Division: Free College

Course name: Basic Skills 078: Fundamentals for Workplace Success II – Effective Communications and
Leadership (0 units)

Section: 30392 / Semester & Year: Fall 2018

Class Dates: 10/26, 11/2, 11/9, 11/16, 11/30, 12/7, Class Days/Times: Fridays 1:00 pm – 3:50 pm
12/14, 1/4, 1/11, 1/18, 1/25, 2/1
Class Location: West LA College Classroom: HLRC-112

Instructor Name: Chase Selby Instructor E-mail: selbyc@wlac.edu

Instructor Phone #: (310) 287-4228 Instructor Office: HLRC-137

Course Description:

This course gives students the opportunity to develop their listening, communication and leadership skills
appropriate for the workplace in a supportive and interactive environment. Students will be introduced to skills
that can help them become active, purposeful listeners and more effective communicators and leaders for career
Success

FREE College Philosophy:

West’s Free College welcomes everyone who wants to start or re-start college. Our classes are open-entry,
open-exit, so students can start anytime and leave for another class or job if they need to. However, all students
are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to attend every class session so they can receive the information, knowledge,
and skills needed to help them advance in their academic and career/employment goals. There are no tuition or
fees for noncredit courses. The instructors usually provide instructional materials free of charge. However, there
are some courses where students are required to bring or pay for required materials/books.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)

At the end of the course, students will:

1. Gain an understanding of one’s own leadership style.
2. Practice effective interpersonal communication skills with individuals and groups.

Required Texts and Materials

● Pens, paper, and a positive outlook

Course Requirements and Assignment Guidelines

In this course, a number of interactive and guided trainings will be provided to tutors and student workers.
These are designed to develop their communication and leadership skills and equip them with tools to better
serve our Learning Resource Center students. Students in the course (tutors and student workers) will be asked
to draw on their knowledge and talents and will be given guidance to help develop best practices and policies
for the center. Sessions will have students collaborating with one another to find answers, read critical theory on
learning centers and learning styles, and to model concepts covered. To gauge feedback and retention of
information, students may be asked to complete questionnaires/reflections in these sessions, and they may also
be asked to pose their own questions. Occasionally, the class will employ the use of guest speakers to cover
some of the topics. At the end of the course, students should feel more confident in their role as tutors and
student workers.

In this class, we will:

• Complete group work
• Read academic texts regarding tutoring and learning styles
• Participate in activities
• Complete surveys and evaluations
• Come up with plans and practices to put in place

Grading

Noncredit course grades are Pass, Satisfactory Progress, and No Pass. Students can also receive an NGG (no
grade given). Noncredit course grades are NOT calculated into one’s grade point average and do NOT affect
one’s financial aid since they have no unit value.

For this course, students who attend and participate in 70% of our training sessions and actively participate in
the various activities will receive a Pass.

Students who attend and participate in 70% or less of our training sessions (minimum of one session) and do not
actively participate in the various activities will receive a Satisfactory Progress.

No students will receive a No Pass.

This course is a required course for the Foundation for Employment Readiness Certificate of Completion
(72)*. See the online course catalog for more information on how to ear this certificate at:
http://www.wlac.edu/Academic/College-Catalog.aspx

Class Policies

Attendance and Sign-In Sheet

All students MUST sign in on the sign-in sheet BEFORE they sit down. We are required to account for every
person who attends a class session. When we are in class, we will make ample use of our time discussing ideas
or texts, completing readings, writing in class, debating, and getting together for group work. This all means
that being present is important. I recommend not missing any of our classes, if you can! Refer to our grading
policy to see how attendance, and by extension, participation, plays into the course grading.

As a general rule, it is always advisable to let me know if you will be absent from class.

Preparedness
Hold yourself accountable to attend every class meeting/training, arrive on time, and stay through the entirety;
this part is easy. Push yourself to come to each class session prepared and ready to talk, write, and participate;
this part is the one that students often have trouble with . Make the most of your time here. Here is a secret:
class is actually more interesting, and time goes by faster, when you are prepared and engaged.

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Cell Phones and Texting
Our class will be a community of exchanged ideas. I will give you some of my ideas, and more often,
students will share theirs. It is my hope that we are all here for the same reason: to learn! I hope we all can
successfully pick up ideas and ways of thinking about issues and topics that we did not have before. Cell phones
are annoying in class and prevent the stuff above from going on. Let’s all help each other out and keep the
texting and cell phone usage to breaks and after class.

College Policies:

Academic Integrity (Plagiarism)

In accordance with code 9803.28, academic dishonesty is prohibited and will not be tolerated in this class.
Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, the following actions: cheating on an exam,
plagiarism, working together on an assignment, paper or project when the instructor has specifically stated
students should not do so, submitting the same term paper to more than one instructor, or allowing another
individual to assume one’s identity for the purpose of enhancing one’s grade. Academic dishonesty of any type,
such as cheating or knowingly furnishing false information, by a student provides grounds for disciplinary
action by the instructor or college. In written work, no material may be copied from another without proper
quotation marks, footnotes, or appropriate documentation.

Student Conduct
According to code 9803.15, disruption of classes or college activities is prohibited and will not be tolerated.
Refer to the catalog and the Standards of Student Conduct in the Schedule of Classes for more information.

Recording Devices
State law in California prohibits the use of any electronic listening or recording device in a classroom without
prior consent of the instructor and college administration. Any student who needs to use electronic aids must
secure the consent of the instructor. If the instructor agrees to the request, a notice of consent must be forwarded
to the Vice President of Academic Affairs for approval (WLAC College Catalog). For more information, refer
to the attached link: http://www.wlac.edu/academics/pdf/WLAC_Catalog_Policies.pdf

Campus Resources

Office of Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSP&S)

Student Services Building (SSB) 320| (310) 287-4450.
West Los Angeles College recognizes and welcomes its responsibility to provide an equal educational
opportunity to all disabled individuals. The Office of Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S) has
been established to provide support services for all verified disabled students pursuing a college education.
DSP&S students may qualify for: priority registration, registration assistance, special parking permits, sign
language interpreters and assistive technology (WLAC College Catalog).

Learning Resource Center

Heldman Learning Resources Center (HLRC) | (310) 287-4404
Improve your reading, language, vocabulary, spelling, math fundamentals, chemistry knowledge, etc. with
convenient, self-paced computer-aided courses in the Learning Skills Center. Increase your knowledge and
learning success: sign up for tutoring in various college subjects (WLAC College Catalog).

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Library Services
Heldman Learning Resources Center (HLRC) | (310) 287-4269 & (310) 287-4486
The WLAC Library provides instruction on how to use the online catalog, periodical and research databases. In
addition to a large collection of books, periodicals and videos the WLAC Library has course textbooks which
students may use while in the Library. Web access is available in LIRL as well as meeting rooms. The upper
floors provide a beautiful view ideal for study (WLAC College Catalog).
For more information, refer to attached link:
http://www.wlac.edu/academics/pdf/WLAC_Catalog_Policies.pdf

Campus Sherriff’s Office (Emergency Preparedness)

C3 Building, Parking Lot 5 | (310) 287-4311 & (310) 287-4314
For more information, refer to attached link: http://www.wlac.edu/Sheriff/Index.aspx

The Sherriff’s Office website includes information about drill or emergency building evacuations, Title IX
resources (if you have been the victim of Sexual Harassment; Sexual Violence and/or Gender-Based
Discrimination), and what do to in the event of a lock-down or active shooter situation.

Tentative Course Schedule –Subject to Change:

Session Date Course Topics

1 10/26 Diversability Training – Working with Our Uniquely Abled Population
2 11/2 Tutoring Basics and Responsibilities (Definition of Tutoring and Tutor
Responsibilities, Basic Tutoring Guidelines/Tutoring Dos & Don’ts,
Setting Expectations, Policies & Procedures, Customer Service)
3 11/9 Equity Mindset (Being a Warm Demander, Cultural Awareness,
Intercultural Communication, Diversity, & Special Needs Students,
Culture as a Resource, Safe to Fail Environments)
4 11/16 Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligence Theories (Learning
Theory/Learning Styles (VARK), 8 Modes of Intelligences)
5 11/30 Active Shooter Training (Emergency Safety Plans, Campus Safety,
Identifying Resources, Responsible Reporting and Assessing a Threat)
6 12/7 Test Anxiety, Information Overload, and Memory Principles/
Mnemonics
7 12/14 Mental Health First Aid (Common Misconceptions, Students and
Mental Health, Being a Resource and Support)
8 1/4 Modeling Problem Solving, Assessing or Changing Study Behaviors,
Role Modeling, Critical Thinking Skills
9 1/11 Interpersonal Communication (Emotional Intelligence, Active
Listening, Being More Welcoming and Open)
10 1/18 Sexual Harassment in the Workplace and Title IX (Establishing a Safe
Workplace Environment, Reporting Harassment, Supporting Victims
and Survivors, Championing Gender Diversity and Awareness,
Providing Resources)
11 1/25 Assisting Difficult Students, Dealing with Difficult Tutoring
Situations, De-escalation
12 2/1 Deficit vs. Asset-Based Thinking - Promoting Strength-Based
Thinking (Tara Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth Model, Focusing
on Potential and Strengths, Challenging Deficit-Based Narrative)