Learning requires engagement of cognitive, emotional and volitional skills. This course will explore this statement by looking at a sampling of issues related to learning through the lens of the role of emotion. Students will have an opportunity in the first session or two to identify related issues, beyond those outlined below, that they would like to explore toward the end of the course.
Goals
- Deepen students’ ability to bring psychodynamic understanding to discussion of the role of emotion in cases where learning or school issues are a focus
- Establish the ability to translate this understanding back into everyday terms for use with teachers and parents
- Increase students’ comfort level when consulting with parents about learning and behavior problems of school children
Assignments and Class Policies
Class work will consist of readings, lecture, case presentation, and discussion. Each student will complete a paper applying a psychodynamic theory or perspective to a topic in education and/or learning that has challenged them. Details of this assignment will be published no later than the second class session. Case presentations will be short examples, prepared by students and used as a focus for discussion of reading and lecture material. Readings are listed below the topic for each week.
Students will be expected to have carefully read the articles assigned for each class, reflect on their own clinical experience in this area, and bring questions and reactions to class.
There is no reading assignment for the first class on January 28.
Final papers are due in digital and hard copy forms to the instructor at the beginning of the final class day. All students who do not accomplish this will have their grade marked down half a grade and will receive an incomplete if the paper is not received within a week of the final class. Unusual cases should be discussed with the instructor in advance.
Evaluation of Learning
Grades will be based 1/2 on class participation, including the presentation of a case example and 1/2 on the written assignment.
Class participation includes:
- Evidence of reading the assigned readings, including raising questions about the readings and demonstrating an effort to relate clinical experience to concepts presented in the readings.
- Preparation and presentation of a case example related to one of the topics in the weekly assignments.
- Attendance is mandatory. Absences should be limited to emergencies and cleared in advance with the instructor. More than one (1) absence will cause your grade to be lowered one level. (In the event of personal emergency, a withdrawal may be recommended and the course may be re-taken.)
Written work will be assessed as follows:
A This paper reflects a high degree of understanding of and fluency with the material and demonstrates creativity or critical thinking. It is well organized, clear, and edited for correct grammar and spelling.
B This paper shows an overall understanding of the material. It is well organized, and edited for correct spelling and grammar.
C This paper is written with insufficient depth and demonstrates only an adequate understanding of the material. This grade may also be given for poorly organized material, lack of clarity or insufficient editing.
F This paper shows little evidence of comprehension of the material and/or reflects major conceptual misunderstandings and/or the presentation is in unacceptable formAll papers must conform to the ICSW Style Manual.
Classes and Readings
Week 1: Introduction to the concepts and readings
Exploration of knowledge and experiences of class members in areas related to emotions and learning, as exemplified by the issues raised below, and including a “pre-test” of comfort levels and questions raised by work with parents in a variety of situations. The number of additional areas that students identify for exploration in this course may require some compression of the topics below, and certainly will require the addition of a at least one reading per topic.
Week 2: Readiness for learning. Emotional interference with learning.
Ekstein, R. (1969), The acquisition of learning readiness, task or conflict? in R. Ekstein & R.L. Motto, Learning for love to love of learning , essays on psychoanalysis and education, pp. 172-196. NY: Brunner/Mazel.
Week 3: Emotional issues in teaching and the classroom group
Palmer, P. J. (1998). A culture of fear: education and the disconnected life. In P.J. Palmer, The courage to teach (pp. 35-60). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass
Redl, F. (1966). Group emotion and leadership. In When we deal with children: selected writings (pp. 155-196). NY: The Free Press
Week 4: Self-Regulation and Self control
Diaz, R. M., Neal, C. J. & Amaya-Williams, M. (1990), The social origins of self-regulation, in L. C. Moll, (Ed.), Vygotsky and education (pp. 127-154 ). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Week 5: Children at Emotional Risk Who Succeed
Anthony, E. J. (1987). Children at high risk for psychosis growing up successfully, in E.J. Anthony & B.J. Cohler, (Eds.), The invulnerable child (pp. 147-184). NY: Guilford Press
Weeks 6 & 7: Working with Parents: a look at the psychology of parenting and the fear of challenging or being challenged by parents
Siskind, D. (1997). Working with parents: establishing the essential alliance in child psychotherapy and consultation. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, Chapter 1: Questions and dilemmas in work with parents, pp. 3-8; Chapter 4, The professional attitude, pp. 45-58; Chapter 11, Examples of brief interventions with mixed outcomes, pp. 185-205.
Week 8: Exploration of issues raised by students in Week 1
Additional readings will be made available when these topics are defined. There will also be a post-test to identify possible changes in skills or confidence in working with parents.