Principle 2: Transparency
One of my major realizations this semester
is the utility of transparency as a pedagogical tool.
Students who know what is expected of them will
feel more secure about the course and, I hope,
learn more. But transparency can also be useful if
it is posed as a question to students: Why did I do
that? In this section I discuss two types of
transparency: outside and inside of the classroom.
Outside of the classroom, on things like
the syllabus, grading, office hours, and email, it is
useful to be clear and consistent about my
expectations. On the syllabus, in addition to
telling students about how their grades will be
determined, I think it is important to: present
students with a clear rubric that explains the
criteria with which I will evaluate their
assignments, how class discussions will proceed
(civility, etc.); caveats about the course; and how
the topic fits with others in the discipline. A
couple other thoughts about being transparent on
the syllabus: 1) including a class participation
rubric (with examples and modeled language) to
show students which types of involvement are
most valued; and 2) conveying to students how
different assignments align with course goals (i.e.
“the point of reading critiques is to help you
develop your critical thinking and writing skills”).
Though I initially assumed it would be
obvious, I have also learned the importance of
being clear about my expectations about office
hours and emailing. For office hours: no
appointments are necessary, it is a good place for
informal discussion about the course, careers,
texts, research, etc.; however, office hours are not
social hours. For emailing I think it is increasingly
important to specify how instructors want
students to use email; in my courses I indicate that
I see email as somewhere between a text message
and a business letter: there needs to be a
salutation, proper spelling and grammar, and a
closing.
Inside the classroom being transparent
means telling students: the outline for the day;
how I see particular ideas, theories, or sections
fitting with past or future ideas, theories, or
sections; what I am hoping we get out of
particular discussion; and a lecture’s take-home
points. Although transparency can be simple —
me telling them why I am doing what I am doing
— when formed as a question, it can be a useful
not only my experiences and my understandings,
but my philosophy and preferences. After locating
myself and figuring out where I stood, I was able to
take more intentional steps forward.
Step 2: Finding a compass and venturing out with
a goal in mind
TLI would not have been as fulfilling an
experience had it not had a strong, yet flexible
structure as well as explicit and authentic goals.
The goals and structure center around the idea that
each person has something to teach and something
to learn, leading to productive dialogues and
effective communication between all members.
Whether it be to explore or to proceed to a
particular destination, I need a reason to leave my
primary location. If I were to venture into an
unfamiliar area, I would need directions, a map, or
a sense of direction to avoid getting lost. As a
student, I appreciate assignments and classes that
have a clear purpose to my learning and support
structures that facilitate my efforts. Part of my job
as a student consultant has been to simply ask
professors, “Why do you want to do this?” and
“What are the steps and how do students
accomplish them?” What I am actually asking them
is what direction they are taking their students and
how they expect students to get there.
Some professors have not established or
declared goals for their students whether those be
for one assignment or for a course, which could
mean their students cannot find a clear direction to
go, leading to many lost and confused students. All
of the professors I have worked with through the
TLI articulated many specific and inspiring goals
for their students, complete with compelling
rationales for their goals. However, they might not
have provided students with the appropriate tools
and structures to get to their desired goals, which
also led to many students getting lost along the
way and falling short of the professor’s goals.
While I understand that students vary in their
needs and preferences, most students would rather
have more supports in place than fewer.
As Professor Oberfield mentioned, he had
given a writing assignment that was too open
ended. Although his goal was clear, most of his
students were overwhelmed with the number of
potential paths and the lack of direction and
merely chose to stay put until they had more
support. Like them, I needed help in order to
venture out of my location. The supportive forums
of TLI promoted my personal growth by not only