Jun14 Written by:Kayle
6/14/2008 3:27 AM
This weekend we had Dr. Perry Shaw come to us to teach a workshop on how to be better teachers. Perry teaches at a theological college in Beirut, Lebanon and has studied the field of education. He challenged us as teachers to try taking a more wholistic approach in our teaching, appealing to the mind, emotions and behavior in our classes. Perhaps we can ask questions or have creative assignments that do this. But we want to help students make the leap from what they are mentally learning to how this can change their lives. Another challenge he gave was to be careful about the "hidden curriculum" that we are teaching. The hidden curriculum is what you are saying through your actions that may undermine what you are teaching with your words. For example, you may be teaching on the ills of the abuse of power by those in leadership. At the same time you may demand to be called "Mrs. Pelletier" or "Lecturer Pelletier" and stand on a tall podium in front of the classroom indicating your authority. These actions could indeed undermind what you are actually trying to teach.
All in all it was a good weekend. I personally feel like I was challenged in many ways: to be more creative in my assignments that I give, to teach less material, but to cover more thoroughly so that students can grasp and remember it better, and to make sure to spend time helping students connect the material to their lives.
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