Classes wrap up this week, and judging by the sleep-deprived faces floating about the library, the end can come none too soon. Across the country, on campus after campus it's happening- the exam-period zombie dance. Assessment and evaluation, assessment and evaluation, assessment and evaluation: it's about making it through those last papers, those three-hour exams, and out the door for break. Freedom!
Isn't there something odd about this? Shouldn't they leave craving the next course, the next opportunity to hang around a bunch of motivated fellow thinkers and work through some relevant, interesting problems together? There's got to be a better way to end a semester, a more creative, satisfying, rewarding way to move out of a course (if we have to teach/learn in a course system at all).
Even if you think finals are the bees knees, I think there is a conversation to be had here regarding why students (and teachers!) are so happy to be "done" with the course.
And later in that same post:
Notes for the Next Time Out ~~Pull in a high school or elementary-school classroom for a collaboration between grades. Let the younger students help loosen up the college kids and reconnect them with the fun while the younger kids benefit from having a writing buddy who will also be a terrific source of information about college.
Okay, Language Arts 21c folks, here's an opportunity for writing collaboration with college students. Any takers? I'll help . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment