Syllabus

  Each student is required to spend a minimum of 50 documented clock hours of direct involvement with members of a group whose background the student does not share.

Documented clock hours are interpreted as hours that have been approved in advance by the course coordinator and have been verified by a person who has firsthand experience with the student’s work.

Direct involvement is interpreted as including, but not limited to experiences such as tutoring, being an assistant/worker in an educational or community service setting, becoming a “big sister or brother”, or providing personal care.  Direct involvement would  not include preparing materials or attending planning meetings where all the other people present share the student’s background.

This experience should include at least 25 hours of direct involvement with one or some combination of the following groups: African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Pacific Islander Americans.  The remaining hours of direct involvement can be with foreign born persons of color, disabled persons, low income persons, or some combination of these groups.

For example, it is possible to fulfill course requirements through:

Completing at least 25 hours OR up to 50 hours with:

   African Americans

  American Indians

    Asian Americans

    Hispanics

    Pacific Islander Americans

  The remaining hours but no more than 25 hours with:

    Foreign born persons of color

    Disabled persons

     Low income persons

 Approximately half of the 50 hours are to be with adult members and half with children of the above mentioned groups.  Finally, 25 hours can be transferred through requirements of other courses while the remaining hours must be arranged outside of other course requirements.

USING PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

Previous experiences may be considered for 25 hours of the requirement only if:

  The experience occurred 2 or less years ago, AND you were involved with at least 3 members of the target populations.

 Verify the experience with a signature from someone in a supervisory position (use the blue verification/evaluation form) AND

  Submit a letter that includes both an explanation of why your request should be considered and a summary of what you learned from your    experience.

I.     FINDING AN EXPERIENCE

        Students are responsible for finding a placement.  (It is likely that more than one setting will be needed to satisfy all parts of the Experience Requirement.)  This includes making arrangements regarding days and times of participation with the supervisor of the program.  The attached sheet of programs offer possibilities of direct involvement.  This is not a complete list of programs in this area and students are encouraged to investigate other programs or experiences on their own.

         When you contact a program regarding a placement, please be sensitive and responsible to the needs of that program.  Many programs request that you go through an orientation session.  Other programs have concerns about maintaining confidentiality regarding their clients.  Throughout your experience, take care to cooperate with the procedures of the program.

  When you have arranged a placement, fill out the proposed field experience form and return it to the instructor within two weeks of the beginning of the course..

II.    DURING THE EXPERIENCE

        Use the enclosed journaling format to document the dates and hours each time you are directly involved.  Describe what you did and your reflections about what you learned each time you work with your placement.  This journal will be used to verify the number of hours you are involved and it will help you write a summary of your experience.

III.        FINALIZING YOUR EXPERIENCE

A.     At the end of your 50 hours of involvement, type a 3-5 page paper which summarizes where your experiences occurred and what you learned by doing the experience(s).   Specifically, 1) summarize where you gained your experience.  Then, 2) identify what you learned about the population or culture with whom you worked, and 3) identify what you learned about yourself from the experience.

B.     For each experience, complete the top half of a verification/evaluation form and have someone who has the most direct knowledge or supervision of your experience complete and sign the bottom half of the form.  Attach this form to your logs.

The following are locations in Menomonie which may provide experiences appropriate for this course (with approval).