Looking Back, Looking Forward

This morning, my students take the final in Old Testament.  On Wednesday, the New Testament class will get their turn.  I’ve really enjoyed my first semester of teaching at Amarillo College.  And I think it’s going to get better.

Putting together the finals for these survey courses took me back to some of the questions I started with:  What is it that students should get from these classes?  And, what’s this all about anyway?

Sure, I want to know more about strategies for teaching well.  I’m all for good form.  But even more, I want to clarify what it is I think I’m trying to do and why?

My experience says that those sorts of questions can be taken up before and/or after a semester, but not during.  That’s because the pressure of week-to-week teaching doesn’t leave much room for exploring your philosophy of education, not to mention that objectives really should be established before you start.  So now that I’m in between, it’s time to get busy.

This summer, I’ll get to probe some of those questions and do some of those things.  And even though I have plenty to keep me occupied already, I’d be glad to hear about more.  So if you’ve come across a book or a website or an event or something else you know I should know about, please comment.  

I’ve heard great things about Palmer’s book on “The Courage to Teach.”  At a community college in Connecticut where I had an adjunct gig, most of the full-time faculty were reading and discussing that one.  It’s on my list.

Oh, and then there’s the question of content.  That is, do I have something to teach?  That one’s also going to take up part of my summer because in the coming fall I will officially lose my new-guy status and will teach a full load, including “Life of Paul” and “World Religions.”  

The text books for those classes have already been selected and ordered.  Right now, I’m focused on reading as much as I can.  For “World Religions” I’m also putting together a schedule of guests, devotees of the various religions we’ll explore. Send word if you want.  For now, I’m praying:

Dear Lord, thank you for the joy of learning and for the pleasure of teaching.  Thank you for words and for the wonder they describe.  Thank you for others who have searched and who search with me.  

God, help me to become, more and more, the teacher you want me to be.  For times when my subject was rich but my portrayal of it was poor, please forgive.   I give thanks to you and ask for your grace in the name of Christ, Amen.