Feminism in the Workplace

Freeform Class Sessions

The purpose of this assignment is to work as a team to develop a class session that follows up on themes in the course in a special way. Your main task is to guide the class in focusing closely on a particular issue related to feminism, gender, or sexuality and work. This may be an issue we've touched on, or it may be an issue that the facilitations have not covered.

Your team will determine the form this class session will take, as well as the content. The basic requirements are:

• The content must pertain to the course's themes. It must NOT simply duplicate material from another course.
• Select one or more brief readings that will introduce the topic to students in the class. Make these readings available by e-mail or by SOCS one week before your class session.
• Consider other ways you might ask the class to prepare for the session in advance. For instance, if you create a panel, will you have other class members contribute questions for the panelists?
• Create a format for the class session that will encourage interaction and discussion.
• Keep a record of your activities to create the class session, and after your session, submit a report using the following format:
  1. How we created the event
  2. What individual team members contributed
  3. Our reflections on the results: high points, things we would do differently

Here are some ideas that have been successful in the past:

• Show one or more of the documentaries listed on the course resource page (scroll down to find films). They're all in the TCNJ library. Structure a discussion period.
• Set up a format where everyone in the class can speak about their internships. Participants can inform each other about their organizations, offer insights and ask questions about how gender works at their sites, or seek feedback about difficult situations.
• Invite a guest speaker or a panel of speakers to address questions about career paths. Choose people who can speak from experience--role models, mentors--from the campus community, from your worksite, or from organizations you value.
• Create a special event on campus, or join with another campus group to create the event. An example from the past is a panel of adults living with disabilities who spoke to an audience that included WGS/Education majors as well as adolescents with disabilities.
• Organize a field trip. You'll need be sure to schedule the event when everyone in the class can go, and assure that transportation is available.