Our community is…
- an inclusive environment in which everyone in our diverse community can learn
- a place that will challenge us intellectually and possibly personally. I am committed to working with you on these challenges
- a place for people of all abilities and backgrounds. Please talk to me about how I can support your success and reach out to the relevant offices at OU
- one piece of your broader life. Any student who has difficulty with basic needs (food, a place to live, etc.) and believes this may affect their performance in the course is urged to notify me, if you are comfortable in doing so. This will enable me to provide any other resources I may possess or direct you to other resources on campus.
- building community and learning during a global pandemic and economic depression
Class Compact
To foster an effective learning environment, we will create a class compact. In addition to items you the students will add to the compact, the following principles will guide our work together:
- As your professor, I pledge to be honest with you, and I hope that you do the same for me as well as your peers.
- As a learning community we share a responsibility to each other to do our work to the best of our ability and to learn from and listen to each other.
- Derogatory comments based on race, sex, gender, religion, ability, sexual orientation, and other identity positions prevent us from learning. They have no place in our community.
- Knowing and applying the names and pronouns students wish to use are crucial to developing a learning environment that fosters safety, inclusion, and personal dignity.
Class Participation is more than agreeing/disagreeing
Since we will all be members of a learning community this semester, diligent preparation and enthusiastic class participation is essential
Daily assignments should be completed before participating in discussion
Students are expected to participate in a thoughtful, well-prepared manner that is grounded in the course assignments.
All members of the class are expected to reflect critically on the ways in which they can contribute to constructive rather than destructive class dynamics.