ERIC ED337234: Center Stage: A Platform for the Discussion of Teaching/Learning Ideas. Volume 1, Numbers 1-8, 1990-91.

59 Pages·1991·5.5 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 337 234 JC 910 479
AUTHOR
O'Beron, Paul, Ed.
TITLE
Center Stage: A Platform for the Discussion of
Teaching/Learning Ideas. Volume 1, Numbers 1-8,
1990-91.
Broome Community Coll., Binghamton, NY.
INSTITUTION
PUB DATE
91
NOTE
59p.
PUB TYPE
Collected Works - Serials (022)
JOURNAL CIT Center Stage; vl nl-B 1990-91
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
*Classroom Techniques; *College Faculty; *College
Instruction; Community Colleges; *Teacher
Effectiveness; *Teaching Methods; Teaching Styles;
Two Year Colleges
ABSTRACT
Designed to provide a forum for the presentation and
discussion of effective teaching methods, ideas, and experiences of
the the faculty at Broome Community College (BCC) in New York, the
first volume of "Center Stage" includes the following articles: (1)
"Teaching Resources Center Update"; (2) "Self-Reflectiveness in
Teaching"; (3) "New Faculty Orientation"; (4) "Faculty Rights and
Responsibilities"; (5) "Paddleball at BCC"; (6) "Lecturing Well"; (7)
"Moral Reasoning"; (8) the journal entries of a new teacher; (9) "The
Bio-Bargain," explaining an exam strategy based on individual, oral
review of exam results for score improvement; (10) "Developing My
Metaphor"; (11) "Eleven Commandments for Teachers"; (12) essays by
seven faculty members on their personal testing philosophies; (13)
"BCC's New Teaching Resources Center"; (14) "The Freshman Experience:
BCC's College 101"; (15) "Teaching the Developmental Student"; (16)
advice fOr faculty on "The First Day" (17) "The Bio-Phone," which
suggests ways to encourage students to call their teachers; (18)
"Tips to Adjunct Faculty"; (19) "Doing a Course Outline"; (20)
excerpts from "147 Practical Tips for Teaching Professors"; (21)
essays by students and faculty on what makes a good teacher; (22)
essays by eleven faculty and staff on formal and informal student
advising approaches and strategies; (23) excerpts from "Total Quality
Management in the Classroom"; (24) essays by five professors on the
one course each thinks students should have before graduation; (25)
"Improving Teaching and Learning: BCC's Interrelated Activities";
"The First Steps of Success"; (27) "The College Experience," a
(2,:,)
freshman seminar; (28) "The Skill of Teaching: A Bibliography"; and
(29) "Summer Reading." (PAA)
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
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Center Stage:
A Platform for the Discussiot. of Teaching/Learning ideas
1, Numbers 1-8, 1990-91
Volume
CIZ
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Paul O'Heron
Editor
Broome Commumity College
Binghamton
New York
u S DIPARTmEler oc EDUCAriON
of1/4-oi Ertoralmeel Rteeittfn And 1MProvement
**PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE U4IS
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
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P. O'Heron
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TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
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INFORMATION CENTER &RIC)
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
October 15, 1990
Volume 1 Munber I
Teaching
Self-Reflectiveness in
Update
Teaching Resources Center
Bryan K. Blanchard
Paul CY Hann
adapted fror in introductior
[The following essay is
along steadily. Com-
The idea of a TRC is moving
24, 1990.)
Otientation held on August
to the New Faculty
faculty, are working on
mune members, as well as several
In the meanwhile, to "jump
its design and implementation
Neil Postman, ordinarily a
Some twenty years ago
performing tasks that the
start" the TRC, several faculty are
took to task one
of classroom activities,
canny observer
TRC will later assume.
School Com-
member of the Boston
William O'Connor, a
of
O'Connor offered in defense
mittee, for a remark Mr.
design of a survey of
Beth Scott has completed the
"We have ao inferior educa-
Boston's educational system:
would be willing to share
available resources that faculty
lately is an
What we have been getting
tion in our schools.
in the mail in the near
with the TRC. Watch for the survey
inferior type of student."
future.
this to be semantic ronsense
Mr. Postman judged
and deparunent chair-
Dick Stoner is contacting deans
education had
that the quality of
because he assumed
how each division and department can
persons to find out
thought
of students. Indeed,
nothing to do with the quality
help.
analogous to the feeble
Mr. Postman, the remark was
"Our
with a fall-off in business:
defense of a tailor faced
successful new fac-
Jim Gormley coordinated a very
"What we
fine," the tailor might say,
pant lengths are just
that up by coordinating a new
ulty orientation, and followed
short people."
have been getting is too many
faculty mentor program.
major role in
students do play a
...
requirements for
Tom Rossi is working on the space
the classroom process.
the refurbishing of the TRC's
the center and aordinating
the second floor of the library.
temporary location on
book, Mr- Postman publicly
Years later, in another
Spickard are drafting the
Alice McNeely and Lynda
decided
because he eventually
apologized to Mr. O'Connor
TRC staff posifions, and designing
job specifications for the
process.
mejor role in the classroom
that students do play a
because the
the quality of teaching
In effect, they influence
(continued on page 5)
and an
intoaclion, a two-way street,
prxess is actually an
responsi-
both partits to certain
exchange which obligates
moment
it is worth reflecting for a
bilities. In this context,
of teach-
strategies and techniques
before you consider the
page 1
students.
Self-Reflectivness in Teaching
of your efforts, your
ing on the beneficiaries
Bryan K. Blanchard
the
who even join us and
Competent observers - some
page 3
the
living rooms - tell us that
Faculty Rights and Rekponsibilities
network anchors in our very
in a world of
Summarized by Margaret Deys
of students was brought up
current generation
non-lineal visual imagery.
instantaneous, non-historical,
page 1
assertion are
Teaching Resources Center Update
The implications of this
They may be right.
Paddleball at BCC page 5
several:
Paul O'Heron
--
which differ
have perspectives
1. Your students may
2
New Faculty Orientation Report -- page
radically from yours.
Gormley
be greatly abbreviated.
-- Jim
2. Their attention spans may
influencing them may have to
3. Your attempts at
6
Aside : Lecturing Well -- page
(continued on page 2)
Kenneth Eble
--
3
New Faculty Orientation
Self-Reflectiveness (from page 1)
Jim Gormley
compete with their conception of bow media personanties
deliver information. It's you versus Torn Brokaw.
On Thursday afternoon, August 24, 1990, before the
fall semester's classes began, a number of seasoned faculty
Imagine for a moment a student whose thinking is
gathered in the Learning Resources Center to present an
channeled in entirely predictable ways by terms such as
orientation program to this year's group of new faculty. Drs.
liberalism, conservatism, free enterprise, communism, ter-
Dellow and Blanchard kicked off the orientation with some
rorism, morality. Inasmuch as great effort has been spent in
inspiring words, then withdrew to let the heavy hitters take
attempts at conditioning standard responses to such terms,
over.
finding a student who responds in expected ways should not
be at all surprising.
The veterans spoke on a number of topics designed to
introduce the new faculty to the campus and to ease them
So what, you might say, would be the problem?
into the first few days of classes. Presenters included:
Besides the obvious communications difficulties which this
Margherita Rossi and Rachel Hinton (What It's Like To Be
stimulus-response situation implies, there is another, deeper
A New Faculty Member), Mike Costello (A Slide Show Of
problem: This student is living under the direction of other
Prominent Campus People And Sights), Karen Goodman
people's ideas. Such terms have become so clouded that
and Howie Herzog (How To Compose Tests), Joanne Maniago
they actually mask the truth fee all but the most intrepid truth
(How To Write A Syllabus), Debbie Spanfelner (How To
seekers. Thus the terms themselves have become barriers to
Incorporate The Library Into Your Classes), Jim Gormley
understanding, barriers to learning and to freedom. As
How To Deal With Problem Students), Fran Bauisti (What
Francis Bacon put it almost four centuries ago,"There arises
To Do On The First Day Of Class), Steve Node (What is the
from a bad or inapt formation of words a wonderful obstruc-
Learning Skills Center?), Margaret Days (How to Incorpo-
tion to the mind".
rate Writing Into Your Class), and Paul O'Heron (The
Teaching Center).
Self-reflectiveness about teaching
Representatives of the Faculty Association filled the
and learning is not strongly encouraged
newcomers in on contractual matters. Greta Wingate and Ed
in American academic culture.
Dougherty spoke on the evaluation system and Duane
Whittaker spoke on the benefits of membership.
You must confront such students and, through interac-
tion, seek to be influential. In what ways will you choose to
At 5:00 p.m. all repaired to Hatters for music, food
do it? All of us answer this question either consciously or
and the camaraderie of many other faculty members and ad-
unconsciously by the classroom practices and teaching
MilliStratOrs. All in all not a bad way to begin a new
strategies we adopt. Recognition of the role students play -
semester.
here a message delivered by Postman - is a good beginning.
But as we make our choices, it is essential that we be
The first major group to offer a mathematical
mindful of all of the major elements of the process: 1)
plan of nature was the Pythagoreans, a school led by
ourselves as teachers and our methods, 2) our students as
Pythagoras (c.585-c.500B.C.) and rooted in southern
unique individuals together with their learning capacities
Kline, Morris. Mathematics, the Loss of
Italy.
and strategies, and 3) the interaction we initiate and guide.
Certainty. Oxford University Press, 1980.
Considering all these elements in light of observed out-
teaching.
comes is what I term self-reflectiveness in
James Hutton (1726-1797), a Scottish physician
and gentleman farmer, is often called the father of
Self-reflectiveners about teaching and learning is not
modern Geology. He published 'Theory of the Earth"
strongly encouraged in American academic culture. This is
circa 1785. Tarbuck, Edward and Lutgens, Freder-
puzzling because most of us are highly self-conscious of the
ick. The Earth, an Intorduction to Physical Geology.
methods used in our own disciplines. In fact, if you listen to
Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co., 1984.
academics debate their issues, most of the talk centers not on
fmdings of fact but on the methods used to produce the facts
A recent national poll shows that 52% of Ameri-
and on the relationships between conclusions and observa-
cans believe our schools do an adequate job teaching
tions. This contrasts sharply with the situation where in
basic facts and skills, but only 39% are satisfied with
their teaching faculty focus mainly on communicating facts
their results in welling students to think and reason.
found by others, and hardly anyone studies the process,
Magnet). Robert 147 practical tips for teaching
professors. Magna Pubfic...tions, Inc., 1989.
(continued on page 4)
4
2
COLLEGE PRACTICES
Faculty Rights and Responsibilities
Robert Klingensmith
actions that occur
Practices are the fill in the blank
Summarize4 by Margaret Days
issues not spelled out in the contract.
over time and cover
expected student conduct.
The student handbook spells out
In response to questions about faculty rights and
Theoretically,
of practice.
This can be built in as part
responsibilities, the BCC Faculty Association in conjunc-
following through on some-
faculty can't be disciplined for
Klingens-
tion with the BCC Administration, invited Robert
If administration doesn't
thing that is expected practice.
of
mith, NYEA Legal Counsel, to the first faculty meeting
practices, a complaint can
follow through with spelled out
there are
the semester. Mr. Klingensmith emphasized that
them follow through. Practical
be filed with PERB to make
faculty
often no clear answers to these questions: however,
and ward them off ahead of
advise is to foresee problems
contractual negotiations.
can protect themselves through
shifting the decision making
time through negotiations and
the issues
The entire meeting was videotaped and some of
Board of Trustees.
problems to the administration or
addressed are excerpted below:
LIABILITY
LAWS AND CONTRACTS
students are difficult to
Questions about liability to
Instead
Faculty do not have a contract with students.
circumstances.
lot on the individual
answer and depend a
law and the
their rights and responsibilities are defined by
is to test through the courts.
Often the only way to find out
employer. Even though the
contract with the college, their
obligated to physically
It seems clear that faculty are not
between the
college catalog may be interpreted as a contract
acting in loco paremis, as
protect students and are not
impact faculty.
student and the college, this does not legally
If a faculty mem-
elementary and secondary teachers are.
between
The course outline is also not considered a contmct
between students, the employer
ber physically intervened
the
instructor and student but is more a statement of how
be sued for libel and
could be held liable. Faculty can sue or
for keeping
services are to be delivered. It can be a tool
needs to be couched or used
slander. Certain terminology
class-
classroom expectations regarding attendance and
in order to be safe. Faculty
only in professional contexts
students and warding off
room decorum up front for the
file
criminal charges against students or
can always file
form at
problems. Some faculty even have students sign a
procedures are the same as for
civil suits. However, these
knowledge
the beginning of the semester, declaring their
and costly. In
and are time-consuming
any other citizen
individual
about classroom expectations. This is up to the
obligations. instructors probably do not
terms of classroom
threats
instructm. In issues involving dangemus students or
teach classes with disruptive
have the tight to refuse to
faculty are advised to
to the integrity of academic processes,
leave and call security for
students, but do have the right to
through contractual nego-
prevent problems from occurring
individuals who may
assistance in removing dangerous
"teacher
tiations. Society has changed its orientation from a
internships is also unclear.
refuse to leave. Liability of the
orientation where the
is always right" stand to a consumer
form for
that she uses a field trip
Jo Anne Maniago added
the
"customer (student) is always right." This has changed
by the county insurance
students who will be covered
expectations of both faculty and students. Faculty cannot
referred to this as a mecha-
policy and Mr. Klingensmith
concerning nonacademic
use grades as a power weapon
be used by others.
nism already in place that could
procedure.
matters. A student's redress is the grievance
HARASSMENT
DISCRIMINATION AND
PERB
CHARGES
mediates
The Public Employment Relations Board
complaints about
Faculty rights regarding student
PERS
discrepancies between faculty and the college.
harassment are also unclear
racial discrimination or sexual
those
defines what conuacts address: mandatory topics.
whether
issues. Questions about
but may be negotiable
those that
that must be addressed, and nonmandatory topics,
of complaints or any paper-
faculty must be made aware
in die contract. Non-
may be but don't have to be addressed
need to be explored.
work regarding these complaints
safety,
mandatory iopics could include issues of classroom
this under the law and non-
Faculty have no rights regarding
integrity.
student discipline and maintenance of academic
less protection than tenured
tenured faculty generally have
relation-
However, these issues must clearly arise from the
if the administration takes
under the contract. However,
example, if the
ship between the college and faculty. For
be made aware of the
disciplinary action, faculty must
this includes
mission of the college is open admissions, and
faculty have the right to
charge. According to the contract,
dangerous students in the classroom, then safety measures
inspect their personnel files.
are negotiable issues.
interpret it
Paul. You just have to
is the best evidence there is,
Ferry Mason turned. "Circumstantial evidence
the Queenly Contestant
properly." -- Erie Stanley Gardner, The Case of
3
dons.
Self-Relectiveness (from page 2)
For starters, you might begin self-reflection by
considering metaphors' because whether we ... are aware of
much less draws conclusions based on systematic observa-
their influence or not, they often affect how we think of our-
tion.
What is your
selves as teachers and how we treat students.
rwtaphorical conception of the human mind and does it
AU of us get caught up in the teaching process. and
is a dark
affect your teaching? Do you believe the mind
when we do, it is very difficult to step aside of it and examine
vessel (to be filled), a muscle (to
what is happening. Too, self-reflectiveness is discouraged
cavern (to be lit), an empty
machines which
be exercised)? Is it a clock similar to the
by a host of traditions, understandings, and habits:
Is the mind a computer (to be
once modeled the universe?
of stu-
clay (to
programmed)? A garden (to be tended)? A lun p of
our reliance on authority in our treatment
learn? And what
be molded)? Do people learn the way rats
dents.
Armies?
the amount of material we feel we must cover or
metaphors do you apply to schools? Prisons?
the home or
Hospitals? Courts? Churches? Extensions of
which others say we must cover.
these meta-
the ritualized ways in which schools operate or in
family? Fraternities and sororities? Each of
visible in the
phors has its implications and often they are
which we believe they must operate.
daughters. as troops, as
the tendency of teachers like all professionals to
treaunent of students as sons or
who are
inmates, as patients. There really are teachers
mystify what they do.
of students, or
*the deep dependency of students who do not want to
toughening up students, making smivors
and who do not
helping students find some son of salvation.
assume responsibility for their own learning
want to challenge our authority.
identi-
which give the
But self-reflectiveness only begins with the
sour development of testing methods
analysis de-
student
fication of metaphors. As noted, productive
appearance of student learning and which cover up
elements of the
pends on clear reeognition of each of the
deficiencies.
of the meaning of the rich
sthe reluctance of either of the parties to the teaching-
process and full appreciation
also presup-
interaction between teacher and students. It
learning process to admit ignorance.
question their own roles and to
learning theo-
our acceptance of over-generalized
poses faculty willingness to
Indeed,
the process.
seek information on the results of
ries and our habit of taking them at face value.
evidence on
sour own reluctance to question ourselves or to ques-
whetting further the professoriate's appetite for
challenge of
tion the methods once used on us or now used by our
its effectiveness ought to be the primary
professional development.
everyone concerned with
colleagues.
The list could actually be made much longer than
contrib-
We need to be conscious of what
what is suggested hem. And it is complicated still further by
teaching and learning.
utes to effeciive
the fashion among faculty to disdain discussion of methods
nmm.1.
and grade school
=1.11M1011.
as topics suitable only to educationists
educa-
tea:ters. Unfortunately, all this leaves the contemporary
What is really needed in American higher
ethic - congruent
only
college teacher quite alone whh his situation, with the
tion is a new ethic - or perhaps a renewed
national life and
real hope being that as solitary actors we can all become
with recent emphases in other areas of our
service to students.
effective critics of our approaches and that we can teach
based on our deep desire to be of utmost
effective
We need to be conscious of what contributes to
ourselves how to teach.
constantly test our
teaching and learning, and we need to
In this way,
understandings against the results of our efforts.
The good news is that I think we can. Once we have
national Excel-
examine the elements
colleges and universities may enlist in the
a useful model in mind, we can
W. Edwards
lence Movement begun by visionaries such as
individually and assess their relative contributions to the
the quality of the
results, that is to how well students learn. The model which
Deming and strive to constantly improve
john Dewey
service they provide. Almost a century ago.
relates teachers and methods to students and their capaci-
"action resarch."
issued this same call under the rubric
ties, through interaction, while quite simplistic and open to
K. Patricia Cross and
of improv-
Today, his message is being echoed by
numerous criticisms, is still sufficient to the task
research". I believe Our
ing indiv dual teaching efforts. It gives us a place to start
her encouragement of "classroom
and be energized by IL
and the means for integrating our ideas and our observe-
campus should heed the call
that teachers
The idea of classroom research is not
and produce a
will all become educational researchers
suggesting this
; Again, am indebted to Neil Postman for
teaching. No one
mammoth new literature on effective
approach and providing these examples. It is his opinion
aim is not so grandi-
would rule that out, of course, but the
that, "In a fundamental sense, all arguments about how
educaunn ought to be conducted are arguments about the
(continued on page 5)
validity of competing metaphors."
4111
4
f;
How can I get the kind of feedback about my
Self-Reflectiveness (from page 4)
teaching that will help me grow and develop as a teacher?
ose. Rather, the idea is to enable teachers to keep close track
How can I become a more systematic and sensi-
of how well their own students are doing so that fresh
tive observer of the learning process?
feedback can be used to improve their own teaching efforts.
Why this is impartant goes back to the observation that our
How can I get the kind of feedback
academic culture leaves us each pretty much alone in
about my teaching that will help me
beaming how to teach. As Cross says,
teacher?
grow and develop as a
Teaching as art or science or voodoo is in
an essentially primitive state of development. We
In a curious way, then, teaching methods become
are not standing on the shoulders of giants in ad-
after you
more imponant to the teaching-learning process
vancing knowledge and improving practice with
adopt them. Cross' questions point this up: Once methods
It is a fairly good
each generation of teachers.
vehicles for encour-
are selected, they become not only our
guess that teachers coming out of graduate schools
aging and enhancing learning but they become candidates
today are not doing any better job of teaching than
for research themselves. They cease to be abstract and static
those graduating 50 years ago. That is not to say
Can they be
and they become dynamic. Do they work?
that their field of study hasn't made advances: it is
self-
made to work better? These questions are key to
simply to recognize that each young teacher starts
reflectiveness in teaching. They lead teachers to modify. to
from the beginning to learn how to teach. It is time
tinker, or to junk. But informal choice depends on feed-
to make college teaching a profession - a profes-
back, as well as on knowing as much as possible about
sion that is growing and improving over the dec.
yourself and your students.
ades as well as one that has the potential for con-
tinuous self-renewal for individual teachers.
References:
Arid the way to do that is to show teachers how to
Cross, K. Patricia. Making Teaching More Effective.
I
.
devise their own means of studying the impact of their
2, No. 2,
Journal of the Freshman Year Experience, Vol.
methods on their students. The questions they need to ad-
1990
dress, says Cross, are these:
2. Coss, K. Patricia and Thomas A. Angelo. Faculty
Progress Report
Members as Classroom Researchers:
How does what I do as a teacher affect what my
April-
Community, Technical, and Junior Coll4e Journal.
students learn?
May 1989.
How can I monitor, throughout the semester, ;low
New
3. Postman, Neil. Teaching as a Conserving Activity.
effectively students are learning what I am trying to teach?
York: Delacorte Press. 1979.
governance structure.
Teaching Resources Center (from page 1)
Other committe members are: Mary Dickson, Pat
positions.
a process for selecting the people to 1111 those
Margh-
Franks, Aggie Vallone, Jim Baker, Margaret Deys,
will be
erita Rossi, and Denise Abrams. More information
Francis BaWgi, Paul O'Hemn and Jim Antonakos are
forthcoming in the next issue. If you'd like to comment or
discussing the way the TRC will fit into the current college
above.
ask questions, contact one of the people mentioned
Paddieball at BCC
"How high can you count?", I asked.
"I can count to infmity", she boasted.
Paul 011eran
"You canT' I was amazed. "How long does it take
I was playing paddleball with a friend of mine
for you to count to infinity? Doesn't that take a long
when our game was intermpted by her two children.
time?"
While my friend discussed "secrets" u ith her five year
"Yes", she answered seriously, "All the way from
old son, I chatted with her seven year old daughter.
Endicott to Johne..n City."
"We learned how to add in school today", she
higher."
"But," she continued, NI Can count even
offered.
"Even higher?", I gasped.
"Oh, yeah?", I replied. " How big were your
"I can count to infmity plus twenty," she hesitated,
answers?"
"but that takes all the way from Endicou to BCC."
"Not too big."
of physical presence
presemational mode. Take advantage
blackboard and other su,:b
and movement, and employ the
devices.
be to
One of the policies of Center Stage will
interest of the audi-
teaching style. We do
Third, begin by stimulating the
present articles on teaching and
outside.
the personal or to the world
hope each article
ence. Alluding to
not wish to be didactic, but instead we
surprise, and using casual
opin-
gives you something to discuss. We welcome your
arousing curiosity, providing
enhancing beginnings. What
humor are some of the ways of
ions (pro or con) of the articles we select.
class may not work the day
might work for an opening day of
the mood of the class and
after a tough exam. Sensitivity to
Craft of
The following article is excerpted from The
the
responding to that mood increase
a variety of ways of
Publishers.
Teaching, by Kenneth E. Eb le, Jossey-Bass
day ailer day.
chance of involving an audience
1988.
that comes from
Fourth, in folkiwing the sketch
Lecturing Well
ability to improvise and to
advance paparation, develop an
quality even in carefully struc-
let myself
sustain an improvisational
How does one lecture well? I have not often
tured presentations.
I distrust the
be pinned down on this question. both became
instruction and I dis-
lecture as a generally effective form of
frequent breathing
Fifth, provide the audience with
tempted to say, "ibis is the way
til= myself whenever I am
for questions. Beuer to talk too
spaces and opportunities
well is cenainly preferable
to do it." Nevertheless, lecturing
long.
little and stop short than to go on too
teachers who may be
to lecturing poorly, and there are some
Aski:kg only that
served by undisguised "how-to" advice.
lecture btu main-
Sixth, provide an ending for every
of simple, direct an-
the reader recognize the limitations
lies
has gone before and what
tain a continuity with what
points are the ones most important to
swers, the following
ahead.
lecturing well.
of voice, gestures,
Seventh, develop and use a range
disposal.
Fa% In the material to the time at your
appropriate to your style, to
and physical movement that is
primary topics and
Restrict your aim to less than a handful of
and that reinforces content,
the material, and to the occasion
audience in each
ccesider specific ways of engaging the
Listen to
audience.
fixes attention, and stimulates an
overly numb nor introduce important
one. Do not elaborate
and affectation&
yourself and mot out mannerions
gasping for particulars.
matters that leave the audience
peculiar
Conduct your scholarly arguments and pursue your
audience and the most
Eighth, be guided by the living
obsessions in places other than the lecture.
discourse with as many ts
pressing need of striking up
possible. You are both host and guest.
precise ex-
Second, seek hard and unrelentingly for
breaking up a single
amples and illustrations and for ways of
Hello, World.
fontm for
Welcome to the first issue of Center Stage, a
the effective teaching
the presentation and discussion of
storim lived by the
methods practiced, ideas held, and
faculty at Broome Community College.
Stage hope that
The editors and reviewers of Center
healthy discussion of
this issue and further issues lead to a
all trY to
what good teaching is all about, and how we
all its
practice it. In that spirit, Center Stage encourages
for anicles, enter-
readers to submit for publication: ideas
primed articles
taining classroom experiences, responses to
teachers do. This
and/or personal beliefs on what good
nzeives from its
newsletter will be as good as the input t
by the faculty at
readers. And with the enthusiasm put out
existence.
BCC, we envision a very successful, long term
6
November 15, 1990
Volume I Number 2
1+1 Months and Not Counting
Moral Reasoning
Greg Shwa
Paul Chambers
I was becom-
Late last year. for a number of reasons,
One of Moliere's characters, Le Bourgeois Gentil-
job as a mathematical
ing increasingly dissatisfied with my
homme, was delighted to discover, upon taking up learning
in suburban Wash-
statistician for the Bureau of the Census
speaking "prose" all
at an advanced age, that he had been
of gove,ne ent service, I
ington, D.C. So, after 15 years
his life. What prose was to Moliere's character, moral
job.
decided it was time to look I'm another
reasoning should be to our students. "Ethics." or "moral
reascsing," is systematic thinking about right and wrong,
methods course at
I had recently taught a statistical
good and evil. Ethical presuppositions are built into any
of mid-level managers from
the Census Bureau to a group
decision humans make about the right thing to do, or the
developing countries in Af-
statistical agencies of various
right judgement on someone else's action.
formal class since my
rica and Asia. That was my rust
assistant. I thoroughly
graduate school days as a teaching
Seven outcomes to our general education program are
rekindled my interest in
enjoyed the experience and it
stated in the catalog. Two of these are:
tutored individuals in
teaching. Over the years, I had also
In panicu-
elementary statistics and mathematics courses.
and
a) think clearly and critically,
Calculus. Although I hadn't
lar, I recently tutored one girl in
b) become sensitive to the ethical dilemmas of
had no exposure to it at
taken Citiculus in over 20 years and
daily life and experienced in moral reasoning and dis-
girl through the course.
the Bureau, I managed to get the
course.
apply for
With that impetus, I found the courage to
Every graduate is expected to have these two abilities
community col-
positions in Mathematics departments at
after being educated at BCC. Those two abiities are related.
After numezous letters and
leges and small 4-year colleges.
Moral reasoning is a specific type of critical thinking.
BCC and on August 17
applications, I accepted a position at
Critical thinking requires recognizing conclusions and pro-
Census Bureau. 'The next
I unofficially resigned from the
viding the evidence on which these conclusions are based;
help of a cousin and friends,
day my family and I, with the
( Continued on page 4 )
rental truck, drove from
loaded all our belongings onto a
everything into a home
Washington to uwego and unloaded
senlement on. Less than 30 hours
we hadn't yet gone to
aftObibit.gYaridrrYamMbisirmarpow4WahMawhoollossim.O.w1w
later, I began my life at Broome.
Moral Reasoning
by Paul Chambers, page 1
Moday..AuguaL2Q
the Baldwin Gym, a new
I am sitting behind a table in
of registration. Tally
T+ I Months and Not Counting
teacher, trying to learn the ropes
prerequisites, drop/
by Greg Sliwa, page I
sheets, placement test results, catalogue
The Math department is
add forms, on-line registration.
office will be has not been
The Bio-Bargain
moving and exactly where my
classroom and stan
by Rick Firenze, page 3
decided. In the afternoon, I find an open
week
preparing for my classes next
home in Owego
Letter to the Editor, page 5
Uner that day, we settle on our new
nice dinner. Phew! I made
Delivering My Metaphcf
and celebrate by going out for a
by Margaret Deys
it through the first day.
kside, page 6
larcsday..Augma21
downtown Binghamton.
Eleven Commandments for Teachers
New personnel orientation in
take? Isn't there anywhere
by Hugh Skilling
How long is this thing going to
( Continued on page 2 )
9
T+1 and Counting (from page 1)
The campus personnel office called earlier in the af-
picture for my
ternoon. Seems there is a problem with the
to park ntur the county building? I earow a few quarters in
for
ID, and I'll have to return at my own convenience
the meter and park down and over a couple rreets. Typical
the
another. On my may home I decide to stop, but
personnel meeting: Forms, forms, forms, pictures! I'm out
photographer left early.
of here.
Did I make the right move - leaving the security of my
Still no office at school. I do a little work in an open
Census position? Things will settle down on Monday once
class and decide to go home and cut the grass.
class start. I think.
Weduesday.August 22
Moday...Auguan
No office! No mailbox! Why does the Math depart-
I can't wait for classes to start. My first class is Basic
ment have to move? I think the AT building is just fine.
office at
Math in the Business building at 8;00. I'm in the
7:00, doing some last minute preparations. A little nervous
It's getting to be a pain lugging all my textbooks,
Our
and excited, I need to stop by the rest room in Titchener.
solutions manuals, course booklets and other materials
into the first rest
secretary tells me it's downstairs. I race
everywhere I go on campus, using any open class as an
another person coming
room I see. On my way out. I meet
office. Initially, I'm trying to do things my own way, in so
and make
in; she points at the sign. I shrug my shoulders
far as preparing for my classes, but time is getting short, and
of my students.
some lame excuse. I hope she's not one
I'm not getting much done. I decide to follow the course
policies, objectives and assignment sheets of others who
is with me
I go to my first class and fmd she isn't. God
recently taught the courses I've been assigned.
on this one.
be teaching Basic Col-
In the afternoon I'm told
Ab-
I was reading semething recently (Innovation
lege Math instead of Introductory Algebra. I don't need this
ed.) that suggested using
stracts, Volume XII, Number 17 -
kind of change right now.
of introducing new faculty
a scavenger hunt as a means
such a
members to their campus. Should Broome adopt
I help two faculty members pack for their move into
of the
policy, I'd recommend placing rest rooms at the top
their new offices.
list.
Thursday. August 23
Ten
When I arrive at my first class the room is locked.
Faculty meeting - the talk by the NEA lawyer is an
The head
minutes later, after two master keys fail, we're in.
eye-opener. I'm really unprepared to tackle such problems.
of the Business division had a key.
The faculty luncheon that follows is very enjoyable. I meet
Everybody's ex-
some people from other depare: -ins
class,
At my first meeting with my evening algebra
tremely nice.
During the break, I
one student is particularly boisterous.
talking and wondering how
can sense many of the students
Still no office! New faculty orientation that after-
talk with my
I will handle the situation. I decide to wait and
noon. The talks on dealing with moblem students are some-
colleagues. Things have to get better. I hope.
what unexpected.
Turailax.Augusall
Friday. August 24
in the Math
My mentor (an assigned faculty member
No office, no desk! I'm assured that everything will
loud student in
department) suggests that I speak to the
be OK'd and ready this afternoon. I help another faculty
algebra during break if the behavior persists.
member pack. With all the packing at school and unpacking
at home, I feel more qualified to be a mover than a teacher.
walks off
One student in my afternoon statistics class
could ever recall
with my text. Nobody in our department
Division meeting, department meeting, meeting with
foolish.
such an incident. I really must be looking
other faculty teaching Basic Math.
Wednesday, August 29
Finally at 2:00 pm, an office in Titchener 2151 a desk,
calms down
That person in evening algebra class
and yes, even a chair! I do a little work, look at my schedule,
individual.
somewhat. I decide not to confront the
anti deeide to check out my classrooms before I leave. I
can't fmd my Brsic Math class in the Business building. No
Thursday. August 30
such room exists. I ask a secretary. Oops! I misread my
chairper-
Locked out of Basic Math, again! Luckily , a
schedule. !Cs section 17 in room 45, not section 45 in room
II. I'm embarrassed. I'm sure glad this week is almostover!
( Continued on page 4 )
i Ilo 11N
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