The Art of Teaching: Oct 19 - Nov 6, 2009

I thought I'd follow along Neil's lead to document some strategies. I mentioned 'conversation memos' in our Elluminate session yesterday. I was introduced to this simple activity in a graduate course with Peter Grimmett at SFU many years ago. It's such a simple idea but really effective.

This strategy:

• connects curriculum with personal lives of students and their communities (authentic)
  
• provides a way to for students to share and discuss issues and interests, and events in their lives
  
• engages students in reflective practice
• encourages shared responsibility for the activity
  
• motivates students to participate -- i.e. it will be your turn next! :-)
  

Process

• 2-3 times (depends on numbers) during the semester each student writes a memo to the rest of the class.
  
• This memo explains a specific teaching dilemma or questions/struggles related to readings and class discussions, etc.
• Bring sufficient copies of the memo to distribute in class
• Each class approx 15 minutes is spent discussing each memo.

Variations:

• Could easily be implemented online
  
• In large classes the memo disucssion could be done in groups