Note:  THERE MAY BE CERTAIN SPECIAL EVENTS SUCH AS GUEST SPEAKERS AND FIELD TRIPS WHICH WILL BE ANNOUNCED NEARER THE TIME AS OPPORTUNITIES ARISE.

CLASS 1:  Mon. 9/11 and Tues. 9/12:    Focus on Beginnings: 
Syllabus and introduction.  Creation of Groups:   Group A: End-Of-Life Issues; Group B:  Children and Grief ; Group C:  Children and Illness/Dying; Group D:  Caregiving; Group E: Sudden Death/Traumatic Loss:  (Note:  we will talk in class about the ways that these groups should be constructed and the guidelines for the group projects and panel presentations).  In the meantime note on the syllabus where the Group you are in has particular assignments -- see for instance, next week:  Experiential Projects:  Discussion of options.  See D&D Experiential Project Guide.

Submit (Everyone): Completed Loss Assessment Sheet, and Bugen Coping Scale (HO only) Plus a signed copy of the Course Understanding Sheet (read both sides carefully  before signing) (another copy for your own use is available on  WebCt under "D&D Questionnaires & HOs"

CLASS 2:  Mon. 9/18 Tues 9/19:   Focus on Historical Context:  Everyone Read before (!) class:   **Tolstoy "The Death of Ivan Ilych" (1886) (Title story only)  PLUS Monticello "Slave Burial Ground is Identified at Monticello"

Group Readings:  Group A: Aries "The Hour of Our Death" on  WebCt; Group B: Leming and Dickinson "The Contemporary American Funeral" DD&B 9e article 27. Group C:  Colman "Where Corpses End Up: Cemeteries and other Burial Sites"  on WebCT ; Group D: Cantor "Studying the Black Death" DD&B 9e article 11. Group E: Welford "American Death and Burial Customs"  on  WebCt

To prepare for class discussion read the Tolstoy keeping in mind the reading/study questions on Ivan Ilych.

Submit (Everyone): Completed Loss History  (on  WebCt under "D&D Questionnaires & HOs"); SPECIAL NOTE:  Keep a copy of this -- and everything!! -- for yourself.  Special Note:  Before today's class complete for yourself (not to submit!) the Shneidman Questionnaire: "You and Death" on  WebCt under "D&D Questionnaires & HOs" .  Use this  questionnaire to help yourself decide if this is the right time for you to take this class.

Inclass:   FIELD TRIP:  GRAVES BY RAMAPO RIVER.  WE WILL MEET IN THE CLASSROOM AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS  DURING CLASS WE WILL WALK TOGETHER DOWN TO THE   SMALL BURIAL GROUND ACROSS RTE 202 NEAR THE RIVER.   Wear long sleeves and pants (light colored), high socks and good walking shoes. Someone will remain in the classroom with your belongings but do plan to bring along your wallets/purses.  If you have difficulties in walking (the walk is about a half a mile) please let me know so that I can make alternative arrangments for you.  In case of bad weather -- this may be rescheduled for next week.

CLASS 3:  Mon. 9/25 Tues. 9/26:  Focus on The Dying Process  Everyone Read:  Roberts.  Death without Denial; Grief Without Apology, 1-73; PLUS Dwinell.  "7 Final Chapters" on  WebCt; Kubler-Ross. "What is it Like to be Dying?" on WebCt  and Vinge "View from the Heights" on WebCt

Group Readings:  Group A: Albom: excerpts from Tuesdays with Morrie;  Schwartz excerpts from "Morrie in His Own Words" (1996); AND Thomas "Facing a Fatal Disease, Morris Schwartz Teaches How to Live Until the Last Moment" on WebCt   Group B: Atwater:   "Lee Atwater's Last Campaign" on  WebCt;  Group C:   Henig  "Will We Ever Arrive at the Good Death?" AND Schmidt "ThinKing It Through" on  WebCt;  Group D: Rudden:  "Death and the Law" DD&B 9e Article 18 Group E:  Jennings: "Finding Better Ways to Die" DD&B 9e Article 1

Submit (Everyone): Grief/Illness/Caregiving essay (Draft 1):  "An Experience I Have Had with Grief or Illness or Caregiving."    (See guidelines)

In-class:  Bibliographic Instruction in library  (We will meet first in the regular classroom and move to the library later in the class.  We will finish in the library so bring your things with you) .

Note:  Visit my D&D bibliography (divided up by topics) for a starting place on your research for your Group/Individual Projects.  Also visit Compassion Books at http://www.compassionbooks.com/  for access to a wide variety of excellent print and a/v resources on death, dying, and bereavement for sale.

CLASS 4:  Mon. 10/2 Tues. 10/3 :  Focus on Grief  Everyone Read:   Roberts.  Death Without Denial; Grief Without Apology.   75-end PLUS LeGuin: "Nine Lives" on WebCt and  Leming and  Dickinson. "Grieving Process"  DD&B 9e article 32   

Group Homework:  Group A: Find and bring a poem (other than one of those on the Poetry Handout) which deals with death/dying/grief   Group B: Find and bring a cartoon which deals with death/dying/grief    Group C:  Find and bring a work of visual art which deals with death/dying/grief  :  Group D: Find and bring a newspaper article (NOT an obituary) from a current paper (this week)  which deals with death/dying/grief   Group E:  Find and bring a joke or humorous story which deals with death/dying/grief 

CLASS 5:  Mon. 10/9 Tues 10/10:    Focus on End of Life Issues     Everyone Read:    Cohen.  "What Living Wills Won't Do"  DD&B 9e, article 25; N. R. Kleinfield.  "Patients Whose Final Wishes Go Unsaid Put Doctors in a Bind." (2003) DD&B 9e Article 14; Lattanzi-Licht.  "Hospice as a Model for Caregiving"  on WebCt and Rinpoche 2/3:  from Tibetan Book of Living and Dying 14-40   (Ch. 2 "Impermanence" and Ch. 3 "Reflection and Change") on WebCt

To prepare for class discussion read the Rinpoche keeping in mind the reading/study questions on Rinpoche. 

Group A Panel Present Powerpoint and oral presentation: End-of-Life Issues (see D&D F06 Panel Guide for guidelines)
Group A individual members are to submit their 3 abstracts of juried journal articles along with copies of the original articles and abstracts provided in the databases(see D&D F06 Panel Guide for guidelines)

CLASS 6:  Mon. 10/16 Tues 17:  Focus on Cultural/Social Context:  Everyone Read :  Long.  "Cultural Scripts for a Good Death in Japan and the United States:  Similarities and Differences."  DD&B 9e article 2 and Whalen.  "How Different Religions Pay Their Final Respects."  DD&B 9e, article 28; Read:  Epstein.  "Health Care in America -- Still Too Separate, Not Yet Equal" on WebCt; Raad. "Grief: A Muslim Perspective"  on WebCt; Ziezula "The World of the Deaf Community  on WebCt

Group Readings:  Group A: Tully: "Lifting Our Voices: African American Cultural Responses to Trauma and Loss" 23-57 on  WebCT ; AND Walker  "A Sudden Trip Home in the Spring"  on WebCt
Group B:  Read  Diaz-Cabello "The Hispanic Way of Dying: Three Families, Three Perspectives, Three Culture."  DD&B 9e article 12 AND Silvera. "Crossing the Border" on WebCt
Group C:  Read Klass and Goss:  "Asian Ways of Grief." on WebCt AND Gerber  "Working with Southeast Asian People Who Have Migrated to the United States"  98-116 on WebCt AND Mukherjee.  "The Management of Grief" on WebCt
Group D:  Read Grollman. "What You Always Wanted to Know About Your Jewish Clients' Perspectives Concerning Death and Dying -- But were Afraid to Ask" on WebCt AND Mashburn. "Till Death Do Us Part"  DD&B 9e article 38;  AND  Wilder "Sexual Orientation and Grief" on WebCt
Group E:   Read  Hogan.  "Making Do" on WebCtAND Stamm: "Trauma and Loss in Native North America: An Ethnocultural Perspective" 49-69

Submit: Experiential Project Report #1 (See Experiential Project Guidelines)

CLASS 7:  Mon. 10/23 Tues. 10/24:   Focus on Children: Grief   Everyone Read :  Barrett  "Bereaved Black Children." onWebCt;  Goldman. "Counseling Children in Contemporary Society"  DD&B 9e article 39; Graham.  "Life is Like the Seasons: Responding to Change, Loss and Grief through a Peer-based Education Program." DD&B 9e article 7;  Hughes.  "Writing Through a Tragedy." DD&B 9e article 8; Reeve.  "Discussing Tragedy with Your Child." DD&B 9e article 40

Group B Panel Present Powerpoint and oral presentation: Children and Grief (see D&D F06 Panel Guide for guidelines)
Group B individual members are to submit their 3 abstracts of juried journal articles along with copies of the original articles and abstracts provided in the databases(see D&D F06 Panel Guide for guidelines)

Guest Speaker: Monday class only -- 2 pm - 3 pm:  Barbara Mauer on children and traumatic grief (Tuesday students are welcome to attend)

Special Note:  Takehome Midterm guidelines distributed; due back Class 9


CLASS 8:  Mon. 10/30 Tues. 10/31:   Focus on Living with Life-Altering Illness/Disability   Everyone Read:   Lorde. The Cancer Journals.  PLUS: Butler "The Evening and the Morning and the Night" on WebCt   Carey "In the Hospital, A Degrading Shift from Person to Patient" on WebCt;    Kolata1.  "Sick and Scared, and Waiting, Waiting, Waiting." on WebCt AND Ramondetta and Sills.  "Spirituality and Religion in the 'Art of Dying'." DD&B 9e article 16

To prepare for class discussion read the Lorde keeping in mind the reading/study questions on The Cancer Journals.

In-Class -- Monday class will view The Waterdance 1992 (106 Minutes) (Tuesday class is welcome to attend)
Submit (Everyone): Experiential Project Report #1 (See Experiential Project Guidelines)


CLASS 9:  Mon. 11/6 Tues. 11/7: NOTE:  MIDTERMS DUE!  Focus on the Elderly  Read before class:   Alexander "Jitterbug" on WebCt; Cleage "Hospice"  on WebCt Sahyoun, et. al.  "Trends in Causes of Death Among the Elderly" (2001) DD&B 9e, article 10 ; Saxton  "Caring for Aunt Alice."  on WebCt;  Walters "Buffalo Wallow Woman" on WebCt
Submit: (Everyone):  Take Home Midterms due

CLASS 10:  Mon. 11/13 11/14 Tues. Apr. 25:   Focus on Children: Illness and Death   Read before class:  **Housman.  Hannah's Gift (all)   PLUS Bear "Sisters" on WebCt Bradshaw et al. "Cancer-Related Deaths in Children and Adolescents." on WebCt

Group C Panel Present Powerpoint and oral presentation: Childen: Illness and Death (see D&D F06 Panel Guide for guidelines)
Group C individual members are to submit their 3 abstracts of juried journal articles along with copies of the original articles and abstracts provided in the databases(see D&D F06 Panel Guide for guidelines)

CLASS 11:  Mon. 11/20 Tues. 11/21:   Focus on Caregiving   Read before class:  Read on WebCt;   Bull: "Structure and Stresses:  When a Family Member is Dying" (1997);  Caregivers Facts:  Caregiving principles; AND Caregiver Recommendations;  Gallagher "Each Bird Walking;" Gross.  "Alone in Illness, Seeking Steady Arm to Lean On." on  WebCt ; Levine: "Introduction: Nature of Caregiving."   Rinpoche11 from Tibetan Book of Living and Dying 173-186 (Ch. 11 "Heart Advice on Helping the Dying" available ib WebCt

Note:  Additional information is available at the National Caregivers Alliance website:   http://www.caregiving.org/  The site includes special material on Caregivers for Alzheimers'; Long distance caregiving etc.

Group D Panel Present Powerpoint and oral presentation: Caregiving (see D&D F06 Panel Guide for guidelines)
Group D individual members are to submit their 3 abstracts of juried journal articles along with copies of the original articles and abstracts provided in the databases(see D&D F06 Panel Guide for guidelines)

Submit: Experiential Project Report #2 (See Experiential Project Guidelines)

CLASS 12:  Mon. 11/27 Tues 11/28:  Focus on Sudden Death/Traumatic Grief   Read before class:  Plus onWebCt:  Allende: "And Of Clay Are We Created"  on WebCt;; Cummock, "Journey of a Young Widow" onWebCt; Dick.  "Impact on Law Enforcement and EMS Personnel."(1994) on WebCt ; Doka "Sudden Loss: The Experiences of Bereavement" onWebCt: Filipovic Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo" on WebCt ; Herbert "Black, Dead, Invisible" on WebCt; Lord  "America's Number One Killer: Vehicular Crashes (1996); AND Reeve.  "Richness of Collaboration for Children's Response to Disaster." DD&B 9e, article 9

Group E Panel Present Powerpoint and oral presentation: Sudden Death/Traumatic Grief (see D&D F06 Panel Guide for guidelines)
Group E individual members are to submit their 3 abstracts of juried journal articles along with copies of the original articles and abstracts provided in the databases(see D&D F06 Panel Guide for guidelines)


CLASS 13:  Mon. 12/4 Tues. 12/5:  Focus on Complicated Mourning and Disenfranchised Grief   Read before class:  Brink  ""Those Left Behind: War Widows Find Ways to Cope, But There's Really No Cure for the Pain" DD&B 9e: article 37; Carroll et al.:  “Complicated Grief in the Military” on WebCt; Corr  "Enhancing the Concept of Disenfranchised Grief" (1998-1999) DD&B 9e: article 34; Doka  ""Disenfranchised Grief:  Recognizing Hidden Sorrow" (1989) DD&B 9e: article 33; Macomber  ""The Arlington Ladies: American Volunteerism at its Most Moving" (1989) DD&B 9e: article 33 AND Rando  "Increasing Prevalence of Complicated Mourning" (1992-1993) DD&B 9e: article 35.

Submit (Everyone): Revised/Final Draft of Introductory Grief Essay   This must be attached to a copy of the first draft with my comments  and suggestions noted on it.   Reminder: Revisit Guidelines for Grief Essay before you rework.

In-class:  Group work on Poetry on death,dying, and grieving " (bring your poetry handout!)  See D&D Poetry


CLASS 14:  Mon. 12/11 Tues. 12/12.   Focus on Grief Work and Healing   Read before class:       Plus Bertman2: "The Healing Power of Art" on WebCt Neimeyer et al. . "Mourning and Meaning." (2002); on WebCt Pick-Me-Ups; Schweibert   "What Does Time Have to Do with It?" on WebCt Jan Ziegler "How Corporations Cope When Death Intrudes." on WebCtAND  Zinner  "Group Survivorship: Effective Mourning Within the Organization."  on WebCtSee also Grief Tips (James Miller) at http://www.willowgreen.com   for very concrete suggestions for coping with grief.

FINAL EXAM:  Mon. 12/18 Tues. 12/19:  FINAL EXAM (DETAILS TO BE ANNOUNCED)