"What are you interested in learning about?"
Questions like these make me really anxious. The truth is, more often than not I have no idea what I want to learn about in a class. So much new information is input and processed in the first week of school that I seldom find time to sit comfortably, perhaps with a cup of tea and cardamom biscuits (I bake when I'm stressed), and think to myself "Gee, I think this semester I want to learn about that." Those first couple days of school slip right through your fingers as you adjust to a new schedule, a new routine, a new wardrobe (yay!) and it truly makes for an anxious time.
That, however, gives rise to the question of whether anxiety in this sense is a bad thing. One of the theories of learning describes the positive effects a moderate level of anxiety can have when learning new things. Because this semester is a very anxious time for me, I would love to learn more about these theories and how to manage/utilize appropriate levels of anxiety in the classroom. If I can pull that out of this class, I will consider it successful.
I certainly think surveying learning theories and peer-reviewed instructional methodologies are what build the foundation of teaching. Without this foundation, I doubt anyone could become a true teaching professional, much less an expert in the field.
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