The first class went pretty well compared to most classes. The group activity was something not normally done by the other courses. Usually, it would be our introduction of our names and stuff we like to do. Then straight to the course compared to this class after our intros we did more of a group activity. I believe introductions is a good way to break the ice in a class. Yet when we transfer to a bigger school with a bunch of kids, I’m not even sure if introductions are needed. I don’t know because I haven’t been in one, I’m just assuming. I’d imagine classes would be for students to know each other rather than teachers. It would be more interactive if we don’t do introductions, At the same time it will be difficult to know what’s going on in class. What I’m trying to say is if were in a class no one knows each other students should make an effort to know each other meanwhile the professor’s job is to teach. That’s my perspective…
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Angela Dunne
Arnulfo, thank you for sharing your perspective here. Reading both this and your other blog post on grades, I feel like you have a very strong expectations about schooling and your role as a student (though school may not always meet those expectations like in the case of you getting 3s out of 4 or not getting the 100 on the test when you studied and worked hard). I am interested in why you’re here. What motivates you to go to college? What do you want out of this experience?
I am intrigued by your idea that, “students should make an effort to know each other…” because I believe this type of activity is oftentimes discouraged by the design of the classroom and the lessons- which means that students need to get to know each other outside of class. This can be difficult for so many reasons like a lack of common spaces and the fact that students at Guttman are commuter students that usually also have jobs. I think classrooms are places for students to explore, discover, and test out ideas- places to build community. There is a lot of research backing up the idea that a sense of community helps the learning process. There is also a lot of research showing, as Alfie Kohn talks about in the video I assigned about grades, that grades do more harm to students than good. I encourage you to lean into the class community we are building, even though it may be unfamiliar or unexpected. As I have mentioned over and over, I am most interested in your ideas and in assisting your process of developing them. Let me know what I can do to support you or help bring you in.