figure things out.”

• Add the English department Equity Statement. This is optional, but another signal about how you intend to interact with students.

“English Department Equity Statement: In alignment with the mission of FCC, this classroom will honor the diversity of everyone and be a space that centers inclusion and explores issues of identity, oppression, power, community, diversity, opportunity, justice, and equity. English courses, as part of a discipline, use writing and reading to make sense of the world. We seek to address the negative impact of these issues, while supporting all in enacting change, if they choose to do so, in their communities and world.”

• Change up the formal  language of your syllabus: edit references from “the student” to “you.” This ends up making it specifically about the student.
• Define your Instructional Methods in more detail. The more students know up front about what to expect, the better it is for everyone.
• Tell students HOW you will communicate. Is email best? Does phone work? Are you willing to text? Whatever is best, communicate this to students.
• Think LESS about Extra Credit and more about CLOs. ASK: how can students focus on work of the course? This one runs against what happens in many classes, as teachers often offer extra credit without thinking much about it. In some cases, however, it could lead to opportunities that only some are able to fulfill.  Another way to think about this is to bake into your syllabus the chance for students to make up X number of assignments without question. This allows for focus on CLOs rather than some random disconnected task.
• Add RECOVERY mechanisms that will help students on the margin. Think “do-overs” or something similar that allows for students to make up some work without question. Here is my do-over policy.

“All this said, you have your disposal do-overs, which are ‘no questions asked opportunities to make up for missed and late work. Specifically, you have six (6) total Do-Overs for the term (the ability to make up assignments):

• • • one (1) for an essay assignment and/or portfolio (Major); There are five in the course.
    • six (6) for minor assignments (either LATE, MISSED, or Incomplete assignments).” There are 25+ minor assignments in the course.”
• Plan ahead for instances of plagiarism and AI use “gone wild” (RECOVERY mechanisms, part 2). Communicate to students how you plan to work with them when it comes to these circumstances. FCC professor JH has some novel ideas about how to turn a tough circumstance into a teaching moment using Blackboard’s SafeAssign, active self-reflection, and an in person conference BEFORE any revision takes place. Her assignment is listed here.

LINK: Plagiarism Revision Assignment

• Tell students what’s expected BEFORE and AFTER each a class. This is something I recently began doing, as it moves info in a topical guide from general to specific. For example, here is what my ENGL101 class is doing in Week 3 of the term. Notice the indicator for READ/WRITE before and after class.

READ/WRITE BEFORE MONDAY CLASS: 

• • READING: Week 3 Lesson Plan (including Discussion Journal Instructions)
  • Humble READING #3: Start Thinking for Yourself (OLD: 29-36) (NEW: 19-24)

READ/WRITE BEFORE WED CLASS:

• • Library Orientation (in the Learning Commons) – no homework

READ/WRITE AFTER WED CLASS:

• • WRITING: Discussion Journal due on  “Even with a Dream Job…”  article by WEDNESDAY 11:59 PM
  • WRITING: Humble Reading Journal due by Sunday 11:59 PM
  • Library Orientation Quiz due by Sunday 11:59 PM