At 12:58 PM -0500 11/14/00, Louis_Schmier wrote:
>On Tue, 14 Nov 2000, Paul Brandon wrote:
>
>> At 4:42 PM -0500 11/13/00, Louis_Schmier wrote:
>> >I am struck that such a simple idea as "community," of sharing, seems to
>> >have such a powerful impact and a dramatic effect for so many. I find
>> >that students who feel isolated, or isolate themselves, perform at lower
>> >levels. I find that anything which promotes isolation and perpetuates
>> >loneliness is debilitating. Anything that promotes a sense of intimacy,
>> >connectedness, community can be releasing, exhilarating, and in some cases
>> >healing. I have found that to the extent barriers are broken, bridges are
>> >built,
>> >and community created learning is enhanced.
>> >
>> >Community creates a powerful, supportive, encouraging sense of classroom
>> >support and encouragementwhere the students feel better about coming out
>> >from behind their "walls of lonliness," share who they really are and not
>> >be socially isolated, and risk discovering the extent of their native
>> >learning potential.
>>
>> What kind of data do you collect to support these conclusions?
>> Are they a statement about your students' behavior, or about yours?
>
>Both. Mine, theirs. Data? Let's see. Eight years and about 4,000
>students: journals, transformations, conversations, project
>presentations, small talk, body language, observations, self-evaluations,
>miracles, letters, sometimes totally unscientific but insightful
>"studies."
In other words, a very large quantity of anecdotes.
* PAUL K. BRANDON [EMAIL PROTECTED] *
* Psychology Dept Minnesota State University, Mankato *
* 23 Armstrong Hall, Mankato, MN 56001 ph 507-389-6217 *
* http://www.mankato.msus.edu/dept/psych/welcome.html *
