♥For Session 1: our group discussed three readings from the NCH Monograph Serie– Inspiring Exemplary Teaching and Learning: Perspectives on Teaching academically Talented College Students.

We read, reflected, and responded to —

Chapter 3:  ” Engagement in Learning, Liberal Education, and Honors” by Bernice Braid

The focus of this chapter is on intentional active learning which produces critical thinking, expands students’ horizons, engages them in reflection, and creates greater responsibility and citizenship.

Honors students can be helped to think beyond borders when they engage in: multidisciplinary work, research, and engage in presentations of their work.  Students should have practical opportunities for independent investigation, develop autonomous expertise, experience deep immersion, expertise, and changing perspective.

The FIG HONORS Group discussed how important it is to frame our teaching but to work against scripting and prescrition, that our students need to be guided  by depth of thought and experience and that we have to nurture pride in them. We have to encourage them to work against the fear of showing their “smarts,” to challenge them to do interdisciplinary work, to take courses they would not normally take, and to foster curiosity in a context that is alive, passionate, energetic, organic and safe.

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Chapter 1: “Pre-College Experiences and Characteristcs of Gifted Students” by Anne Rinn

In this chapter, Anne Rinn discusses: healthy and neurotic perfectionism in honors students(p.12); how their high self concepts can decrease, depending on contex (pp.12-13); and the reflected-glory effect (basking in the reflected glory of other successful students) (p.13) which helps students succeed. Rinn also broadly talks about academic and social factors that help students  succeed.

The FIG HONORS Group pointed out that honors students: may get bored quickly, that they can exhibit passion which moves into curiosity, love, and desire to know more. Our challenge as teachers  is to always push  for growth over a fixed mind. One of many ways to do this is to use language in particular ways that creates an HONORS  CLIMATE: “You really worked it!” instead of “You’re so smart.”  We need to point out intelligence through hard work.

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Chapter 6: “Six Habits of Highly Inspiring Honours Teachers” by Marca Wolfensberger

Marca Wolfensberger lists and describes the six habits  of an inspiring honors teacher.

S/he is: 1) authentic, 2) courageous, and 3) challenging; this educator 4) invests in relationships, 5) walks the talk (as a symbol), and 6) lives the dream.

Each of these habits are described as follows (more detailed in article):

1. curious, open, forthright, observant, appreciative, honest, ethical spiritial—fosters habits of thought, mind, and heart
2. encouraging, analytical, rigorous—has high expectations vand dares to be “critical”
3. creative, deep, challenging—offers alternate assessment, thoughtful feedback,, shows genuine interest in students’ success and abilities, challenges predictable dcomfortable learning.
4. values curiosity, enthusiasm, interdisciplinary work, research, theory, publications, and relationship with students (see article for more specific definition of “relationship”). S/he speaks, listens, and attends to the voice of the inner vision and creative imagination.
5. knows her/his own passion and vision and shows them to students; values substantive work, clarifies expectations, has a positive attitiude, as well as good work habits. This teacher makes a commitment to self and society and supports this commitment through a student-centered approach to the classroom and deep engaged learning
6. experimental, innovative, flexible, authentic. This teacher shares personable qualities with students, relates to them, and challenges students to give their best.

The FIG HONORS Group was highly responsive to M.W’s ideas. We valued the qualities of the honors teacher as discussed in this chapter. The content seemed to invigorate and challenge us to think further/beyond to other important qualities needed to be successful inspiring teachers. We all agreed that it is necessary to: 1) offer many opportunities to our students—places and spaces where they could find themselves in successful productive ways; 2)embrace “relationship” effectively; 3) be role models; 4) take students off campus, to the larger world—where experiential education is a powerful force beyond the traditional classroom frame. Our reflections on experiential education expanded to a discussion of “city as text,” as we went beyond the limitations of time—a one hour prescription of meeting time (nice when we don’t have a class to go to or other wordly demands).

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