Span 390
Overview
The class as a whole expressed enthusiasm for meeting in small groups (in person and online), along with a desire for these meetings to be balanced with full class sessions. The plan, therefore, is to meet on Tuesdays as a full class and Thursdays in small groups. Each small group would meet with me every other Thursday for 30 minutes during class time. When not meeting with me, you will engage in both collaborative and individual work. And, as always, I will have office hours and be available to answer questions over email.
Tuesday Zooms
The Tuesday full-class meetings will be conducted over Zoom. One major advantage of our Tuesday Zooms is that all students—whether remote or on the Domain—will have full access to participating in these sessions. Every Tuesday we will use breakout rooms, building on a structure I have traditionally used in my in-person classes where students have the opportunity to first discuss with classmates in groups of 2-4 before moving to full-class discussion. We will also take advantage of online resources such as Google Docs and shared whiteboards where you can participate in writing as well as speaking during these class sessions. All of the classes will be recorded and posted online, so if you have Wi-Fi troubles, you can go back and watch any parts of the class you missed. I have been taking workshops this summer that have focused on fostering student interactivity in online contexts, and I am looking forward to experimenting with what I am learning.
Thursday Groups
On the survey, there has been very strong enthusiasm for the option to meet in small groups outside! I am hopeful that we can get an outdoor classroom space as I have requested…Given the size of the Domain, I would be very surprised if they cannot find us a small patch of grass somewhere! For those of you who are remote, or would simply prefer (or need) to meet online for any reason, you will always have the option to meet over Zoom. All students meeting in person must wear face coverings and sit six feet apart from each other.
On Thursdays, I will meet with students in groups of five for 30-minute periods during regular class time. This means that each group will meet with me every other week. The weeks that you don’t meet with me, you will have discussion questions to work through in groups of 2-5 on your own, during class time or otherwise. I have visions of students taking physically-distanced hikes while discussing indigenous resistance to oil drilling in the Amazon, but these conversations can happen in whatever context and on whatever platform works best for you. For other assignments, you will have the choice of working individually, in pairs, or in groups of three. My goal is to foster many varied opportunities for you to get to know your classmates, discuss the course material, and practice speaking Spanish.
“Office” Hours
At specified times, I will be available to meet in-person or via Zoom. In-person individual meetings will take place outside, masked, and maintaining at least 6 feet of distance. Please also feel welcome to email me with any questions or ideas you’d like to discuss. I really value this one-on-one time that I have to engage with students and chat in a more relaxed setting.
Final Thoughts (for now…)
The past 4½ months have been hard, for each of us in really different ways. For me, on a personal level, getting to think about our class this fall helps. It’s my belief that as a group, if we’re willing to be creative and experiment a bit, we can build something new and exciting, even if it’s something as small as a Spanish class. I teach Spanish at Sewanee because I want nothing less than to help you build a better world, one built on connection, knowledge, and solidarity. That task feels even more urgent these days. So let’s get started.
Now, and throughout the semester, please let me know if you have any questions, ideas, or things you’d like to discuss. I’m happy to hear about things that other professors have done that have worked well (or not), or any inspirations you may have. I want to learn from your experiences as students and to build this class together.
Span 303
Overview
The class as a whole expressed enthusiasm for meeting in small groups (in person and online), along with a desire for these meetings to be balanced with full class sessions. The plan, therefore, is to meet on Tuesdays as a full class and Thursdays in small groups. Each small group would meet with me every other Thursday for 30 minutes during class time. When not meeting with me, you will engage in both collaborative and individual work. And, as always, I will have office hours and be available to answer questions over email.
Tuesday Zooms
The Tuesday full-class meetings will be conducted over Zoom. One major advantage of our Tuesday Zooms is that all students—whether remote or on the Domain—will have full access to participating in these sessions. Every Tuesday we will use breakout rooms, building on a structure I have traditionally used in my in-person classes where students have the opportunity to first discuss with classmates in groups of 2-4 before moving to full-class discussion. We will also take advantage of online resources such as Google Docs and shared whiteboards where you can participate in writing as well as speaking during these class sessions. All of the classes will be recorded and posted online, so if you have Wi-Fi troubles, you can go back and watch any parts of the class you missed. I have been taking workshops this summer that have focused on fostering student interactivity in online contexts, and I am looking forward to experimenting with what I am learning.
Thursday Groups
On the survey, there has been very strong enthusiasm for the option to meet in small groups outside! I am hopeful that we can get an outdoor classroom space as I have requested…Given the size of the Domain, I would be very surprised if they cannot find us a small patch of grass somewhere! For those of you who are remote, or would simply prefer (or need) to meet online for any reason, you will always have the option to meet over Zoom. All students meeting in person must wear face coverings and sit six feet apart from each other.
On Thursdays, I will meet with students in groups of five for 30-minute periods during regular class time. This means that each group will meet with me every other week. The weeks that you don’t meet with me, you will have discussion questions to work through in groups of 2-5 on your own, during class time or otherwise. I have visions of students taking physically-distanced hikes while discussing Aztec poetry, but these conversations can happen in whatever context and on whatever platform works best for you. For other assignments, you will have the choice of working individually, in pairs, or in groups of three. My goal is to foster many varied opportunities for you to get to know your classmates, discuss the course material, and practice speaking Spanish.
“Office” Hours
At specified times, I will be available to meet in-person or via Zoom. In-person individual meetings will take place outside, masked, and maintaining at least 6 feet of distance. Please also feel welcome to email me with any questions or ideas you’d like to discuss. I really value this one-on-one time that I have to engage with students and chat in a more relaxed setting.
Final Thoughts (for now…)
The past 4½ months have been hard, for each of us in really different ways. For me, on a personal level, getting to think about our class this fall helps. It’s my belief that as a group, if we’re willing to be creative and experiment a bit, we can build something new and exciting, even if it’s something as small as a Spanish class. I teach Spanish at Sewanee because I want nothing less than to help you build a better world, one built on connection, knowledge, and solidarity. That task feels even more urgent these days. So let’s get started.
