Drexel seeks community members for side-by-side classes

Posted by Drexel University on February 9, 2015

I am reaching out today with news of an opportunity for your constituent base. For several years we have been supporting courses at Drexel University called “Side by Side” classes. These classes, which are an equal mix of members from the community and traditional Drexel students, aim to co-create learning among diverse individuals in a supportive setting. Issues of access to education, equality, and diversity are often and undercurrent or secondary theme in Side by Side classes.

This upcoming spring term, we have three Side by Side classes taking place out of our Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships, each with a different focus. We are hoping that you will share the details of these courses with your clients, members, and constituents, and encourage them to register if they are interested. These courses are free and open to community members provided that they are over 18 and can commit to participating across the entire term. The term begins in late March and continues through mid-June, but registration will need to be completed by February 23rd.

Flyers with details about each course are below.

· COMM 230: Techniques of Speaking

· ENGL 360: Philadelphia Stories

· HIST 276: History of Philadelphia

To register for one of these courses, please visit: http://goo.gl/forms/zgpHmtQ2eC, or register in person at the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships, located at 3509 Spring Garden Street.

Additionally, any questions can be directed at Professor Cyndi Reed Rickards at [email protected] or 215.571.3734

Lastly, if your organization is interested in being a host-site partner for a future Side by Side class, meaning that the class would be comprised of half Drexel students and half of your constituents, please reach out to Professor Cyndi Reed Rickards for more information: [email protected].

Techniques of Speaking Comm 230
Meeting Time: 2-5 PM on Mondays

This course is a workshop style course in improving public speaking skills. Provides experience in speeches of explanation, persuasion, and argument. This course examines types of civic dialogue in an immersive learning environment. Students will create presentations around issues of social justice that are important to them and practice publically delivering those messages in front of a live audience. Types of speaking will include speeches, public debates, town hall or city council meetings. Homework will include attending a neighborhood meeting or other public presentation. Students will also learn how to identify the various methods speakers use to influence audiences.

ENGL 360 Philadelphia Stories
Monday 5-7:50 pm

In this course, we will be reading selections from fictional and nonfictional texts written by African American authors who have called Philadelphia their home, and whose work addresses issues of cultural identity and agency. We will explore such themes as the legacy of slavery, urban violence, gender issues, and interracial relations. Some of the authors we’ll study are: Elijah Anderson, MK Asante, Lorene Carey, Ayana Matthis, Sonia Sanchez and John Edgar Wideman. Students will be asked to respond to the readings both in an analytical and a personal way, reflecting on the connections between the texts and their own experiences.

History of Philadelphia
(HIST 276 001 23239)
Tuesday 5-7:50 PM

As the twentieth century recedes further into memory, our sense of the past and our methods of exploring it are further evolving. This course will invite students to consider the distant and recent past of the City of Philadelphia, with particular emphasis on West Philadelphia, the Black Bottom, and the African-American diaspora. Further, students will be exposed to contemporary trends in public history and art as “social practice,” in particular, interdisciplinary efforts to commemorate the individuals and spaces that define the twentieth century US urban experience. Students will develop the skills necessary to plan and conduct archival research; interpret primary and secondary historical sources; conduct oral histories; and experiment with available models in the emerging field of digital humanities. Students will further be asked to consider ways in which historical material, and content of immediate local relevance, can be shared with a broad, non-professional audience, and the role residents play in authoring their own history.