Yes. In my case, Intro 101. Trying for a hook...before they freak at
the workload.
Andi
--------------
Every object, every being,
Is a jar of delight.
Be a connoisseur.
~Rumi~
Life is raw material. We are artisans. We can sculpt our existence into
something beautiful, or debase it into ugliness. It's in our hands.
~Cathy Better~
Things which matter most should never be at the mercy of things which
matter least.
~Johann von Goethe~
Dr. Andi Stepnick
Associate Professor and Chair of Sociology
300-C Wheeler Humanities Building
Belmont University
Nashville TN 37212-3757
Direct Line: (615) 460-6249
Office Manager: (615) 460-5505
Sociology Fax: (615) 460-6997
----- Original Message -----
From: GIMENEZ MARTHA E <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 12:19 pm
Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: That time of the year again ...
>
> I start teaching next Monday so it was with great interest that I
> read the
> messages about the first day of classes ... interest and also a
> bit of
> dismay. I would like to know the level of the teaching in which these
> practices are used. Freshman courses?
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Martha
>
> ******************************
>
> On Wed, 17 Aug 2005, Karen Loeb wrote:
>
> >
> > Yeah, you know, I think I got the Merchants idea from you, Andi.
> Oh, when I
> > present the scenario of the high school girl starving herself,
> etc. I get a
> > little dramatic and thrust a recent fashion magazine picked up
> from a
> > doctor's office or (sob!) my daughters, and challenge a (female)
> student to
> > find a model in it that isn't pencil-thin. Then I ask the
> student at the end
> > of the class to show us any non-thin models she found, which, of
> course, she
> > hasn't, but one student a few years ago told the class she
> didn't bother to
> > look because she knew she wouldn't find any. I don't recommend
> giving the
> > fashion magazine to the guys--they just end up ogling the
> scantily clad
> > models--defeats the whole purpose of the exercise.
> >
> > Karen
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Andi Stepnick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Cc: <[email protected]>
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 10:15 AM
> > Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: That time of the year again ...
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks, Karen.
> >
> > You're right about Merchants. It gets under their skin...
> >
> > Andi
> > --------------
> > Every object, every being,
> > Is a jar of delight.
> > Be a connoisseur.
> > ~Rumi~
> >
> > Life is raw material. We are artisans. We can sculpt our
> existence into
> > something beautiful, or debase it into ugliness. It's in our hands.
> > ~Cathy Better~
> >
> > Things which matter most should never be at the mercy of things
> which> matter least.
> > ~Johann von Goethe~
> >
> >
> > Dr. Andi Stepnick
> > Associate Professor and Chair of Sociology
> > 300-C Wheeler Humanities Building
> > Belmont University
> > Nashville TN 37212-3757
> >
> > Direct Line: (615) 460-6249
> > Office Manager: (615) 460-5505
> > Sociology Fax: (615) 460-6997
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Karen Loeb <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Date: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 9:53 am
> > Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: That time of the year again ...
> >
> > > Sure, Andi, no problem; I'm attaching the PPT for the different
> > > scenarios.By the way, I was thinking about the class
> discussion on
> > > obesity (in
> > > contrast to the anorexic girl) and I remember letting the students
> > > make the
> > > connection between obesity and social issues. They came up with
> > > them all,
> > > including, the proliferation of fast food restaurants and children
> > > spendingmore inactive time on computers and watching t.v. I'm the
> > > one who presented
> > > the social class component. And yes, I saw the Tommy Lee reality
> > > show and
> > > thought about showing it to my students for the same reasons you
> > > mentioned.What worked well in this regard, as well, was the PBS
> > > documentary, Merchants
> > > of Cool (which you can get on their website). It worked so
> well in
> > > convincing students of all the subtle ways they are pressured
> by the
> > > advertising industry to buy merchandise. I showed the first half
> > > hour of it
> > > in the beginning of the semester, but students kept bringing
> it up
> > > in their
> > > essays and responses to other articles and concepts.
> > >
> > > Karen
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Andi Stepnick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > Cc: <[email protected]>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 8:54 AM
> > > Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: That time of the year again ...
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Great idea. Any chance you'd share that PPT with us? (No
> pressure.)> >
> > > Brian - We start on the 24th. Oy! I am totally revising my
> > > courses...and still at it.
> > >
> > > I greet students at the door with a handshake, introduction, and
> > > welcome. Later, after going over the syllabus, they write about
> > > how it
> > > made them feel. They also reflect on their goals, what they
> expect> > from me/themselves/others.
> > >
> > > Then, I have them share all of the above.
> > >
> > > I amazed at how many say they felt humanized, excited, cared
> for, etc
> > > by the handshake!
> > >
> > > It's good for students to hear that others have expectations
> for them.
> > >
> > > Normally, I go over the syllabus, but have groups of students
> > > share "the bottom line" about different sections. So, it's not
> > > just me
> > > saying things. Then, we go to the lab and spend half the
> class in
> > > WebCT…doing posts and whatnot.
> > >
> > > However, I've been thinking of scrapping all that--although it
> works> > well. Last night I taped Tommy Lee goes to College.
> (Yes, good lord,
> > > but maybe he can make it cool?) I thought about showing part
> of it
> > > and talking about college…where our ideas come from about what
> college> > is like, what feelings he has that they can relate to.
> > >
> > > For those who didn't see it, Tommy tries out for the band and
> although> > he's a "great rock drummer" can't keep up…he's lost in
> Chem, Hort,
> > > etc. He feels like a loser, needs help, has to work and
> prioritize.> > He seems to want to do well and learn but doesn't
> know how. He
> > > gets a
> > > tutor, but struggles. She has faith in him. But then he
> throws a
> > > partyinstead of studying. But, he does get up, on time, for band
> > > practice.
> > > Those "lessons" (e.g., balance work/fun, faith in self,
> getting help,
> > > staying focused) resonated with me as something useful. We
> have a lot
> > > of music students so it's applicable, too!
> > >
> > > Did anyone see it? Maybe you all can help me maximize using this
> > > show? Ideas? Maybe I'd do a combo of Karen's PPT (maybe 2 cases)
> > > mixed with Tommy Lee. Hmmm…
> > >
> > > Another option is analyzing music…something that's always
> worked for
> > > me. In small groups, then together. Pick anything with a
> > > sociologicaltheme.
> > >
> > > I would add that student's have homework due the next class that
> > > involves going over the syllabus and WebCT page and respond in
> writing> > with questions. They also tell me about goals,
> interests, etc. It's
> > > useful for getting questions out early and giving me a chance
> to give
> > > quick, personalized feedback by week 2.
> > >
> > > Good luck, All!
> > >
> > >
> > > Andi
> > > --------------
> > > Every object, every being,
> > > Is a jar of delight.
> > > Be a connoisseur.
> > > ~Rumi~
> > >
> > > Life is raw material. We are artisans. We can sculpt our existence
> > > intosomething beautiful, or debase it into ugliness. It's in our
> > > hands. ~Cathy Better~
> > >
> > > Things which matter most should never be at the mercy of
> things which
> > > matter least.
> > > ~Johann von Goethe~
> > >
> > >
> > > Dr. Andi Stepnick
> > > Associate Professor and Chair of Sociology
> > > 300-C Wheeler Humanities Building
> > > Belmont University
> > > Nashville TN 37212-3757
> > >
> > > Direct Line: (615) 460-6249
> > > Office Manager: (615) 460-5505
> > > Sociology Fax: (615) 460-6997
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Karen Loeb <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > Date: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 8:35 am
> > > Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: That time of the year again ...
> > >
> > > > Hi Brian,
> > > >
> > > > On the first day of class, I distribute the syllabus but I don't
> > > > go over it until the second time the class meets. Instead, I
> tell> > > students, since they probably don't have a good idea of what
> > > > sociology is by way of introduction, I present (on a powerpoint)
> > > > four individuals experiencing "personal troubles," i.e., a high
> > > > school student starving herself in order to be thin and
> > > > attractive; a person who loses their job and eventually becomes
> > > > homeless; a man who commits suicide after losing a job and
> then I
> > > > make the connection between these individuals' problems and
> > > > "public issues." Last year one of my students brought up the
> > > > phenomena of obesity being a problem in America (in contrast to
> > > > the anorexic girl) and we had a wonderful discussion about how
> > > > obesity is often a function of social class (NPR did a wonderful
> > > > series on this last year). This introduction has worked really
> > > > well for me.
> > > >
> > > > Karen
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: Brian Webb
> > > > To: [email protected]
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 8:06 AM
> > > > Subject: TEACHSOC: That time of the year again ...
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Good Morning -
> > > >
> > > > Believe it or not, our term opens next Tuesday, August 23rd.
> > > > And as usual, I am giving some thought to things I might do
> or say
> > > > in those first couple of classes that will grab the students'
> > > > attention and open their eyes to the facination of this "special
> > > > kind of passion" known as sociology. One thing I have
> learned is
> > > > that those first few classes are crucial and can and often
> do 'set
> > > > the tone' for the rest of the semester. A word about my
> > > audience -
> > > > I teach in a private Québec CEGEP with 1700 students. This
> is a
> > > > level of education after the end of High School, but before
> > > > university. All students go through the CEGEPs en route to
> > > > university. Our students are 16 - 18 years old, highly
> motivated,> > > middle to upper class, urban, well travelled,
> multilingual and
> > > > multicultural. Any suggestions for things that you have found
> > > > particularly effective for 'opening day'? And one more
> thing -
> > > > are there any other folks out there who are starting before
> Labour> > > Day? Misery likes company ...
> > > >
> > > > Brian Webb
> > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
