The best learners ... often make the worst teachers.  They are, in a very real sense, perceptually challenged.  They cannot imagine what it must be like to struggle to learn something that comes so naturally to them.

- Stephen Brookfield

How a Newcomer Experiences Classes in Your Discipline

One option for your Practical Teaching Project is to pair up with a classmate from a different discipline and help each other see how a newcomer experiences your field. 

The idea is to attend 1-2 introductory-level classes in your partner’s discipline, and then share, via email or in person, what the experience was like -- the “newcomer” noting things that intrigued, puzzled, or confused them -- with the goal of helping the “expert” gain the perspective of an introductory student in the discipline. Your partner will do the same thing, visiting classes in your discipline and recounting what the experience was like.  Note:  You don’t need to attend classes together, although it may be helpful to do so.

For the one-page write-up, we will ask you to reflect on:

1. What you did (what classes you attended)

2. What you learned from both parts of the experience:

• What was it like to be the “newcomer” student in an unfamiliar discipline, and how might this experience impact your own teaching?
• What did you learn from the reactions and questions raised by a “newcomer” to your field, and how might this part of the experience impact your teaching?

3. What you would recommend to future students who might like to do something similar.

If you are interested in doing this kind of project, but don't know another student in the class who is interested in joining you, contact Jessica or Wayne and we will help you identify a partner.

206.543.6588 (phone)
206.685.1213 (fax)
email: cidr@u.washington.edu
web: http://depts.washington.edu/cidrweb/