Resources

The growing cultural diversity of American society is mirrored in the pews and parishes of mainline denominations and represents a dynamic challenge to the effective proclamation of the gospel on both Sunday mornings and in parish educational venues. When people from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds listen to the same sermon, it is more than likely that they will not "hear" the same message. Preaching to Every Pew, based on extensive field research, takes on the challenge of preaching in such a context. The authors map an approach to culture from four significant perspectives: ethnicity, class, displacement, and religious beliefs. They describe the significant ways in which culture influences human beings, detail how cultural influences affect and complicate communication in general, and preaching in particular, and then recommend practical strategies for improving communication in culturally diverse settings. Valuable both as a seminary text and as a text to help practicing pastors "re-tool" for more effective proclamation of the gospel. (From the Publisher)

Ten sets of disciplinary scholars respond to an orienting essay that raises questions about the history of discourse about teaching and learning in the disciplines, the ways in which disciplinary "styles" influence inquiry into teaching and learning, and the nature and roles of interdisciplinary exchange. The authors hope to "contribute to a common language for trading ideas, enlarging our pedagogical imaginations, and strengthening our scholarly work." Disciplines represented are: chemistry communication studies, engineering, English studies, history, interdisciplinary studies, management sciences, mathematics, psychology, and sociology. (From the Publisher)

A brief reflective article that summarizes the factors in fostering deeper learning: the degree of interest, relevance and challenge provided by the subject content, a workload which is not perceived as excessive by students, clarity and organization of classes, provision of a framework through the use of concept maps which demonstrate interrelationships, assessment instruments which reward deeper learning, and student involvement in their own learning through the use of strategies such as group work or negotiation of topics for subject assessment tasks.

According to this book, interdisciplinary pedagogy is not synonymous with a single process, set of skills, method, or technique. Instead, it is concerned primarily with fostering in students a sense of self-authorship and a notion of knowledge that they can use to respond to complex questions, issues, or problems. Most faculty members have disciplinary terminal degrees, little preparation for teaching, and previous experience learning and teaching solely in disciplinary classroom settings. This collection is designed to assist both new and experienced faculty members who are teaching in interdisciplinary settings and who want to advance integrative learning with their students, as well as administrators who want to encourage integrative and interdisciplinary teaching in their institutions. The contributors offer many intriguing approaches for achieving the goals of interdisciplinary pedagogy. (From the Publisher)

All teachers come to the profession with high ideals but few are prepared for the challenges posed by the complexities of classroom life. How can they remain passionate and inspired in the face of the daily realities of teaching? And how can teachers engage their students in the quest to know and discover? Written by some of the most highly acclaimed teacher-writers, The Jossey-Bass Reader on Teaching includes excerpts from books, essays, and articles that explore the very heart of the teaching experience. This comprehensive resource offers a wide variety of perspectives and insights into the realities of classroom teaching. The volume's contributors are some of the best known teachers and education experts: Parker Palmer, Sylvia Ashton-Warner, William Ayers, Lisa Delpit, Robert L. Fried, Paulo Freire, Maxine Greene, Martin Haverman, Herbert Kohl, Andrew Dean Mullen, James Nehring, Vivian Gussin Paley, Vito Perrone, Mike Rose, Seymour Sarason, and Frank Smith. The nineteen chapters in this stellar collection explore the challenges and joys of teaching and cover three main topics: the meaning of teaching, the experience of teaching, and the art of teaching skills. In addition, the book presents concrete ideas for developing a variety of strategies for providing opportunities for students to become involved in doing schoolwork themselves and for engaging students in meaningful projects. Learning to teach is a lifetime affair involving constantly changing complexities of context, curriculum, and the communities of students; this book guides teachers to become passionate, dedicated, and purposeful.

Awakening Minds is an invitation to change. It brings a creative spirit to education through experiences that expand awareness, lead to new choices, and cultivate change. Discover how teaching can serve your life purposes and how creative thinking surprises the mind so novel ideas come quickly. Learn to use "deep listening," "strategic questioning," and "effective coaching" to increase your effectiveness as a teacher and make education more of an adventure. Develop innovative learning exercises that capture the attention of students and cultivate their full participation. (From the Publisher)

Companion piece to "Missing Connections." This guide provides step-by-step assistance for theological schools that want to conduct perceptions studies in their cities or region. A perception study is an organized way of finding out how others look at an institution.