Building Community
Penny Huynen
Summer 2019
I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the workshops held this summer. I have come to the realization that I have been teaching the same way for a very long time without taking into account how the PSU student has changed in the last 17 years let alone the last five. Being in the Studio Arts I have always practiced many of the concepts presented to us without even realizing. Participating in the CPLC experience has given me the vocabulary to help link the ideas and skills learned in my classroom to the students learning to other aspects of their learning while helping to add to their “toolbox”.
The real work I felt I did this summer was being part of TWP. I have had to step so far out of my comfort zone I felt like throwing in the towel more than once. (I now may have more empathy for students who are struggling). I am not one to give up a fight, so I’m still in the ring and I feel in my TWP class I will be learning right alongside my students. As a Teaching Lecturer there is often very little support and the sink or swim mentality is where you live. I now know there is a place and people that I can reach out to. Who knew?
I am excited to work to create or modify new general education courses that will fit the CP model and that will have the PSU student be a creative being for life.