This morning I went into the seminar class at my new college, planning on discussion but well-prepared to lecture. Usually when I teach seminar at Small Private College, the students refuse to discuss... at all. Seriously, I've started to feel like a failure at teaching seminars (well, except for the fact that all my colleagues say the same thing about
their seminars).
Today? I threw out the first question and they talked about it for 20 minutes. There was discussion. There were disagreements.
People, there was
LIFE.
This continued, with occasional questions from me, for the full 75 minutes of class. At least 10 of the 12 students were fully participating. They left happy; I left happy. There was much rejoicing.
Class #2 was good, but possibly only for the
majors. It's so tempting to take the conversation to that level, because I'm not used to having majors in my classes... I'm going to have to find a balance between teaching to them and teaching for the non-majors. The non-majors still seemed interested, but I think it went over their heads a couple times.
1 comment:
That is awesome. I know when L.B. has come home after students actually participate...she is stoked. I hope it continues!
I bet your hair helped inspire them.
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