Making Your Place

A year-long, interdisciplinary program for the Grays Harbor community offered by The
Evergreen State College
Program web site: http://www2.evergreen.edu/EvergreenatGH

Faculty: Marla Elliott and Rick McKinnon
Marla Elliott has a Master of Fine Arts in
drama, has organized and run volunteer
lawyer programs, and has been an
activist in women's issues and poverty
law for over 25 years.
Rick McKinnon has a Ph.D. in linguistics,
has worked as a linguist and pediatric
speech-language pathologist, and is a
mediator and a citizen journalist.
The program will meet in intensive weekends.
All classes are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Week 1: Saturday April 3 at TESC
Week 2: Saturday April 10 at GHC
Week 4: Saturday April 24 at TESC
Week 6: Saturday & Sunday May 8 & 9 at GHC
Week 7: Sunday May 16: field trip to Seattle Opera. Vans
will probably leave TESC 10 a.m. details TBA.
Week 8: Saturday May 22 at GHC
Week 9: Saturday May 29 at GHC
Because web-based learning activities will be a
significant part of the program’s work, all students must
have access to internet-linked computers. Students enrolled
for 12 credits must participate in a web-based seminar each
Tuesday evening 7 to 8 p.m.

Program Description:
On the one hand, all human beings are born into and form communities. On the other hand, Americans
idealize individualism and self-reliance. What do we get from these values, and what do they cost us? In this
broadly interdisciplinary program, we will blend an analysis of our core social structures with an opportunity for
each student to explore his or her personal opportunities for participation and action.
Using perspectives from psychology, linguistics, evolutionary biology, law, literature, and drama, students
will work throughout the year to understand community, to develop eloquent expression—both written and oral
— and to examine ways to use that eloquence to address a variety of audiences and issues. Our learning about
community will be grounded by a close examination of how humans evolved, how they develop, and how they
associate. Analysis of theory will lead to practical applications and suggestions for ways to work with and
within communities. Issues of social justice and diversity will form a consistent background for themes
developed throughout the year.
In fall quarter, we studied intimate communities. In winter, we looked at the larger affinities of schools and
spiritual groups. In spring quarter, our focus will be on topics chosen by students in winter: government,
communication, and community organizing. Each student will affiliate with one of three study groups: How the
World Works/Leadership/Civics; Persuasion/Conflict Resolution/Communication; or Community Organizing.
In addition to our two common readings, Bowling Alone and Major Barbara, each group will have its own
reading list, consisting of a philosophy/theory book, a work of classic literature, and a collection of case studies.
Each group will be responsible for creating a set of learning experiences to share their new knowledge and
insights with the rest of the class.
Students enrolled for 12 credits will complete a significant project each quarter. Fall’s project was a
research paper 10 to 12 pages long. In winter quarter, students completed a major art project on a topic and in a

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medium of their choice. In spring quarter, students will contribute to Wikipedia and will work together to create
Harborpedia, an enduring web-based project that will serve as a source of information, referral, communication,
and history for the Grays Harbor community.

Schedule of Activities
In-person class meetings are listed in bold.
Performance project and art project deadlines are in italics.
WEE DATE ACTIVITIES
K
1 Sat. Apr. 3 Overview of syllabus & quarter; mug shots
At TESC orientation and welcome for new students
S2 B1107 Campus logistics: bookstore, student IDs, registration, etc.
Field trip logistics
Philosophy of the Interwebs
Sing and dance!
Web orientation for new students
2 Tues Apr. 6 Webinar for 12-credit students
Fri. Apr. 9 Post essay on Bowling Alone sections I, II, & III
Sat. Apr. 10 Rick on Putnam’s use of statistical analysis
At GHC Seminar on Bowling Alone sections I, II, & III
Workshop on designing conceptual workshops
3 Tues. Apr. 13 Webinar for 12-credit students
Post response to other’s essay on Bowling Alone I, II, & II
04/16/10 Post essay on Bowling Alone sections IV & V
4 Tues. Apr. 20 Webinar for 12-credit students
Fri. Apr. 23 Post response to other’s essay on Bowling Alone IV & V
Research websites on Artswalk and Procession of the Species
Sat. Apr. 24 Rick on Introduction to Microeconomics
At TESC Seminar on Bowling Alone sections IV & V
Marla on Shaw and the context for Major Barbara
Assign roles for Major Barbara reading next time
Group work on teaching project
4 p.m. travel to downtown Olympia to see the Procession of the
Species and participate in Artswalk
5 Tues. Apr. 27 Webinar for 12-credit students
Post essay on theory book
04/30/10 Post response to other’s essay on theory book
Post 300 word essay on Procession of the Species and Artswalk
6 Tues. May 4 Webinar for 12-credit students
Post essay on Major Barbara
Fri. May 7 Post response to other’s essay on Major Barbara
Sat. May 8 Rick on The Tragedy of the Commons
at GHC Seminar on theory books
Group work on teaching project
Prep for reading of Major Barbara
Sun. May 9 Rick on Knowledge as a Commons
at GHC Staged reading of Major Barbara acts II & III

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WEE DATE ACTIVITIES
K
Seminar on Major Barbara
7 Tues. May 11 No webinar: virtual movie night for Leadership group Henry V
(Members of other groups may attend if they wish)
Fri. May 14 Post essay on literature book
Sun. May 16 Field trip to Seattle Opera
8 Tues. May 18 Webinar for 12-credit students
Post essay on opera trip: What does Amelia mean to you, and to us?
Fri. May 21 Post response to other’s essay on literature book
Sat. May 22 Rick on Intellectual Property as Property
At GHC Seminar on literature books
Teaching project workshops
9 Tues. May 25 Webinar for 12-credit students
Post essay on case study book
Fri. May 28 Post response to other’s essay on case study book
Sat. May 29 Seminar on case study books
at GHC Teaching project workshops
Self-evaluation workshop
10 Days & Times Evaluation conferences
TBA

Spring quarter required reading:

For everyone:

Putnam, Robert. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon & Schuster, 2000.
ISBN-13: 978-0743203043
Shaw, George Bernard. Major Barbara. Methuen Drama. ISBN 13:9780713679953

How the World Works/Leadership/Civics

Theory: Rhoads, Steven. The Economist’s View of the World. Cambridge University Press, 1985. ISBN-13:
978-0521317641
Literature: Shakespeare, William. Henry V. Folger Shakespeare Library edition. Washington Square Press,
2004. ISBN: 0743484878
Case Studies: Kennedy, Caroline and Alderman, Ellen. The Right to Privacy. Vintage, 1997. ISBN-
13: 978-0679744344

Persuasion/Conflict Resolution/Communication
Theory: Heifetz, Ronald. Leadership Without Easy Answers. Harvard University Press, 1998. ISBN-13: 978-

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 067451858
Literature: Ibsen, Henrik. Adapted by Miller, Arthur. An Enemy of the People. Penguin, 1977. ISBN-13: 978-
0140481402
Case Studies: Cloke, Kenneth. Resolving Personal and Organizational Conflict. Jossey-Bass, 2000.
ISBN-13: 978-0787950606

Community Organizing:
Theory: Alinsky, Saul. Rules for Radicals. Vintage, 1989. ISBN-13: 978-0679721130
Literature: Zola, Emile. Germinal. Penguin Classics, 2004. ISBN-13: 978-0140447422
Case Studies: Borrup, Tom. Creative Community Builder's Handbook: How to Transform
Communities Using Local Assets, Arts, and Culture. Fieldstone Alliance, 2006. ISBN-13: 978-
0940069473

Assignments, Projects, and Activities:

Essays in response to assigned reading:
Choose one short quotation that best illustrates the book’s impact or importance. Begin your essay with that
quotation. Then, in your own words, summarize the theme or central ideas in the book in one paragraph. Then,
critically and substantively analyze the ideas and principles of the text under discussion. You will probably
need about eight hundred words to do an adequate job. The principal audience for your essay will be your fellow
students. All essays are to be posted on the program’s web site.

Responses to others’ essays:

On our program web site, write about 300 words in response to an essay by one of the students in your small
group. This does not have to be in formal essay structure, but must be in Standard English, without
abbreviations or emoticons. The purpose of the response is to deepen the discussion of the book’s ideas.

Opera Field Trip:

On Sunday, May 16th, we will travel to Seattle to attend an afternoon performance of Amelia at Seattle Opera.
The pre-performance lecture (for which you have already purchased a ticket) starts at 12:30 p.m., followed by
the opera at 2. The opera will conclude at about 4 p.m.

Every student must turn in a completed Field Trip Waiver form before departing on the trip. Meet at the TESC
bus loop at 10:30 a.m. for travel in the college vans. (If you choose to take a personal vehicle, let faculty know
in advance; and please carpool.) The theatre is located in the Seattle Center; we expect to arrive at the Center at
about 11:30, in time for lunch at the Food Court. We will leave immediately following the performance and
expect to arrive back at campus at about 5:30 p.m. A one-page reflective essay on both the form and substance
of the opera, and on the experience of attending, is due the next day.

A few volunteers from the class are needed to drive the vans. Van drivers will have to complete a brief
proficiency test and register with the college’s motor pool.

Teaching project
Each of the three study groups will create and lead an experiential workshop that will help their fellow students
understand key ideas from their group’s studies. Rather than telling the group what you’ve learned, you will
help them discover and apply key concepts by taking them through a set of challenges or problems that you have

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designed. Class time has been allocated to teach you how to design such workshops.

The study groups need to document their planning processes thoroughly so that faculty can evaluate each
student’s individual contribution appropriately. There are no specific form requirements for such
documentation; as always, your job is to make it easy for those in authority (Rick and Marla) to make the
decision you want (i.e., that you deserve full credit for the project.).

Independent ‘Pedia Project for 12-Credit Students:

Wikipedia. Each student is required to identify three articles on Wikipedia which you plan to edit throughout
the course of the quarter. You'll need to notify the class about your article selections, and link each of your
articles to the program blog. Each time you make an edit to an article, you will blog this edit; you will also
create a final blog posting for each article that discusses the evolution of the article throughout the course of the
quarter. These posts should include not only the changes to the article overall, but the reactions from the
wikipedia community to your changes (you may quote from the discussions page of the respective articles that
you edit).

You are required to accomplish the following throughout the course of the quarter with your Wikipedia project:

1. Identify three entries you plan to edit on Wikipedia; post your selections on the blog.
2. Create an account on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org), and add your entries to your ‘watchlist.’
3. Read the article, "Toward an Epistemology of Wikipedia" (posted on the program site), and the
"About Wikipedia" entry on Wikipedia. In particular, learn about the "neutral point of view"
criterion.
4. Complete at least one edit per week. The first edit should occur by the end of the second week of the
quarter. You must make one edit each week; i.e., you may not make all your edits at the end of the
quarter.
5. An edit should either: clean up grammar and typos (max. 3); add additional content (min. 3); correct
current content (max. 3). Creation of additional content (or correcting current content) will require
additional research.
6. You should blog your editorial work so your classmates and instructor know what you did. Make
sure you are logged-in to your Wikipedia account before you make your edits (wikipedia does allow
edits from those who are not logged in.)
7. You will create a final blog posting to address each Wikipedia entry. This blog posting should
discuss the evolution of the article since you began your edits. It should also include the reactions of
the wikipedia community to your edits. These blog postings will be used by the instructor as a basis
for evaluating your work.

Harborpedia. Each student is required to create three new entries on Harborpedia (except for those students
who don't live in the Harbor -- they can create new articles on Wikipedia). The entries should describe some
aspect of the Grays Harbor community. You will also review three other entries on Harborpedia. You will
make edits based on the same criteria outlined above for Wikipedia (grammar, new content, correcting content).
You don't have to write a blog entry about each edit you make, but you will explain each edit on the discussion
page for that entry, and write a blog post at the end of the quarter about each of the entries that you created, and
each of the entries you edited.

You are required to accomplish the following throughout the course of the quarter with your Harborpedia
project:

1. Identify three topics that you plan to create entries for on Harborpedia.

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 2. Log on to Harborpedia. Unlike Wikipedia, you will only be able to edit entries if you logged on.
3. Complete the research required to write your entries. You must work on your entries each week; do not
wait until the end of the quarter to do the work.
4. Identify three other entries on Harborpedia you want to review. As above, an edit should either: clean up
grammar and typos (max. 3); add additional content (min. 3); correct current content (max. 3).
5. You will create a summative blog posting for each Harborpedia entry you've edited. This blog posting
should discuss the evolution of the entry since you began your edits. It should also include the reactions
of the Harborpedia community to your edits. These blog postings will be used by the instructor as a
basis for evaluating your work.
6. You don't need to make a blog post about the entries you've created on Harborpedia -- the entry, and
discussion page, will be evidence of your work.

Portfolio:
Your portfolio consists of all your written work from the quarter and your draft self-evaluation, including
reading notes and class notes. Work submitted through the program website does not need to be reprinted for
your paper portfolio. Include all your written work in preparation for the teaching project.

Evaluations:
All students are required to submit a self-evaluation and faculty evaluation for the transcript. Your draft self-
evaluation is due with your portfolio; your final self-evaluation should be turned in to the office of Registration
and Records. Your self evaluation should cover all your work in Making Your Place, including any work in fall
and winter quarters. Faculty evaluations should be submitted to your seminar leader. Every student must
participate in an in-person evaluation conference with his/her seminar leader at the end of the quarter.

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