Sarah Ku

Resources

Syllabus examples

A syllabus doesn’t have to be a boring, lifeless 10-page word document. I find these painful and outdated, so when I taught, all my syllabi were on my website. I’m big on transparency and sharing information, so please find examples of my syllabi below. Hopefully these inspire you to create your own types of syllabi that make it easier for you to update information immediately, allow you to be clear with your expectations, and help students to find information quickly.
While I don’t claim that these are the best designs, I did receive consistent student feedback that this format allowed them to find everything they needed and it certainly helped reduce my need to repeat things. I also really loved the control that this type of platform gave me so that I could update things in real-time and students didn’t have to re-download the correct version when things changed.

Feel free to use these designs, rubrics, schedules, etc. as templates for yourself. As somebody with a business background, capitalism tells me that I should somehow try to monetize this information and / or protect my intellectual property. I think that’s silly; I joined academia to share knowledge and resources, not hoard them. So if you do decide to use these, I’d be flattered! Please reach out with any feedback, questions, and comments :)

 
 

I do not own the rights to any of the content below. I share these for educational purposes to increase awareness and facilitate valuable discussions. I have done my best to provide sources to all content to redirect attention to their original sources. I receive no financial incentives for the clicks or views of this content.

Social Justice

“Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible. ”
— Maya Angelou

Source: @ms.henryyy

Teaching

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
— Nelson Mandela
 

Syllabus design

Live syllabus example
 

Chicago Recycling

Here are some fun resources about Chicago recycling provided by LRS (Lakeshore Recycling Systems):

  • Virtual Tour of The LRS Exchange
    Go behind the scenes at our Exchange Material Recovery Facility that sorts Wheaton’s recyclables.  See the tech and people making recycling happen!

  • LRS 2024 Sustainability Report  
    LRS’ annual report on safety, environmental sustainability, and social impact.

  • Blueprint for Waste Diversion
    A tool for schools, businesses, municipalities, and cultural institutions to implement a waste diversion system.  Use this customizable guide as a tool to reinforce recycling systems.

  • City of Chicago Blue Cart Recycling Map
    Check out this ArcGIS map to watch the journey of recyclables from City of Chicago homes, to LRS MRFs, to mills and factories in North America.  

Wanna be a waste warrior?

 

Don’t have the space, time, or money to set up your own system? Find a community garden near you and ask if you can participate in their compost system!