Building Comm101: co-constructing our syllabus

For the past few years I've been on this kick of co-creating the course syllabus with my classes. With some general parameters, I solicit their ideas for texts, projects, relevant videos, and more.

Tuesday, 8/31 was the first day of school here in Philly. I made a general presentation* that included what they might expect based on the experience I had with my dual enrollment communications class (Comm101) last year. On Thursday, I asked the students to complete what I called a "Building Comm101" form using Google Forms. You'll read 2 of the 5 questions (in bold) I included in the survey. You will also read the responses of the students who chose to answer these two questions.

2. What ideas do you have for how this class should go?

smoothly
 
i like how the class is now
 
This class is on a college program, which means that us students will be treated like college students which gives us responsibilities and it's also an opportunity to get college grades for when we apply for or start college.
 
not alot of work to do
 
Not to much work.
 
I don't really have any idea because it's my first time having a class like this but if I must say I'd say for this class to have a good vibe no bad vibe because that throws me off and I will most likely to drop out which I don't want cause I like this class because of technology.
 
none comment
 
After seeing your presentation on Tuesday i would like if we have debate classes
easy and smooth, not a lot of work
 
i don't have specific ideas
 
I think this class will be very interactive and we’ll be doing a lot of debating
 
nothing really this class chilling
 
I don't know
 
I don’t have any for right now cause this is my first time being in this class

it should be short and fun

No homework

all about jobs

 

5. What, if anything, do you want me to know about you as a person/student?

nothing
 
Not sure what to say here yet but I'll let you know when there's something.
 
im shy
 
You know me😂🙃
 
I'm a very chill person but when I'm upset don't bother me I'm more likely to lash

out and I don't want that because I am trying to keep myself calm these days.

 
im nice somewhat
 
i like being involved, i like to be challenged a little

you already know me.
 
i tend to prefer working alone and staying to myself .
 
I know I am very intelligent, just some things need to be broken down a little bit more
 
I'm a chill person
 
I'm quiet
 
Nothing😭
 
i don't like to get pick on to answer a question unless i want to answer the question
 
I have anxiety and I prefer and work better alone
 
I dont like to speak.
 
nope
 
I'm mostly quiet and i only talk to people i really know

*Vulnerability Moment: With this presentation and other activities, I thought I planned enough for the 90-minute block. I hadn't. I made up for it on Thursday. There's also the challenge of taking what was a 100% remote teaching/learning course and redesigning it for an in-person experience. All will be well.

Additionally, you should know this is the only class that I teach. I asked for it. The rest of my day and week include the responsibilities of a School-Based Teacher Leader (SBTL) for English😁and Testing Coordinator😐I need to teach a class to re-center me.

My students talked redlining and crime

Their hearts ache.

My heart aches.

Collectively,

we ache.

Often.

Last fall, my class and I were still trying to define ourselves as a class and as high schoolers who podcast. Very early on we recorded an episode for "Behind the Eyes of Our Youth," our student-led and driven podcast. The episode was on redlining and whether those practices were and are the root causes of crime in our majority Black neighborhoods. They came up with the topic and explored the answers.

Take a listen.

I Asked | Bill Cosby's vacated verdict/sentence

I like hearing from the youth. Sometimes their perspectives offer a fresh, divergent, or just different take on issues. Whether it's our own class, student-led podcast, Behind the Eyes of Our Youth or a class poll I'll throw up to them and to our larger class community of current and former students, their parents, and those family and friends who just like to keep up with us.

They've chimed in on topics like abolishing/defunding the police, police-free schools, Chauvin's sentence, and the phone wars.

Let me add this to the discussion on police-free schools....I hear social media and I hear mainstream media. So, I ask my students. I've offered no hint of an opinion, as I'm still formulating mine. #phled pic.twitter.com/kdemHMliOs

— Stephen R. Flemming, Ed.D. (@kellygrade6) July 25, 2020

😭😭😭😂😂 I got some #'s from my class community (currents/formers/parents, etc.) 👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/gY41PIlxi5

— Stephen R. Flemming, Ed.D. (@kellygrade6) June 14, 2021

When news broke of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's decision to overturn the conviction of Bill Cosby, I wanted their quick thoughts on it. Here's how I put it to them and here's how they voted.

"Behind the Eyes of Our Youth" | A reflection on podcasting with high school students

We did a thing.

I briefly wrote about that thing back in December, 2020.

Who did a thing? The class. Comm101.

That thing? Student podcasting.

Back in the fall, via a vote, the students of Comm101 suggested and decided on the name, Behind the Eyes of Our Youth. True to its name, they come up with topics to discuss that truly give us a window into some of the thinking of young Black high school students in a large urban school district. They choose the topics. They volunteer to host particular episodes. They guide the discussions. I assist behind the scenes.

The class? Communications. The point of the podcast? Communicate. 👀 The pedagogy? Black student student-centered.✊🏾 We don't just *talk* communications, we *do* communications.

— Doc Flem (@kellygrade6) May 7, 2021

In that previous post, I briefly discussed the podcast's inception and also posted audio summarizing season 1. Season 2, which began in January 2021, has not disappointed. The talent, the critical thinking, the articulation of informed opinions, the debates, and the passion on and off a recorded mic has been, in an emoji, 🔥🔥🔥🔥

I also spoke about Comm101 and our Behind the Eyes of Our Youth podcast with a colleague from another school here in Philly for his own podcast. Check out that conversation below.

Listen to ""Behind the Eyes of Our Youth" and the Pedagogy of Podcasting". This is episode 1 of season 2 of @RappingPE ... it was a pleasure having @kellygrade6 pop on to talk about @comm101_ and Behind The Eyes of Our Youth. #PHLed #edutwitter #PhysEd https://t.co/hR5vKM0XCR

— Steven Michael Buller (@BeardDripBuller) April 16, 2021

With less than 30 days left of school, I honestly believe that the thinkers and communicators of Comm101 have a few more episodes left in them before we archive this poddy and possibly begin afresh with a new group of students in the fall.

In Comm101-related news, one of our local journalists, who keeps his finger on the pulse of Philly education, came to visit our class one day. He observed and reported on the spirited reaction conversation my class had in response to the guilty verdicts rendered in the Derrick Chauvin trial. Chauvin, of course, was the police officer who lynched George Floyd in May of 2020. You'll hear some audio of my Comm101ers in his report.

Big thanks to @kellygrade6 for letting me sit in on one of his classes. It was one of the most interesting and energetic classroom conversations I've ever witnessed. #PhlEd

Check out the story below: https://t.co/PS3vkJTxbu

— Avi Wolfman-Arent (@Avi_WA) April 28, 2021

 

Our class podcast | "Behind the Eyes of Our Youth"

Just call me the producer or maybe the editor, because they do everything else! I'm speaking of our class podcast, Behind the Eyes of Our Youth. This year, I teach a dual-enrollment communications class, Comm101 as we've come to call it. It's one of two dual enrollment classes offered at Martin Luther King High School here in Philly.

The class is a speech class, per our Harrisburg University partnership. But a 16-week course spread over an entire K-12 school year allows me to take a broader approach to the class. In addition to the speech-related assignments, we have and will discuss journalism, message tailoring, Black-centered public relations, script-writing, social media as a communications tool, and podcasting among other topics.

My role: gather suggestions, put them to a class vote (Google Forms), hit record at least every other Friday, edit, publish, promote--primarily in-house until now.

They do everything else. They chose the name for the podcast and choose the topics to discuss at least bi-weekly. They also choose who will moderate the discussion, including reading aloud classmates' input in the chat.

Check out these snippets from our October - December recordings! You'll never hear my voice as it's all about them, the juniors and seniors at Martin Luther King High School!