A Jeanne Site
From the Outrageous Older Woman in Narrative Shoes
Her Fall '98 Report
California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Latest update: December 9, 1998
Faculty on the Site.
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What I Learned About Narrative Teaching This Fall
- That I like it.
- That it's difficult. Lots to keep up with.
- That I seem to go exponentially through material in the last four weeks.
- That you are creative.
- That you cling to the "old ways" as much as we, your teachers, do.
- That you are not complaining that I do not give you enough material.
- That I need to let us all slow down.
- That sharing with our kids is wonderful, for us as well as for them.
- That I am absolutely transparent in my acting out of the stories of learning as they are happening to me and to you.
- That your and my fears (yeah, I was scared, too) of using the Internet were not as terrible as we thought.
- That because of the way we shared our learning this semester I can see the stories of teaching and learning better.
- That Susan and I gave two papers in Washington. Our research team will give five in Fort Worth. Susan and I will give two more in Orlando. That P.J. and Marlene are already planning one for Pittsburgh.
- That I like my research better when you really share in it.
- That my office is continually crowded, and that I like that. I can be alone at home.
- That the only place you can see me privately seems to be the Women's Room, and even then we found we weren't alone.
- But that it doesn't matter because we are becoming a community, part Web, part face-to-face, and I see people doing the nicest things for each other.
- And that you still complain about grades, and I still get depressed when you do, because I want you to spend all your time on theory and books and articles, not on grades. But that you do care about learning, and you are kind enough to let us get back to the "real stuff" when I need to.
- That a piece of the community is happening in the office, even for those of you that are rarely in the office, because it's spilling over into the classes and onto the Web, and that that is good because we want the human connections, not just the computer connections, but we can't always connect.
- That we can use the Web, even when access is still just this side of impossible.
- That we show a healthy tendency to help each other. I like that.
- That I have a lot to write this winter break.
- And, oh, maybe most of all, that when I'm tired and wondering if we'll reach the shore safely, someone e-mails me a "Good Dog" message! Sorry, Alfie Kohn, I know I'm supposed to be above grades and rewards, but that "Good Dog" really made my day.
Maybe you would like to add some. I'm exhausted from putting up projects all day that left me overwhelmed. I tell you that real learning is possible, and that you are creative and smart, and that all we need is to understand the context, but when you do it, I'm overwhelmed. You are talented. I think I can safely leave this world in your hands. Thank you. jeanne