A couple of innovations worked well:
1) With introductions, for years I have asked students to "interview" each other and then introduce that interviewee to the whole class. Typically, I ask a question about the student's course goals/objectives, but I get tired of hearing, "My goal is to get an A in this class." So this year, I asked, "What do you hope to get out of *and give to* this class?"
The second part of the question solicited answers like, "I hope to give time and determination to this class." Yep, much better.
2) For a first-day writing exercise, I handed out a couple of cartoons about writing: next to each cartoon was blank space, and I asked students to think about the cartoons and put something in the space.
I deliberately used the word "put" to see who would write, who would draw, etc. One student drew an excellent extension of the first cartoon, and almost all students wrote something of interest. All were completely absorbed with the assignment. I'll definitely do it again.
Evacuation roots
5 hours ago
1 comment:
The first day I have them explain what irritates them about classmates -- and instructors. We can do it during the first day because nobody has had a chance to actually BE annoying... and it serves to put the people who will become irritating on notice that their peers don't like whatever their bad habit happens to be.
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