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Engaging Students with the De Anza College Community
---Report on the College Opening Day Workshop, September 16, 2004,
facilitated by Alex Kramer, Wallis Leslie, and Julie Sartwell
After defining engaged students variously as voters, attentive classroom participants, dripping with bling, and aware of the many services, classes, programs, and clubs available on campus, workshop participants split into three discussion groups: classroom
engagement, campus engagement, and civic engagement.
Classroom engagement seeks to produce students who are actively participating, looking alert and lively, and feeling recognized. Julie Sartwell
( sartwelljulie@fhda.edu ) is a good contact person for classroom icebreakers. She described students (in groups of 3-5) interviewing each other using Actors Studio-type questions such as “ What’s your favorite word? What do you hope to hear when you get to heaven?” or “What is your favorite swearword?” Students get to know each other’s names and interests at the same time the instructor is taking in all of this information. Two more lively ice-breakers are having students discern which of three personal statements is a lie and having them go on treasure hunts. The classroom engagement group also discussed the importance of giving students choices with assignments and activities, so they are more invested in the class. They then talked about listening to students, which is obviously fostered by collaborative learning. Many shared contemporary texts and films that students claimed to appreciate because these films are so current. A few participants mentioned linked classes and how students tend to be more engaged since they see each other daily, have integrated assignments, and two or three teachers who are working with the same 27 students.
Campus engagement is about helping students to become aware of the many programs, services, clubs, and activities available to them that can bolster their weaknesses, accentuate their strengths, and connect them to each other. The Development Task Force's Faculty Guide to Student Services and Programs is an invaluable resource, especially when used in conjunction with first week student/teacher interviews and surveys. Informed by this information about student interests and needs, teachers can advise students to work on La Voz or Red Wheelbarrow or take a Skills class or sign up with Tutorial. Teachers can also direct students to programs such as LINC or Cross Cultural Partners. Edwina Stoll (stolledwina@fhda.edu) is a good contact person for information about the power of the LINC classes to encourage and inspire students. Gloria Heistein (gloria@languagepro.com) is the person to contact to arrange classroom visits from Cross Cultural Partners or to get students started in the program. Additionally, campus treasure hunts help students locate important spots such as the Counseling center or Open Media lab while field trips to the Euphrat Gallery or the History Center help students discover sources of cultural enrichment.
Civic engagement points students to an active role as citizens concerned with building a community that is just and life-enhancing. Marilyn Patton (pattonmarilyn@fhda.edu ) is a good contact person for ideas about service learning. Alex Kramer krameralex@fhda.edu) is a good contact person for incorporating civic engagement into class assignments and activities. To foster student civic engagement, we can also reinforce the idea of systemic thinking. This involves showing our students how they are interconnected with the world around them and have influence in that world, whether they like it or not. As our De Anza College president Brian Murphy emphasizes, helping students recognize their political opportunities and power as voters is of great importance.
This workshop inspired us to reach out and connect with each other as we exchanged ideas about engaging our students. May we continue to generate and share ideas throughout our campus experiences. Contribute additional suggestions for engaging student in the De Anza College community in any of the above categories (or in a new
category) by contacting Wallis Leslie (lesliewallis@fhda.edu).
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