Sexual Orientation and Public Policy
STUDENT PROJECTS
Your STUDENT PROJECTS must add up to 40 points (40%) of your final grade for the semester.MANDATORY for all students:3. TEAM-TEACHING (10%)1. Coming Out Letter (5%)Late assignments will be graded down one letter grade: a "B" grade becomes a "C" grade.
2. News Discussion Leader (5%)
3. Team-teaching (10%)
4. Research Paper (20%)
1. COMING OUT LETTER and ANALYSIS
DUE: 09-05-06 (Week 3)
GOALS
Coming out is a critical developmental stage in accepting and integrating an LGBTQ individual in the larger culture. Experience, as closely as possible, what it might be like to disclose that you are not the sexual orientation people think you are to someone very close to you, someone significant in your life. Although this letter is not sent, it will provoke thoughts and feelings that you will use to analyze your reaction to the potential issues of self image and identity, conditional love, rejection, discrimination, and the possibility of violence.INSTRUCTIONS
Write a "coming out" letter and essay, 5-8 pages, which addresses the questions below.
1) Assume, throughtout the assignment, that you are a different sexual orientation than you currently are. 2) Identify a person whose love, repect or regard for you is VERY IMPORTANT to you--this could be a family member or friend or an acquaintaince ( such as a teacher or minister or employer); 3) If you currently are heterosexual, disclose to a heterosexual that you have been hiding a secret about your sexual orientation--that you are gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgendered. If you currently are a sexual minority, write the letter to a LGBTQ person (same details as above) and disclose your heterosexuality. Make the letter as realistic as possible, by using your own real life circumstances, but apply them to your new sexual orientation. 4) After writing the letter, evaluate and anlyze your thoughts and feelings the results by answering the questions below in the form of a paper. No independent research is required for this assignment.
Best Papers: Above average to superior papers will dig down under the surface, particularly focusing on questions #5-7 below.
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER
1. Describe the person you are writing the letter to you. What is the nature of your relationship? Why is this person important in your life? How would you feel if this person rejected you?
2. What reaction did you anticipate from the recepient of the letter? How would you feel if this person accepted or rejected you in your assumed orientation?
3. How did writing the letter make you feel? How much risk did you take?
4. Articulate any fears and joys that arose for you and their source.
5. What issues does your assumed sexual orientation pose for your self-image and identity? Are you now a different person? Explain. Be specific.
6. What issues does your assumed sexual orientation pose for your future and your dreams?
7. What other insights have you gained from this exercise?FORMAT for the COMING OUT LETTER and ANALYSIS:
1) PART I: The Letter: for this part only, you may use single line spacing for the letter and use familiar terms such as "you" in the letter in order to make it realistic. (No more than 2 pages.)2) PART II: Analysis: answers to the questions below (3-5 pages). Double space and follow the other rules outlined under paper format requirements. Also see Langley's Rules on Writing for more details.
3) Submit stapled printed copy of the paper in class AND electronic copy (in Microsoft
Word format) via e-mail to me.
2. News Discussion Leader (5%)
Week 4 (09-12-06) through Week 15 (12-04-06)Every week, one student will be responsible for choosing a news story and will lead the class discussion about the story. You will do this once during the semester. You should subscribe to the Advocate.com Daily News Update for the semester and, for this assignment, you can use it or news from Gay Rights Watch, PlanetOut or the Gay News Blog. Most sites have a search function, if you want to search for news about a specific issue. Choose a topic that you think is important for us to discuss. The topic may be something that makes you angry, sad or fits into a larger issue we've been discussing. It should be a news story with enough substance that it will generate questions and discussion in the class, rather than something we just passively absorb. Make enough copies of the news story for every member of the class to read.
Your task is to lead discussion, not to do a lecture or a monologue. Find more background material for yourself, so that you can be our excellent discussion leader. Prepare two or three questions to ask the class, to start the discussion. Be prepared with "plan B" if discussion is slow. (A tip for getting other students to particpate: if you participate when others lead the discussion, they will probably particpate when you lead the discusssion!) Hand in everything (research, notes, questions,etc.) you use to prepare the day of the discussion. .
I will circulate a sign-up sheet next week. A selection of these news stories will be on the tests.
Week 13 (11-14-06) through Week 15 (12-05-06)A) THE ASSIGNMENTB) INTERACTIVE AND CREATIVE TEACHING FORMATYou will be teaching once during the semester. Plan on 40 minutes of class time per team. Note that some of the readings listed are to be read only by the teachers, and not by the rest of us. The task of the the teachers is to lead us out of ignorance!
Each student must:
1) teach part of the class;
2) read the class materials required for all students;
3) do your share of the recommended or extra materials listed for each topic; 4) conduct independent research in the library (books and journals) and on the Internet using the Harvey Milk ...Guide to LGBTQ Internet Research;
5) prepare typed class notes and a bibliography to hand in no later than a week after your team-teaching; and
6) print and fill out a peer grading form. Be honest. This is due, in a sealed envelope, by the last day of class.Consider a talk show interview format in which you present the material (Oprah or Ted Koppel interviews a gay activist and an "expert" who opposes gay rights). Or you could use a game format (Monopoly, Jeopardy, Family Feud, etc.) in which you assign roles/teams to students and have them draw cards with different questions or experiences. Or you could divide the class into small groups with a dilemma to discuss, imagine, or describe and then role-play. Spice things up with prizes like candy, fake money, crowns or other goodies for your classmates for right answers or excellent role plays. Use your imagination and make it active and engaging for everyone! Video clips, monopoly money, skits to enact, improvised role-plays, prizes: you decide!C) SELECT A TEAM TEACHING TOPIC (and follow link)The best team teaching presentations will:
1) actively engage students (C grade or worse if presentation is not
interactive);
2) be creative;
3) demonstrate knowledge of the extra readings;
4) demonstrate your own research on the topic.
I will use this evaluation form when I grade your team teaching project.I will circulate a sign-up sheet in the next few weeks. Team teaching material will be on the tests.
11-14-06 (Week 13)
--YOUTH NOTES DUE: 11-28-06 (Week 14)
--PARENTING NOTES DUE: 11-28-06 (Week 14)11-28-06 (Week 14)
--EMPLOYMENT NOTES DUE: 12-05-06 (Week 15)
--THE MILITARY NOTES DUE: 12-05-06 (Week 15)12-05-06 (Week 15)
--AIDS NOTES DUE: 12-12-06 (FINALS Week)
--HEALTH CARE NOTES DUE: 12-12-06 (FINALS Week)
Paper Topic Proposal (2%)
Annotated Bibliography (8%)
Paper (10%)A) SCHEDULE
1) By Week 4 (9-12-06): Select a topic and submit Paper Topic Proposal
AND your own selected due dates.
ROUND #1
Annotated Bibliography: WEEK 8 10-10-06
Paper: WEEK 12 11-07-06
ROUND #2
Annotated Bibliography: WEEK 9 10-17-06
Paper: WEEK 13 11-14-06
ROUND #3
Annotated Bibliography: WEEK 10 10-24-06
Paper: WEEK 14 11-28-06
ROUND #4
Annotated Bibliography: WEEK 11 10-31-06
Paper: WEEK 15 12-05-06Select dates after a realistic appraisal of your entire schedule. Once you select, these dates are firm.
3) Conduct research and submit Annotated Bibliography by due date
4) Write paper and submit stapled printed copy of the paper in class AND electronic copy (in Microsoft Word format) via e-mail to me by the due date.1) TWO GENERATIONS: INTERVIEWS & ANALYSISC) PAPER TOPIC PROPOSAL (2%) DUE Week 4 (9-12-06)You will interview two LGBTQ people from two different generations on a selected topic and make connections between their experiences, your research and the course materials.2) PUBLIC POLICY PAPER
You will analyze a current U.S. policy issue affecting LGBTQ folks
and propose a solution based on your research and analysis.3) POSSIBLE TOPICS ( for all papers)
Violence Against Sexual Minorities
Same-sex Marriage
Same-sex Civil Unions
Gay-Straight Alliances in K-12 schools
LGBTQ friendly education in K-12 schools
Youth homelessness and social services
Adoption and/or foster care
Second parent adoption
Child custody
Domestic violence
Employment discrimination
Same sex domestic partner benefits
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
AIDS
Health careE-mail me if you need clarification or help....
This is a brief statement – at least a paragraph and not more than one page – of the policy area in which you are interested. State what the policy area is, a little bit about timely questions in the area, and why you want to study it. Some policy areas are very broad and complex, so it may be necessary to narrow the topic. Choosing a topic that is focused and specific is critical at this stage, so feel free to consult with me as you select your topic. I may require revision of your topic after looking over your proposal. Submit stapled printed copy of the paper in class AND electronic copy (in Microsoft Word format) via e-mail to me by the due date.
D) ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY (8%)An annotated bibliography is a list of secondary sources with a brief discussion of each entry. The assignment is to prepare an annotated bibliography on the paper topic you have selected.
Your annotated bib must discuss at least 5 secondary print sources. Print sources include books, articles in scholarly journals, government and think tank reports, and in-depth articles in popular periodicals such as newspapers and magazines. Your five sources must include at least one academic book and two articles from scholarly journals, but you can substituted a report from research institutes or government agencies for 1 of the scholarly articles. The remaining print sources may be more scholarly books and articles, government and think tank reports, or articles from good magazines and newspapers.
The definition of what constitutes a “good” magazine or newspaper is subjective. If you’re not sure whether the periodical you are considering is a good one, please ask. Good popular periodicals include national newspapers such as the New York Times and Washington Post as well as specialized magazines that focus on policy issues such as the CQ Weekly and National Journal. Additional good magazines will vary depending upon your topic, but might include magazines such as Scientific American or other science magazines; prominent business periodicals such as Business Week; politically inclined periodicals such as American Prospect, The Nation, and Mother Jones; and some magazines of general interest such as The Atlantic Monthly. You should look for depth in the article.
This is an annotated bibliography of print sources. You might find print sources by using electronic resources, such as the Brookens Library's search capabilities, and you might download a print source from an electronic database, but you are to find print sources - books, scholarly journal articles, reports, and news articles. Strictly web-based materials - such as blogs, wikipedia, and organizations' websites - are not acceptable as entries in your annotated bibliographies. You may use them in your paper if they meet the standards above for "good" magazines or newspapers. .
Each entry in the annotated bibliography should have one to three paragraphs summarizing the piece (central question and main arguments) and linking it to your topic. The entry should begin with the citation for the piece in proper APA format, as it will appear in the reference page of your research paper.
Submit stapled printed copy of the paper in class AND electronic copy (in Microsoft Word format) via e-mail to me by the due date.
Format:
Single space each entry, but double space between entries. Include your name and your topic.E-mail me if you need clarification or help....
E) PAPER REQUIREMENTS
You may write your paper individually or in pairs. If you collaborate with another student, turn in one copy of the paper with both your names on it. You will both receive the same grade.
PAPER and E-COPY FORMAT
cites with the exceptions found at Langley's Rules on Writing
Word format) via e-mail to me.SOURCES
WRITING and PROOF READING
SUGGESTIONS
GRADING
Familiarize yourself with my grading standards, which are linked in the web syllabus. In addition, When I grade your project, I will be grading it on: