Discussion/Decisions/Ideas Generated by “Innovating the Curriculum”

Discussion/Decisions/Ideas Generated by “Innovating the Curriculum”


Thank you for the thinking and initiative in composing “Innovating the Curriculum.” It is a thoughtful manifestation of student-initiated learning, innovation and the importance of process to Johnston (contrary to Grant/Riesman!)

Thanks as well to Mr. Kramer and Ms. Cornell for serving as our St. John’s tutors.

Here are our recollections of the discussion and determinations. If there are things we didn’t get right, please improve upon our memories.

Decisions/Ideas:
• Joy and Patricia will add framing questions for the reading on the blog.
• We will reproduce 3 copies of texts that are difficult to get hold of and leave them for exchange in the Johnston office.
• Students will meet weekly (Sunday nights) to discuss/reflect on readings. This meeting with result in a weekly shared reflection paper to guide each Monday’s discussion.
• We will meet in the Bekins lounge (let’s check in re: distractions—was it preferable to the classroom even with various people walking in and out of the building and occasionally needing to be let in?) We can also check again to see if the Browsing Room can be made available.
• Joy will check into a visit to Pitzer and find out who to be in touch with for a visit to Deep Springs.
• With regard to writing, there will be two mid-semester papers in addition to a cumulative paper/research project at the end of the semester. The first, due October 25, will be approximately five pages, addressing what we have learned so far and using a framing question, if desired. While we didn’t discuss further dates, Joy and Patricia propose that the second paper be turned in by November 29 so we are prepared for a robust discussion with the Deep Springs president(s) and can take the lead in a public forum to share innovative/distinctive education issues.
• For October 18, Joy will offer a mini-lecture on her chapter on the history of the innovative higher education movement of the sixties and early 1970s. Students will share on or before Sunday, Oct. 17, how they wish to structure the rest of the class (determining which participants will teach the other assigned readings and what else they’d like to explore).
• We will “divide and teach” some readings. For October 25, Mary will read and teach us from Paulo Freire’s “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” and Eli will read and teach us about Prescott College. The rest of the week’s readings will be read by all.
• Students will facilitate class sessions, using different pedagogical styles.
• We will determine facilitation and clarify subject matter for future classes in the next few weeks.





Note: we didn’t discuss directly the learning outcomes; they can serve partly as framing questions and touchstones; Let’s check in about them