2017.03.29-31: A busy week

It has been very busy. First, I put a lot of effort in preparing to facilitate a conversation with the faculty about distance learning. Distance learning was started about 3 years ago at Johannelund, but to be candid, it wasn’t well thought through and not very well supported. Because I was asking questions, I was invited to lead a pedagogy session. I replied that I would not be the best one for that, but I can facilitate a conversation. I used collaborative learning exercises to identify what we are doing, but also what we need to develop our efforts.

I think it went quite well for several reasons. First, I focused on the mission statement and core values as important for guiding decisions. As community is one core value–and which is very important for me–I get to rally the faculty and administration to focus on this (yes, this actually conflicts with distance learning! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.). Second, we have identified some easy steps to move forward, with peer tutoring to be included in every fall faculty meeting. We will survey everyone to prioritize our lessons, but we have 4 topics to start with. Then, we’ll work on getting a grant for a bigger steps. An important aspect that wasn’t part of other’s expectations–but was on my agenda–was demonstrating a couple collaborative learning exercises and advocating for learner-centered teaching. I think I started to expand the imagination as many–not all–of the classes are taught with quite traditional lecture–note taking–reading–one paper–one exam model.

I put a ton of effort into this, because I knew that if it went well, we could take a step toward constructive change. I would be able to nurture the context to focus on our values and good pedagogy. I was quite tired after this, as I was up late the last 3 nights working on it, but I had a new course prep and another session that needed some development for the next day, Thursday. It would have been a rather normal week without the distance learning session with the faculty, but it was important to make it go well.

The new course prep was for a 3rd-year course on “Exegetical theology for the missional church.” My colleague lead the New Testament session, and I had the Old Testaments session; each were 90 minutes. We had to take it out of order, New Testament first, because of another course he was teaching, but that was good for me. I was able to see what he was doing and build on that. It would have been ideal to have more time, but what we did went well. One student (who flew in for the class as he lives up north), said he appreciated it, and he would have actually liked if my session was longer. I had them dig into texts in pairs at three different times and then share their discoveries with the class. For the first time with a new lesson, it went OK. There were a couple things that I would like to do a little differently, and there was one important slide at the end that I forgot. I’ll have to come back to these things with them at the next and last session I have. (This course only has four, 90-minute sessions. I don’t quite understand the limited contact hours, but I’m working on that too!)

My Bible school session on Jeremiah went OK, but just OK. The energy didn’t seem to arrive in the classroom yesterday morning. Yes, it was an 8:30 am class, but usually, I can rally them. I will revisit this lesson, especially for the next time I teach it. My sense is that my exercises were too big or too open for this group. I will see how to make it more specific and focused next time, especially because Jeremiah is such an important model of faithfulness, and I know they heard my story of how I resonate with this, but the text engagement needs to be strengthened for understanding key themes.

I went home quite tired Thursday after being in the classroom from 8:30 until 4:45 pm (though excluding chapel, lunch, and I didn’t teach 90 minutes of that).

Friday morning was off to Swedish lesson with Lennart. Chatting in Swedish seemed harder today. Am I more tired? Have I not be practicing enough and regressing? Was it just trying to communicate new things or in new ways? However, I keep pushing on. We read through two pages of a 2nd year student essay. It develops my theological vocabulary which isn’t included in Duolingo or standard Swedish grammar books. It is good also to talk things through with a theologian. Lennart is gracious, and I thank him each time with a gift of chocolate.

I knew the rear tire on the “Elenn bike” was bad for the past few days. This was a used bike, so one never knows what issues might appear. I was hoping that it would hold out until the busy part of the week was over. So, I would rise off the seat, standing on the pedals, when going over any bump to try to not compress the tire with all my weight on it.

Fortunately, the tire held. On the way home from my Swedish lesson, I stopped at the closest bike shop.

Within 15 minutes, maybe less, I was out the door with a new tire.

There are two signs of spring. First, they are beginning to sweep the course sand/fine gravel off the side walks and bike paths. It is so much nicer to bike where it has been cleaned off. Secondly, I saw my first spring flowers.

Anya is at a friend’s home for her birthday dinner. I’m home relaxing, studying some Swedish, streamed a movie, and a Swedish TV cooking show that has subtitles in Swedish. Reading the words while hearing them spoken is helpful for me. The talking goes a bit fast for me, but it is a little more exciting than the news in easy Swedish. The show is about a Swedish woman, Tina, who is a good cook. She goes to various places and makes a meal. This first episode I watched was Tina’s visit to retired LPGA golfer Annika Sörenstam’s HUGE home in Florida. Tina made a strawberry cake.

With blessings,

Beth