A Piece of Us

Journal entry for 7/12/11
TLW: ask questions in order to get to kow the instructors.

This session served a couple purposes: 1) it had us work in groups as teams and 2) it gave us the opportunity to get to know the instructors and course.

In reference to #1, it is rather self-explanatory.  We will be having students in our own classrooms working in groups for teamwork.  This is an important part of facilitating a learning environment.

In reference to #2, it seemed obvious at first--to get to know the instructors.  In hindsight, it was much more than that.  There was a hidden agenda.  This hidden agenda was to show us the importance of teacher-student interactions and student-student interactions.  Importantly, it showed us that we can empower students.  The teacher doesn't need to stand up there a talk and talk and tell us what he thinks we want to learn or know about him.  He allows the students to decide together what are the most important questions they want to ask and are then given the opportunity to ask.  He/she will then answer in a friendly and as honest as possible manner (given the nature of the question).  This opens the class with a positive and comfortable atmosphere which is the beginning of building an open and trusting relationship between the teacher and students.  It shows the teacher opening up and encouraging dialogue with and between students.

On a scale of 1 to 10, ten being highest, level of engagement = 10.