Professor Tom Isbell
Office: 148 MPAC, University of Minnesota Duluth
Phone: (218) 726-6313
Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 12:00-1:30
E-Mail: tisbell@d.umn.edu
Home Page: http://www.d.umn.edu/~tisbell
- COURSE OBJECTIVE: Provide students a platform to get a better understanding of themselves and their relationship with others in order to develop some key soft skills that are important in the modern business environment. To that end, the course will:
- Encourage students to take more calculated risks.
- Encourage students' ability to adapt to ever-changing situations.
- Allow students to think creatively on their feet.
- Encourage students to be active listeners.
- Encourage freedom in expression, both physically and verbally.
- Free students' natural impulses
- Improve students' overall confidence in dealing with others.
- Help students explore and develop their ability to face risky, uncertain situations and respond effectively and efficiently.
COURSE APPROACH: Students will spend the majority of the class time on their feet engaged in various games and exercises designed to heighten awareness, improve skills, stretch flexibility, and build confidence. In addition to the exercises themselves, students will meet in small groups throughout the class to assess their work. Students will be given daily assignments for the two weeks between classes, maintain a daily journal to reflect on their growth, and prepare a public speech to be delivered at the second class.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
- Students will be expected to willingly participate in all exercises.
- Students will be responsible for maintaining a daily journal reflecting on the daily assignments.
- Students will be expected to submit (via e-mail) a final reflection of their work in class. This final reflection will be due 48 hours after the final class (Due: by 5 p.m. Monday, August 27).
- Attendance is mandatory. Chronic absentees will be dropped from the course.
- Students will need to come to class dressed in clothing that allows them to move freely.
- Come to play.
- Please be on time.
IF INTERESTED...
COURSE EVALUATION:
Students will be responsible for grading their own work. The instructor will distribute a self-evaluation guide of key elements for students to consider.
OTHER NOTES:
Individuals who have any legitimate disability, either permanent or temporary, which might affect their ability to perform in this class, are encouraged to inform the instructor at the start of the semester. Adaptations of methods, materials or testing may be made as required to provide equitable participation.
Academic dishonesty tarnishes UMD's reputation and discredits the accomplishments of students. UMD is committed to providing students every possible opportunity to grow in mind and spirit. This pledge can only be redeemed in an environment of trust, honesty, and fairness. As a result, academic dishonesty is regarded as a serious offense by all members of the academic community. In keeping with this ideal, this course will adhere to UMD's Student Academic Integrity Policy, which can be found at www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/integrity. This policy sanctions students engaging in academic dishonesty with penalties up to and including expulsion from the university for repeat offenders.
The instructor will enforce and students are expected to follow the University's Student Conduct Code (http://www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/code). Appropriate classroom conduct promotes an environment of academic achievement and integrity. Disruptive classroom behavior that substantially or repeatedly interrupts either the instructor's ability to teach, or student learning, is prohibited. Disruptive behavior includes inappropriate use of technology in the classroom. Examples include ringing cell phones, text-messaging, watching videos, playing computer games, doing email, or surfing the Internet on your computer instead of note-taking or other instructor-sanctioned activities.
This is a floating syllabus. Dates, lectures, and assignments may change, based on schedules, conflicts, and the progress of the class. There may also be other assignments throughout the semester. Point total possibilities will be announced when the new assignment is given.
COURSE OUTLINE Day
Assignment
August 10 Syllabus. Expectations. Warmups. Games: Listening, Awareness, Risk-Taking, Freeing Impulses, Letting Go, Allowing Spontaneity August 11 Topics: Freeing impulses, Letting go, Allowing spontaneity August 24 Topics: Giving and taking, Concentration, Focus, Taking Action August 25 Journals Due. Warmups. Prepared speeches. Topics: Adaptability, Creative choices August 27 Final assessment due (via e-mail)