Teaching, Learning, and the Holocaust: An Integrative Approach

Appendix A: Course Syllabus

aPPendIx a. CourSe SyLLaBuS ENG 264 Remembering the Holocaust in Literature and History: An Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar Mondays, 4:00–6:40 PM Web Page: contentbuilder.merlot.org/toolkit/users/HT/bcceng64 Contact Info: Howard Tinberg Office Hours: M–W 12:30–1:45 PM (or by appointment) Office: B215 Phone: 678-2811, ext. 2317 E-mail: Howard.Tinberg@bristolcc.edu Ron Weisberger Office Hours: M–F 9:00–5:00 (by appointment) Office: B-110a Phone: 678-2811, ext. 2444 E-mail: Ron.Weisberger@bristolcc.edu What is this course about? The Holocaust, or, as it has come to be known, the Shoah, is one of the most horrific events in all of world history. Even more than fifty years after the fact, the world continues to struggle with the enormity of this human catastrophe. Nevertheless, a body of writing—both historical and literary—exists that enables us to confront this key moment in world history. This course serves as an introduction to this work. Students gain an understanding of the historical facts, including circumstances leading up to the Holocaust itself and the event’s critical aftermath. In addition, students reflect on the role of literature, principally through accounts of that time written by survivors and the 110 n aPPendix a children of survivors, in the struggle to represent an event that many have described as beyond the limits of language to capture. Prerequisite: ENG 101 and ENG 102. Open to Commonwealth Honors Program students and others with permission of instructors. Is there a web component for this course? Yes. This course has a home page (see above), on which reading and writing assignments are posted. What reading is expected? We will be using a variety of texts this semester: a collection of historically based readings, a case study of a particular town in Poland during the Holocaust, an anthology of Holocaust literature, a graphic novel (in two parts), and survivor testimony. Reading assignments are given below. Please read each weekly assignment prior to that week’s class. Supplemental works are given on the course website or, as in the case of videos, will be shown in class. What writing will I be expected to do? You will be expected to keep a typed reading journal, an entry due in class each week. In addition, you will have a midterm and final exam and a semester-culminating research project. What is plagiarism? What are its consequences? We expect that your writing will be your own. If you draw upon the work of others, we expect that you acknowledge that work appropriately . If you do not do so, serious consequences are likely to follow , including a dramatic reduction of your grade on a particular assignment. What penalties do I incur when work is handed in late? All deadlines need to be respected. A reduction of a half-grade will be exacted for every day an assignment (draft or journal) is late. May I use a cell phone and laptop computer during class? course syLLaBus n 111 While we appreciate the need to keep in touch with friends and family in case of an emergency, we are asking that you set your cell phones on silent during class and refrain from texting. Laptops need to be turned off and closed up during class, unless we’ve indicated otherwise. What is the relative weight of each assignment? Your research project will count for 35 percent of your course grade. Yourmidtermandfinal will eachcountforaquarter of your grade. Your reading journal work will count 15 percent. Here is the breakdown: Midterm 25% Final 25% Reading Journal 15% Research Project 35% When (and how) can I withdraw from this course without penalty? The last day on which you can officially withdraw is Wednesday, April 11. To do so, you will need to contact the records office in G building (second floor). The folks there will give you the proper paperwork. If you need to withdraw after that date, please talk or write to us, and we’d be glad to withdraw you. If you withdraw without informing us, however, the penalty is severe: you will be given a grade for the course that will include a mark for the work that you’ve missed. How many absences am I allowed? Attendance is required. If you miss more than six hours of class (two class sessions), and do not officially withdraw from this course, you...