What is the purpose of a course syllabus? Most people would say that a syllabus is there to provide students with essential information about the course objectives, content, expectations, policies, and procedures. It serves as a roadmap or guidebook that outlines the structure and organization of the course. These are the goals that will be achieved is you create a syllabus following most “best practices”. However, there is another thing a syllabus can achieve that is often overlooked.
A syllabus is often the first thing created by the teacher that a student sees. It is often the first point of contact with the course content. As such, it has the unique ability to powerfully communicate the attitude that the teacher will be bringing to the course.
Is this a course that is by-the-numbers, generic, run-of-the-mill? This is the expectation a student develops for the course when reading a syllabus that is by-the-numbers, generic, and run-of-the-mill. And when faced with a by-the-numbers, generic, run-of-the-mill course, why not give by-the-numbers, generic, run-of-the-mill effort?
However, what if you have an innovative course? A course designed to be unlike any other the student has ever taken? A course that will surprise and delight? A course that will allow students to sing the song of significance (thank you Seth Godin). A course that will amplify the effort that students put into it? Then the ideal, honest, and generous move is to design a syllabus that is unlike any other the student has ever seen. A syllabus that surprises and delights. A syllabus that is an invitation to the student to sing the song of significance.
Of course, such a syllabus will take more effort to create, will require more planning, and has no definite roadmap. But that is what we should expect of our students: to put in effort to create, to plan, and to forge ahead even when there is no definite roadmap? And if we expect that of our students, how can we expect any less of ourselves?
I have begun working on my syllabus for my Summer II Psychology of Learning. The by-the-numbers, generic, run-of-the-mill version is already complete. But my syllabus is not done. I will continue to work on my syllabus tomorrow. I spent today gathering some resources. You can see them below.
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