3 Processes for developing your syllabus
How did you go from getting your placement to submitting your syllabus? What process did you follow to wrangle your ideas about readings, assignments, etc. into one document?
EG: I’m particularly interested in workflow habits, so this is my chance to reflect on my own practices! While designing the syllabus in July/August, I had two documents on the go:
- One titled “1CS3 amalgam” where I plopped the reading lists and assignment breakdowns from the last several iterations of the 1CS3 syllabus. I used this to help trace the historical design and feel of the course, and to build up a list of texts, units, and assignments I wanted to include. I also included syllabi from other institutions with a similar focus.
- Another, called “Pedagogy Resources,” is a long-standing document where I gather articles, ideas, etc. for teaching practice. Many of the remote learning and anti-racist pedagogy resources that (re)circulated in mid-2020 ended up here, and I made bullet point notes under each sources. The document is embarrassingly long, so balance is key: it’s important to not develop your syllabus in a vacuum, but it’s equally important to set limits on the (basically boundless) activities I’ve described.