Orientation week schedule
You'll notice some open spaces in the schedule. During that time you'll have a chance to (i) choose other activities that are going on during orientation, (ii) do your academic planning workshop if you haven't already done so, (iii) work on the scavenger hunt that we will send you on, and of course, (iv) get yourself settled.
Three important things to attend to:
There's a wonderful opportunity to hear Wangari Maathai speak in Seattle on Wednesday evening this week. As we mentioned in the email not so long ago, Maathai is the remarkable Kenyan woman whose work is profiled in Hope's Edge . Those of you who are interested in going need to:
- sign up no later than Monday morning (we have 50 spaces on the bus)
- pay the TESC cashier $15 for the student rate ticket and get a receipt (the cashier is in Sem II E-2105)
- bring the receipt to Elizabeth Williamson by Tuesday morning
pick up a handout from Elizabeth with details about the schedule for your very long day
On Friday morning we will start our day with the first of two program potlucks. For those of you who are new to this, that means everyone will bring something to share for breakfast. If you bring enough for 4-5 people, then in no time we'll have enough food and drink for 150 of us. Magic! Be thinking about what you'd like to share and start asking around about where you might get what you need. (The second potluck will be in the 5 th week of the quarter, and will revolve around food inspired by recipes from Hope's Edge . We'll keep you posted on the logistical details for this final celebratory potluck.)
Wednesday afternoons Week 1-5, 2:30-5pm These meetings will give you the chance to check in with each other, celebrate or troubleshoot – what ever is necessary. We will also continue our workshop series. These workshops will continue to use Hope's Edge as a context for addressing the goals listed above.
Wednesday night film fest BTJ community gathering (see schedule)
We are organizing a series of films that are related to the themes in Hopes Edge, but provide some different perspectives. This is an optional event for those of you who would like to spend more time together and watch some great movies. We'll have popcorn, plus any other snacks you choose to share. Let us know if you have ideas for films. We'll pass out the film schedule soon!
To show and reflect on your learning: a Final portfolio
You will compile and submit a portfolio on Wednesday of week 5 to help both you and us see the thinking and learning you have done during these five weeks. This portfolio should include:
- the written response you wrote for Hope's Edge this summer. That is: (i) 1-paragraph description of the major idea(s) presented in the prefatory materials. And (ii) 1-2 paragraphs comparing the impressions you had before reading the book to what you now know about the subject. (see reading guide sent to you this summer);
- the reflections that you do as part of the weekly workshops;
- scavenger hunt finds: include artifacts discovered by you or other students that you found particularly interesting or useful, and that you feel demonstrate your learning about the campus/community.
Most of the work from this portfolio you will have done as part of workshops during orientation week and on Wednesdays from 2:30-5pm (i.e. it's not homework!). We do expect you to spend a small amount of time outside of class keeping track of your work, typing up the reflections you wrote for the workshops and compiling your portfolio in an organized, clear way. (And cooking some food for a couple of potlucks!)
The artifacts you include in the portfolio will not only help to demonstrate your active participation in the course, they will also help you ground your self-evaluation (a document that will be part of your official Evergreen transcript) in the specific details of your learning. Because the work you do this quarter will emerge out of the workshops, and because we don't want to burden you with homework, it's essential that you are physically and mentally present on Wednesdays. You will earn two academic credits for your active participation in the course and for submitting a complete portfolio.
The final copy of the self-evaluation is due to faculty by Friday of week 5. You need to (i) send it by email to your seminar faculty; (ii) revise it with their help; and (iii) bring a copy to the registrars' office so that it can take its rightful place as the first record of your learning in your Evergreen transcript. This self-evaluation will sit alongside a course description and a written evaluation of your participation and portfolio written by the faculty.
see orientation guide at http://www.evergreen.edu/studentservices/docs/07Guide.pdf
