FS 391 Senior Seminar:
Parent-Child Relationships
Spring Semester 2007
T 9:35-11:00; TH 9:30-10:50 am
DC 204

General Overview: This course will cover history, theories, research, and contemporary practices of parent-child relationships in diverse families and cultures across the life span. The course also helps to prepare students for professional work in education, social work, and other human service occupations.

Prerequisites: Students must be senior Family Studies majors.

Instructor: Sharon E. Powell, Ph.D.
213 D Holland Hall
Phone: (507) 646-3130
Email: powell@stolaf.edu
Office Hours: TTH 11-1, or by appointment

Course Objectives:

Students will:

• Compare, contrast, evaluate, and apply theories used to explain parent-child relationships
• Synthesize theories of parent-child interaction, from an ecological and family systems perspective
• Interpret parent-child relationships in the context of child and adult development
• Reflect on research about current issues in parent-child interaction
• Apply theories of parent-child interaction to everyday parenting problems
• Integrate elements of the study of parent-child interaction into personal beliefs about parent-child relationships

Required Reading:

• Text: Brooks, J. (2007). The Process of Parenting. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Selected articles

Course Format:
During class periods there will be several instructional strategies used:
(1) lecture, (2) large group discussion, and (3) small group discussion of the assigned readings, short videos, case studies, guest lectures, etc. (4) student presentations.

Course Requirements:

• Personal Experience Paper: Each student will write a five-page paper describing their beliefs about parent-child relationships based upon their own experiences caring for children and being cared for as children. Students will identify and discuss positive and negative practices that they have experienced or to which they have contributed.
  
  
• Parent-Child Observation: Each student will be required to observe parents and their children interacting with one another. After observing, students will be required to produce a paper in which they apply aspects of theories studied to the interactions they have witnessed.
  
  
• Personal Theory of Parenting: After studying a variety of theorists, students will be required to produce a paper describing their own theory of parent-child relationships.
  
  
• Research Paper and Presentation: Students will be required to choose and research a topic related to parenting. From this research, students will produce a ten-page paper and twenty minute presentation. More information will be provided.
  
  
• Leading Class Discussion: Each student will explore a topic in-depth and lead one class discussion throughout the course of the semester. Leading discussion includes researching the topic (at least three scholarly articles), presenting to the class, writing discussion questions, and/or designing exercises that will improve the classroom experience.
  
  
• Classroom Participation: This course is designed as the capstone for this major area of study. As a seminar, a heavy amount of participation is expected from students. It is expected that you will take a genuine interest in the course content, readings, and the classroom activities.

Schedule

Date	Topic	Readings	Assignment Due
2/6/07	Introduction to the Course
2/8/07	Historical Overview of Parenting	Book: Ch. 2
2/13/07	Becoming Parents	Book: Ch. 6

Grading :

Assignment	Percent of Grade
Personal Experience Paper	15 points
Parent-Child Observations	25 points
Personal Theory of Parenting	15 points
Research Paper and Presentation	25 points
Leading Class Discussion	15 points
Classroom Participation	5 points
TOTAL	100 points

No incompletes will be given in this course except for documented emergency situations. Course grades will be assigned in terms of the points listed below:

Letter Grade	Percentage
A	93-100
A-	90-92
B+	88-89
B	83-87
B-	80-82
C+	78-79
C	73-77
C-	70-72
D+	68-69
D	63-67
D-	60-62
F	less than 60

Class Expectations:
Students are expected to attend every class, read the assigned readings in advance of the class for which they were assigned, and to be prepared to engage in discussion.

In order to optimize the learning environment in this class, students are asked to honor the following:

• Be on time for clas and stay until the end.
• Please do not read the newspaper or chat during class.
• Turn cell phones and pagers off during class. If an emergency page or call is expected, set the device to "vibrate" rather than to "ring."
• If you must enter late or leave early, do so quietly.
• "Extra credit" assignments are not given, so please do not ask.
• If class is missed, participants are responsible for obtaining missing materials and information from another class member.

Grading Definitions:

A:	Achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements.
B:	Achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements.
C:	Achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect.
D:	Achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet fully the course requirements.
F:	Work that was completed but at a level of achievement not worthy of credit; or work that was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an incomplete.
I:	Assigned at the discretion of the instructor when, due to extraordinary circumstances (e.g. hospitalization) a student is prevented from completing the work of the course on time. Requires a written agreement between the instructor, the student, and the appropriate dean of students.

 Disability Statement: Any student with a documented intellectual, physical, or emotional disability needing academic accommodations is expected to speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with a disability who do not have an accomodation letter to present to me must also contact (bolstadr@stolaf.edu) or Connie Ford (ford@stolaf.edu) in the (x3288) located in the very back of The Village.

Other Concerns: If you have other concerns that you think may affect your performance in this class, please let me know ASAP so that we can work together to find a solution.