ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN
SECOND-YEAR COLLOQUIUM
SYLLABUS
CPSP 218C - FALL 2001
MONDAYS 3:00-4:20 PM
1205 CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER

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(BREAKOUT ROOMS: CCC 1105, CMB 1140)

The 2nd-year Advocates will be divided into two groups of approximately equal size, perhaps 30/35 students in each group. The groups are: (1) Activist Child Advocacy (2) Creative Arts and Children's Issues.

Activist Child Advocacy. Students in managable groups (a maximum of 6 people), or as individuals, will identify an issue or topic and take active means to inform, educate or influence others in respect to this matter affecting the well-being of children. Simply doing research or writing, in and of itself, would not meet the expectations of this group. . . action is required and expected. . . i.e., taking the issue to others in a proactive manner.

• Topics: cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, guns, abuse, homelessness, hunger, education, medical care, poverty
• Means of Addressing: focus on public awareness, campus groups, legislative awareness, various other groups via booths, circulars, letters, presentations (to inform and to motivate). Take the message to the people!
• Culminating Activity/Evaluation: Students (groups or individuals) will make a presentation of their activities, i.e., an oral presentation, PowerPoint, poster, display, portfolio, or some other means for the purpose of summarizing the semester's work. The presenation, in whatever form, would be to other Advocates and/or to others in the CPS community. An essential component is that there be sufficient material to evaluate all students, a process that is sometimes difficult in group projects.

Creative Arts and Children's Issues. Students in managable groups (a maximum of 6 people), or as individuals, will identify an issue of an historical or contemporary nature and present its effects on children. Students will use the creative arts (music, drama, art, literature, photography) to depict and portray the issue(s) they have chosen to demonstrate. A presentation of their creative work is the culmination.

• Topics: any of the topics listed as examples for Activist Child Advocacy, and other historical subjects such as slavery the Holocaust, child labor, war, minority groups.
• Means of Addressing: Students should be sufficiently familiar with the topic in order to present an engaging and informative creation. There is also the hope that students will enhance the topic with their own creativity, energy and imagination, and, where applicable, spontaneity.
1. The literature piece refers to other than research papers, i.e., poems, short stories, novellas, plays, in which it would be meaningful to read passages, play roles, and performed as possible.
2. Dramatic efforts could be skits, short plays, soliloquies. . . some might involve the audience as participants . . . can we hear the voice of the child?
3. Musical works could be songs, spirituals, anthems, chants, rap.
4. Art refers to painting, sculpture, crafts, photography.
• Culminating Activity/Evaluation: Students (groups or individuals) will present their creations in an appropriate milieu to other Advocates and/or to others in the CPS community, and, possibly, to children or high school students. Appropriate evaluation procedures will need to be developed, especially for those in group efforts.

FOR BOTH ACTIVIST AND CREATIVE ARTS, IT MAY BE NECESSARY THAT STUDENTS DEVELOP AND CONTRIBUTE TO MORE THAN ONE PROJECT . . .

Other Matters to be Considered:

1. Consultants: persons from relevant departments to assist: theatre, music, art, literature, public policy, portfolio building, history. (Performing Arts Center)
2. Role of 1st-Year Advocates?
3. Role of students from other CPS Programs?

September 10       ALL STUDENTS MEET
Discuss the plans for the semester;
Deanna Costa, Educational Outreach, Performing Arts Center.

September 17       ALL STUDENTS MEET
Projects/Activities forms due.
Break up into 3 groups (2 "Creative Arts & Children's Issues" and 1 "Activist Child Advocacy") for discussions.

September 24       ALL STUDENTS MEET
Projects/Activities forms due.
Break into the three groups and work on projects/proposals.

October 1       JUST "ACTIVIST CHILD ADVOCACY" (ACA) MEETS
Detailed proposals due for "Activist Child Advocacy" (ACA).

October 8       JUST "CREATIVE ARTS & CHILDREN'S ISSUES" (CACI) MEETS
Detailed proposals due for "Creative Arts & Children's Issues" (CACI).

October 15       JUST FIRST HALF OF ALPHABET (LAST NAME "A" TO "I") MEETS
Sharing of internship papers.

October 22       JUST "ACTIVIST CHILD ADVOCACY" (ACA) MEETS
Written summary of research due; discussion.

October 29       JUST "CREATIVE ARTS & CHILDREN'S ISSUES" (CACI) MEETS
Written summary of research due; discussion.

November 5       JUST SECOND HALF OF ALPHABET (LAST NAME "J" TO "Z") MEETS
Sharing of internship papers.

November 12       TO BE ANNOUNCED

November 19       ALL STUDENTS MEET
Presentations.

November 26       ALL STUDENTS MEET
Presentations.

December 3       ALL STUDENTS MEET
Presentations.

December 10       ALL STUDENTS MEET
Presentations.
Written summaries of you activities and projects are due on or before December 10.

Albert Gardner (head instructor; director of the program)
      Discussion Group Facilitator
      301-314-5909 (Advocates office), 301-927-7210 (home)
      e-mail: ag5@umail.umd.edu

Stephen Wright (instructor; associate director of the program)
      Discussion Group Facilitator
      Co-ordinator, trip to Genesee Valley
      301-422-8042 (home), 301-314-5909 (Advocates office)
      e-mail: sw125@umail.umd.edu

Maria Day (instructor; assistant director of the program)
      Discussion Group Facilitator
      Co-ordinator, "Service-Learning" groups
      301-314-5909 (Advocates office)
      e-mail: maday@wam.umd.edu

Advocates office: 1120 Cumberland
Our mail boxes: in the work room (1130 Cumberland) opposite the main College Park Scholars office (1125 Cumberland).
Advocates web site address (URL): http://www.umd.edu/afc/

1125 Cumberland Hall University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742-9331