Day 2

Thursday's class was a really good one. The few students who seemed hesitant about the course deicded to stay on and were really well prepared for the discussion. Justin Levy of conscious alliance (www.consciousalliance.org) came and spoke to the class about what service learning entails. We left the class with an assignment of definition in which the students had to find and create definitions to words germane to hunger studies. This week will be a defining week. We will sign-up for community partners and begin our first major assignment. We'll see how it goes!

NM

First Day Finished

Well,

As with most things in life, the first day was good, but it could have been better. I sent out an email over the summer warning students of the intense nature of the course. However, I still had two students rather taken aback. I don't know if they will drop the course or stay. Also, my roster says I have full-enrollment but only 15 of 20 showed: EEEEEK! I really need more than 15 students to do all the work I hope to do.

On the upside, many of the students seem excited. A few have worked with some of our community partners in the past. I think as a group we can do this. We will find more out when we hold our first discussion on 8/27.

NM

First Day Jitters

Alright,

I wrote the syllabus, and it looks like everything I want to cover will fit into the semester. I still have one community partner on the fence. This is scary because I may have to lean a little on my main partner if the other backs out. I would rather not do this.

I think the course should be interesting, but I am still really concerned about over-working the students and receiving poor output on all assignments because they are spread too thin.

Neal

Ready or Not Rubber... Here Comes the Road

Wow,

Everything still feels really ephemeral. I have 3-4 community partners (still waiting on one to confirm their involvement). I even have an assignment for two of the partners, but I feel as though the course is still very fuzzy in my head: more so than any other course I have taught for the first time. I think everything should work, but I feel that there exist potholes I cannot see. I also feel as though I may be asking too much of the students, but I really want this course to matter educationally and socially. It seems that to do this I have to nearly double the workload. Anyway, I am simply posting that I am nervous. Syllabus is just about done, but that doesn't make me feel any better. We'll see how day one in the course goes!

Neal

Test Post

Hello all,

I will be using this blog to post reflections about teaching my first service learning cours, Hunger in America and Abroad. Hopefully it will lead me to better understand the pitfalls and successes of such education.

Neal