In Front of the Class

For the past two weeks, I've been in class. But unlike the past 10 years as I slowly pecked away at getting my Master's Degree, this time was different. I'm in front of the class . . .in the role of instructor.

I am teaching a class called Threshold Seminar, which is is a learning strategies/study skills class designed for first semester freshmen. More specifically, it's designed for students that are coming in underprepared and need some extra help. This past summer, myself and several other staff were recruited to teach the class. In the past, the class was taught by part-time instructors who taught the class, then left. The idea was now to use full-time employees to teach the class, thus fostering a better connection between student and instructor.

Beginning in early May, we all went to workshops led by Dr. Randy Isaacson, Education instructor extraordinaire, to learn the ropes on teaching the class. A great deal of the time spent in the summer was learning about the new generation of student, known as "millenials" and how they differ from past generations, such as baby boomers and my own, which is "generation x." They think different, learn different, and have different expecations coming in.

It has been both rewarding and a little nerve-wracking teaching thus far. I have a class of 20, ranging from students right out of high school, to those that are older and returning to school after being in the "real world" for a while. At times I'm not sure if they are getting anything I'm telling them, and at other times they've been very responsive. It'll get easier as I go, and I'm looking forward to connecting even more to these students as the semester progresses. They are a great group, and my role is to see them succeed not only this semester, but to lay the foundation that ensures their future success in college. A lot of responsibility there, but it's a challenge I'm glad I took up.