Push to the End

Well kids, we are just three weeks out to the end of the quarter and the energy is high. For most of us that means only six more classes and a multitude of papers, projects, presentations and portfolios.(The big P's) For those of us in the midst of our time at PC, stress is a common emotion. Students run about campus, meeting with faculty and advisors, spending hours in the computer lab and cat napping in the couches of the library. For the lucky students who are graduating this term, smiles are abundant! Senior projects are coming to completion and they are preparing themselves for life beyond higher education. We all wish them luck and send them out into the world with hugs and support. All in all, it is an entertaining scene here at Prescott College.

Weekend of Fun

On Saturday we hosted another preview for prospective students and their families. It was amazing amounts of fun. The students that attended seemed genuinely excited about learning and the adventures of higher education. I had great discussions about the realities of interdisciplinary learning, creating one's own degree, living off campus and the in's and out's of social circles at Prescott College. Prospective students were also invited to attend introductory classes hosted by a number of our faculty. The one I sat in on was "Why Religion Matters" by Cultural and Regional Studies departments faculty, Grace Burford. It was an amazing introduction to class dynamics at PC and how within each curriculum we support Critical Pedagogy.
My favorite part of the day had to be the student panel at the end of the night. I remember listening to the insight shared by a student panel at my orientation. At that time I was new to the whole PC world and their experiences were priceless to me. I hope that the wisdom we shared, as current students, with the possible new comers was equally as helpfully. The entire experience reminded me why I love this school and why I want other students to have an equally rich educational experience.

Grad. Students come home to the flock

There is a new energy on campus today that will carry through the weekend. All of our wonderful Graduate students have come home to share their learning with the rest of us. I am continually inspired by the work of my colleges and this weekend is no exception. I look through the descriptions of the projects my peers are presenting on and I am stunned! They have taken their learning and applied it on a whole new level. There is everything from "Integrating green building into urban settings" to "Butterfly Conservation" followed by "Learning communities:Impact of English Language Learners" and "Journey through Tanzania". Not bad huh?
Throughout the weekend there will also be a number of workshops and presentations by faculty and guests, all related to the work being done across the board for social change. Of great interest to me is the Key Note speaker, Paula Rothenberg. I have read some of her work on diversity issues and whiteness and white privilege. I am very excited to hear her speak and get the amazing opportunity to ask some burning questions. The campus is a buzz with new ideas and innovative discourse. I am thrilled to be an active part of it.

Journeys in Education

One thing that really drew me to the Education program at PC was the focus on getting us right into the classrooms. It is my first term as a junior and already I have visited five schools! Toady was great. We went to observe at a Constructivist school that houses grades K-5. As I wandered around the classes and watched the little ones eagerly engaged in lessons, I was reminded why I want to be a teacher. I could see that the foundation being laid where each student saw learning as fun, would change the course of their lives. It was yet another amazing day in Prescott.