teachology
am taking tentative first steps to make
important changes. And, yes, I plan on
retaking these workshops so that they sink
deeply into my DNA!
What are some ways you have utilized
what you learned in these workshops?
One small (big) example – I rewrote my
syllabus over the Christmas holidays and
passed it out to my students with a
questionnaire the first day of classes.
When they returned to class I broke them
into pods of four to share their approval
and misgivings about my syllabus. Each
group had a recorder and that person
shared with the rest of the class. Most
comments were very reasonable and
logical, others downright silly (we NEED our
phones; we REQUIRE our phones) – but
some responses were so compelling that I
made quick and major revisions (for
example, I added another test based on
their recommendations). It was a real
learning experience for me.
Do you have any advice for other faculty
who may be interested in trying new
things?
I would encourage all faculty to take these
workshops – all you have to do is bring an
open mind and a willingness to sometimes
experiment. We can all be who we are, but
being able to change up and spice up our
classrooms with something different can
only make us stronger. I am et \