1. Please comment on the tone of the first meeting. Did you feel welcome in the virtual seminar? Any thoughts about how you were asked to introduce yourself using some of the source reading?
2. Please share a concept, idea or feeling that resonated with you, either from: 1) The New College Classroom discussion, 2) Rebecca Mazumdar’s presentation, 3) George Larkin’s presentation or 4) Patricia Hickey’s presentation.
Comments are welcome and will be shared.
Attending today’s seminar was a refreshing and reassuring experience. It was wonderful to be back in a room with such a diverse group of faculty from across the college campus. The content provided met my expectations and struck a balance between familiarity and novelty. Having participated in this program years ago, revisiting the material felt comforting, yet it also carried a fresh perspective that kept it engaging.
While I appreciated the session’s structure, I found myself wishing for more time to connect with others and delve deeper into the shared challenges we all face in our roles. That said, I’m confident that the days ahead will offer more opportunities for meaningful conversations and collaboration.
In terms of the content shared during the seminar, the most revelatory part for me was the presentation on the pedagogy of civic engagement—specifically the “discomfort zone” exercise. The prompt, “How is an astronaut like a clothes hanger?” completely stumped me. I found myself stuck, viewing the question solely in terms of the physical properties of these objects. However, hearing other groups’ connections—based on the functions, spaces they inhabit, or purposes they serve—completely shifted my perspective. It reminded me of a story I had heard about how many Native American languages describe objects in terms of their actions or states. For instance, in English, we might say, “There is a red ball,” whether stationary or moving. In contrast, native languages might describe it as “moving or standing” emphasizing its state or action. This broader lens was eye-opening and encouraged me to approach prompts and problems with a more dynamic, function-oriented mindset.
Another aspect that struck me was the shared recognition among participants of the challenges we face as educators, particularly the lasting impacts of COVID on student learning. While these challenges are daunting, it was somewhat reassuring to see how universally we are grappling with them and searching for solutions, even without a clear path forward.
Overall, today’s session was both thought-provoking and affirming, and I look forward to deepening these discussions in the coming days.
Today was invigorating – from the introductions to our last speaker. Your enthusiasm to learn about General Education and ways to incorporate it into your teaching was inspiring. The energy from you and our presenters was palpable. I am always amazed how many ideas to enhance teaching and learning we get from each other when we are in a room together.
Today’s ideas came in many forms, from the bonding experience of students walking the Brooklyn Bridge or the practical one of students completing the Title IX training together in the classroom, shared by Patricia; or George’s reminders to “be clear on the why” and to “dig deeper” into a subject. Rebecca’s “good news” technique was fun and made me think that I can create more opportunities for “playful disruption” in my classroom. Mary-Ann’s career success presentation aligns with Gen Ed, as the goals of both initiatives foster professional success and stronger communities. I am looking forward to being with you tomorrow.
I am thrilled to participate in the General Education seminar and appreciate the opportunity to learn from other faculty members. The New College Classroom reading covered so much; it was a challenge to pick one quote or theory to incorporate into the introduction. I enjoyed hearing everyone’s quotes and why they chose them.
From the start of the pre-requisite readings until the end of the day, I found myself writing nuggets of information. As a new teacher, I am eager to engage meaningfully with the students and explore all the ways to support their success. It’s nice to know I’m not alone in getting students to ask for help or encourage them to speak up. Moving forward, I will be adding student resources to all of my syllabi.
In the New College Classroom:
Civic Engagement:
George Larkin
Place-Based Learning
Professional Development Center
Thank you Prof. Effrat and Cantagallo for your beautiful reflections and feedback.
I too have been moved by The New College Classroom, each of our speakers and our collective discussion.
I appreciate the thoughtfulness that all came into the seminar with and look forward to more opportunities to work through ideas, connect and ultimately slow down, rinse and repeat as Prof. Larkins encouraged, in the coming days.