So every juniorprof has a moment (or two or three) where the classroom encounter fails to produce that rosy meeting of the minds. The realities of being stared at for an hour or more crash into the misty-eyed expectations of erudite conversation and we look woefully out at the questioning (or sleeping) faces of our young audiences. On the one hand, this experience means that we will all have a fondness for Kafka. On the other hand, those of us whose graduate schools failed to include an acting class need simpler approaches to the all-important: How to Win Back the Class.
Some Strategies for Winning Back the Class (which need some work, please share!)
1. Bring Cookies
2. Group Work
3. Invent Stand-up Routines
4. Make liberal use of Youtube clips
5. Reference Family Guy or The Office
6. Read Books entitled "Conversation Starters"
7. Practice Public Self-Disclosure
8. Invite Public Self-Disclosure
9. Revisit the Big Questions
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Ask them what they think about some current event or pop culture phenomenon, then use rhetoric to convince them that said topic is relevant to the class. Students like giving their opinions on things they're familiar with, which (unfortunately) is not usually the assigned reading.
ReplyDeleteExamples:
"So, what did you think of American Idol last night? [answers here] Speaking of democracy in action...."
"So, did you hear about Britney Spears? [answers here] Speaking of gender roles in America...
Etc.
Does that require us to watch American Idol?
ReplyDeleteThink of it as an excuse to watch American Idol. You know you want to.
ReplyDelete