A Safe Space for Self-ReflectionPosted on December 1, 2014 by Jane S. WebsterWho am I and where am I going? And why am I in this classroom?!It took me about a week into my first course to realize that most of my students were not as passionately interested about religion and biblical studies as I was. I learned that most of them were in the room because they needed a required general education course and my course was the only one with space that fit their schedule. I tried to make the most of it by focusing on the skills they would need to develop—critical thinking and written communication, for example. It sounded good in theory but I was missing an amazing opportunity: engaging students in self-reflection….
Building TrustPosted on August 11, 2014 by Jane S. Webster“The dog ate my homework.” Sigh.We have all heard it before in one form or another. It’s hard to know when students are being truthful. In the past, we may have tried keeping track of excuses, checking to make sure the printers actually worked, and calling the coach to make sure they had a game.In the end, we might give them the benefit of the doubt because it is less trouble. But what we might not be realizing is that we might be actually harming our students when we don’t trust them. Today, let’s consider why it is so important to build trust between teachers and students….
Metacognition: Teach Me How to Learn!Posted on March 31, 2014 by Jane S. WebsterWhen we shift our task as educators from those who deliver content to those who help students learn how to learn, we see that they still learn the content that we cherish, but they have also developed skills that will take them far into the future with success. And as we become more conscious of students’ learning, we will become more attuned to their needs, enabling us to intervene in just the right place at just the right time…
Teaching with Meta-QuestionsPosted on November 8, 2013 by Jane S. WebsterWhat’s the point?Do you ever get those blank why-are-we-talking-about-this stare? Is your answer too often, “Just because?” Today’s challenge is to consider your larger course agenda and how it maps onto student curiosity. More specifically, it is time to identify the metaquestion you hope your course will answer. . . .
Teaching the Bible in General Education—2 of 2Posted on August 20, 2013 by Jane S. WebsterMany educators bemoan the fact that students seek the more secure career paths of sciences and professions, often at the expense of the Humanities. Research shows, however, that many students are interested in Religious Studies, especially for the sake of making personal meaning. As a result, students often take courses in Religious Studies as part of their General Education program, and of these courses, Biblical Studies are the most popular. So how do we approach teaching the Bible in order to meet the needs of the discipline, General Education, and student meaning-making?