Ideas for making an inner city poetry classroom relaxing, creative, artistic retreat?
Classes start today. I've been teaching this class that I created for years, and it's time for some changes (new strategies, new textbooks and materials, and a new course outline or syllabus). Students have told me that our poetry class is the one place in our college where they are safe to relax, express themselves, and be themselves. This is true for me too as the instructor.
I'm thinking of adding the following: music playing as students enter the classroom, non-religious meditation or visualization exercises to help them relax and open to their creativity, and time set aside for reflective journaling at the end of class
This is a technical college in a large urban city (NYC). The students come from many different cultural backgrounds. The students who take this class usu. think outside the box but come to class on the first day wondering what the heck they are doing there. Many are writing phobic. Some have anger management problems.
Ideas?
Sindy is right about the aroma sense.... How about soft lighting ? We used to use this in our mind control classes which I headed. The reason for this lighting was to make the newcomers feel less shy and more welcomed.
The comments we had from most of our group was the low lighting which made them feel more at ease, less visible to others.
I would suggest to pick each student and ask them what they expect from this class, or what they would like to see or not like to see.
After a few days of getting everybody's opinion, I woudl then go fro there. maybe they can each bring something that is appropriate for the class.
Lec 2 | MIT 16.885J Aircraft Systems Engineering, Fall 2005
technical writing course syllabus
technical writing course syllabus
