Building Community
Jessie Chapman
Summer 2019
Yes! And…
I revel all of the connections I have made in the CPLC to other beacons of light at Plymouth State University. Before the CPLC I never formally studied learning or pedagogy but was relieved to find that many of the model learning facets that were explored are inherent in the teaching and creating I engage in through the theatre program. The CPLC gave me words and resources to articulate ideas about learning I already knew in my practice to be effective. I learned a lot of the social science behind the ways that I am already teaching that have fostered an empowerment in my confidence as an instructor. The experience so far has been incredibly valuable to me and I am looking forward to witnessing the shift and growth I believe this thoughtful practice will illuminate in the PSU student community.
Some Key takeaways:
- Connecting with other faculty/staff/administrators who care deeply about students, learning and the student experience
- Expanded network outside my program & cluster—which will help me to be a part of the future vision of the University, particularly in regards to interdisciplinarity
- A lot of new information, resources and approaches (to me) on education
- A lot of discovering I am already doing the work the CPLC encourages—but I could be doing more to connect the learning happening in and outside of my classroom with the bigger picture of student learning at PSU
This is how I hope my work with the CPLC will inform my upcoming year at the University:
- I strive to be more intentional about the project based learning done in my courses, so that the students can identify they are engaging in project based learning and assess the growth of their skills
- I also strive to be more intentional about identifying and articulating the ‘Habits of Mind’ that are used daily in the courses I teach
- I hope to feel more included as a part of the faculty community (somewhere where I often feel I don’t belong as an adjunct)
- I hope to remain curios and keep engaged on topics, trends and developments in the field of learning and pedagogy
- I am currently ‘radicalizing’ my syllabi to make them living breathing documents that will necessitate student input
Always -Jessie Chapman