Samuel's Reflection

1. What worked? What would you celebrate?

The thought partners communicated effectively enough to develop a general framework for the learning experience. It may not be the case that we developed what was desired or intended, but it worked well for what was achieved.

Recruiting

I want to make sure you all know the status of our recruiting efforts. As I talk to people around campus and they are so open to help us spread the word, I am beginning to feel like this may actually happen. Below are a couple balls that are rolling....

Scheduled:

-SOAR info booth during lunch at all the 10 sessions in August

-SOAR information session for students who want to learn more at all the 10 sessions in August

-WOW info booth at SLOBound in September

-facebook: search "sustainslo" and friend us

Possible:

-Info sessions in the dorms during the first weeks of school

We have a couple students working with us, but could use more ideas and help. If you are interested, please contact me.

I need a new phrase

I have been writing a bunch of emails and using the dreaded phrase: "Cluster Faculty." I need a new word for the courses and faculty that will be working together to integrate content with each other and with the projects. How about.......

Gaggle Faculty,

Clump Faculty,

Huddle Faculty,

Flock Faculty,

Bundle Faculty,

Throng Faculty?

Help!!!! Please leave a comment with your suggestions.

John's reflection

Gosh, it's hard to write these things, especially if I have to follow two folks from the English department... Here goes.

1. What worked? What would you celebrate?

I thought that the process - to plan for this new way of educating students - worked, though it was slow, awkward, and bumpy at times. Even the process had to be different, because no one has tried this before, so I guess I'm not surprised.

Kathryn's reflection

1. What worked? What would you celebrate?

I enjoyed spending two hours a week with colleagues outside my discipline and college. I met some for the first time (John, Liz, Colleen, Samuel, Nina, Pete, and Matt), and got re-acquainted with others (Linda, Ginger, Dan, Chance, and Neal). I celebrate the fact that faculty from across the university are committed to student success and to finding ways to make students’ education more meaningful.

Reflecting: Ginger

Here are my thoughts.

1. What worked? What would you celebrate?

I celebrate being invited to have a voice in a university project. I celebrate using the voice that I have, even though I am unaccustomed to using it on campus. I celebrate the great welcoming that I experienced from the existing Sustain group and the group's excitement to do something meaningful for students, something not yet done.

My after action review: Vanasupa

What worked? What would I celebrate?

• I celebrate knowing my colleagues better;

Liz's reflection

I have to say that this entire process of participation in SUSTAIN over the past two years has been life giving for me. Not easy by any means, but it has consistently enabled me to grow as a person, teacher, friend, and co-worker. The only problem is that I am constantly confronted with my own shortcomings in all these areas. This has required a level of courage I never knew I had.....anyway.....here are my reflections

Blog Requests to serve future collaborators

Hi all:
I am requesting that each person, before June 30, complete their own blog entry to enable the future success of other collaborations.

1. What worked? What would you celebrate?
2. What is missing or yet to be done in order for the 100-student freshman iniative to be successful?
3. What are your reflections on our last day's conversation?
4. What did you learn? Was there anything valuable?

Pete's offer

I've been really thinking about what I CAN teach. When I consider what I know a lot about and have a lot of experience with, I know that where I am strong is in dealing with the ambiguity and journey of projects, and in creating the ecological classroom conditions that enable people to self-direct their learning in a way that is successful for them.  I've learned this largely through failing to varying degrees  for the last 8 years. (I've published at least two articles on my failures, which I see as a growing area of my expertise :) )

Pete and I met today and he put forth a beautiful offer to collaborate on teaching physics. This is a brave move for him for lots of reasons, not the least of which is that there is a way in which I "set him off." This is kind of a mutual dynamic and we both acknowledged that if we were to work more closely together, we would have to work through this.