MY LEARNING EXPERIENCES
A memory from when I was learning something in elementary or middle school....
I vividly recall a Texas History class on slavery in 7th grade. The course was co-facilitated by three teachers, and had followed a textbook based unit detailing the history of slavery in Texas, the treatment of these people, the work required of them, their contribution to the Texas economy, and living conditions. As with most of my classes, I earned high marks for the multiple-choice test that followed. However, what made this information so memorable was the role-playing portion at the end. For 20 minutes, anyone with blue eyes (like me) was forced to be a slave to the other students. The experience was horrible...and effective.
When we returned to the class, the teachers asked the whole class a series of questions. We were asked, "Why did you make the blue-eyed students clean up? Do you think it was right to have the blue-eyed students do what you told them? " The teachers did not respond in a positive or negative way. Some students started arguing about the replies.
A memory from when I was learning something in high school or college....
In high school I was admitted to an experimental program called Law Major Studies. The class was designed for more advanced students who had an interest in the law and in exploring various legal professions. It was a compelling course for me because I was exploring the possibility of a career as a lawyer. The first grading quarter was comprised of learning the history and role of law in our country and states. We also learned how to read and apply briefs, focusing heavily on Supreme Court landmark decisions. For the next quarter, we were allowed to participate in two 4-week internships with a legal professional. My first internship was with a Collin County judge and I was allowed to observe court everyday. The only requirements for the internship were to attend and create a journal entry daily. I enjoyed this class because I could decide what to observe, what to ask the judge, what research might help me understand the procedures, and I could reflect on the validity of following this career path.
A memory from when I was learning in a professional or formal (non-school) setting....
When I was with GE Plastics they sent me to a Professional Selling Skills 3-day seminar. The seminar was taught by a certified PSS instructor who had a great command of the materials. This was the first course I had taken that had facilitator's guides, participant guides, job aids, and planned activities. We learned using the 70-20-10 method and it was so fast-paced! We would review previous material, learn our segment objectives, learn the new material (some by reading, some by video), role play, review, and test. I was a Sales and Marketing Manager at the time, and I knew this class was going to help me make more money.