A New Pedagogical Approach
Today marked a departure from the norm. "Norm," of course, is a very subjective term. Can I have a "teaching norm" if I've only taught four classes over two semesters? Anyway, I have been struggling through teaching THEO 422 "Christianity at Work." It's the final class for the Biblical Studies required courses for gen. ed. credits. So, there are several juniors and seniors and one or two sophomores. To sum up, I'm more of a discussion-oriented teacher and find that if I'm well-prepared, the discussion seems to come more freely and go more smoothly. However, this class proved me wrong. I have gone to class un-prepared, hoping to spontaneously produce mass amounts of discussion. Nada. I have gone to class with several anecdotes or other outside material hoping to spark conversation. Zilch.
So, last night, I was preparing for a lecture on "role models." We are talking about living out our character/ethics in such a way that people follow our example. In order for this subject matter to work, there has to be a conversation. I can't just tell them about Mother Theresa and say, "Go and do likewise." So, late into the evening, after Yadier Molina smacked in the go-ahead run to finally beat the Phillies, I started racking my brain. I googled "role model" and came up with this website which got their brains working towards who a role model is. This site mentions Christopher Reeves, Brad Pitt, Barbara Bush, etc. and was useful in trying to figure out why a person is deemed a role model. Then, I started thinking about the procedure of a fellow professor. He told me he uses video in as many lectures as possible. So, I hopped on the ol' YouTube.com and started looking for "role model" videos. That, quickly, took me to "hero" video content and the creative juices started flowing. I used five videos in the class all embedded in a PowerPoint presentation (which required this and this in order to just present the stuff. All of the things that YouTubers suggested wouldn't work for embedding the videos, so I had to look here for some help.
So, I used the "online" approach and was able to see the videos and use them as conversation stimulators. I started with this: and talked about the people who do not want to be role models and how that is thrust upon them. Then, I moved to this: to illustrate a good role model. He wasn't someone with fame or success as we measure it, but saves a stranger's life and becomes a heroic figure. Then, we went to this: to illustrate the difference between good and bad role models. I talked about the pedestal we lift sports figures upon and when they come crashing down, our world is destroyed as well. I also talked about Mark McGwire and how St. Louis fans really don't know what to think about him, now. That was "on the fly" so no video on that. Then, we talked about ethical vs. non-ethical role models. The non-ethical role models are people who are successful and who's strategies and/or hard work we can emulate to make ourselves better. The ethical role models are people who's ethical standard exceeds our own. I used the foremost ethical role model who shaped generations of children, Mr. Rogers: Then, I finished with a song by John Lennon performed by Green Day: in order to show how these ordinary people became extraordinary heroes by simply surviving.
I was really happy with the discussion that created. I wasn't going for something political and could have used several examples of people here who have overcome circumstances, but with the limited time this is what I came up with. I used this last video to say, How will you be remembered? Is your example something worth emulating? Are your role models people who are worth emulating?
Any thoughts? Criticisms, etc.? I'm trying to engage this class and utilizing a medium with which they are very familiar seems to be helping. The three cups of coffee I had before class seemed to help me sell it.
So, last night, I was preparing for a lecture on "role models." We are talking about living out our character/ethics in such a way that people follow our example. In order for this subject matter to work, there has to be a conversation. I can't just tell them about Mother Theresa and say, "Go and do likewise." So, late into the evening, after Yadier Molina smacked in the go-ahead run to finally beat the Phillies, I started racking my brain. I googled "role model" and came up with this website which got their brains working towards who a role model is. This site mentions Christopher Reeves, Brad Pitt, Barbara Bush, etc. and was useful in trying to figure out why a person is deemed a role model. Then, I started thinking about the procedure of a fellow professor. He told me he uses video in as many lectures as possible. So, I hopped on the ol' YouTube.com and started looking for "role model" videos. That, quickly, took me to "hero" video content and the creative juices started flowing. I used five videos in the class all embedded in a PowerPoint presentation (which required this and this in order to just present the stuff. All of the things that YouTubers suggested wouldn't work for embedding the videos, so I had to look here for some help.
So, I used the "online" approach and was able to see the videos and use them as conversation stimulators. I started with this: and talked about the people who do not want to be role models and how that is thrust upon them. Then, I moved to this: to illustrate a good role model. He wasn't someone with fame or success as we measure it, but saves a stranger's life and becomes a heroic figure. Then, we went to this: to illustrate the difference between good and bad role models. I talked about the pedestal we lift sports figures upon and when they come crashing down, our world is destroyed as well. I also talked about Mark McGwire and how St. Louis fans really don't know what to think about him, now. That was "on the fly" so no video on that. Then, we talked about ethical vs. non-ethical role models. The non-ethical role models are people who are successful and who's strategies and/or hard work we can emulate to make ourselves better. The ethical role models are people who's ethical standard exceeds our own. I used the foremost ethical role model who shaped generations of children, Mr. Rogers: Then, I finished with a song by John Lennon performed by Green Day: in order to show how these ordinary people became extraordinary heroes by simply surviving.
I was really happy with the discussion that created. I wasn't going for something political and could have used several examples of people here who have overcome circumstances, but with the limited time this is what I came up with. I used this last video to say, How will you be remembered? Is your example something worth emulating? Are your role models people who are worth emulating?
Any thoughts? Criticisms, etc.? I'm trying to engage this class and utilizing a medium with which they are very familiar seems to be helping. The three cups of coffee I had before class seemed to help me sell it.
Labels: pedagogy
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