So you know in January I did the Daniel Fast. I came out of it with new healthy habits and a renewed inspiration for my job. In fact, I was inspired to cause a revolution. Well how's that going?- one may ask.
Let me start with the good news- My fast-related health habits have stuck with me, just as I had hoped- During the week (green smoothies, Cliff bar nuts seeds/, salad and a sensible dinner) I keep this up most days but not all. I generally splurge on weekends. Using the principles, I've learned through Sacred and Fit, I am now at my goal weight and find it fairly easy to maintain. I don't feel like I'm on a diet. I don't feel deprived at all. In fact I feel more energetic. Most importantly, the small incremental health habits that I have incorporated over the last 2 years, have spilled over to other areas...which was what led me to pray about my job.
I started out praying for my students and how to be more effective at teaching them but during the fast, something shifted. While in prayer during the last week of the fast, I heard the words "Teach what?" I understood I was to focus on something deeper than Neuroscience. I am just now finding out what that is.
When I came back from accompanying my brother at the Cancer Center in Houston, classes had been in session for almost three weeks. I had been communicating with my students over the internet, via the course website. I was regularly emailing my students and posting assignments. During the first week, I noticed the number of students who didn't even open the website (majority of the class). By the second week, a little more than half had at least checked in but most of those had not done the posted assignments. When I returned on the third week with my plan to start where the website assignments had ended, I found that the students were not at all prepared.
Well, one could think, it was because they weren't use to the online format or that the type of distance instruction didn't lend itself to the subject matter. No wait, there's more.
When I returned I heard so many complaints, so I opened up all of the assignments again during week 4 and asked students to complete them. These assignments allow students to use their notes and open book and mainly serve to make sure they are keeping up with the reading. I also allow students to take the online quizzes as many times as they want within a prescribed time period, to encourage mastery of the material. Last week (week 5) I computed grades and found that nearly one third of the class has earned under 70%. This is a class of college seniors who plan to graduate in May, 2012. My class has a departmental requirement of a C or better.
After class I asked to speak to each of the failing students,
Q: "Is there a reason for your current grade?"
A: I didn't go online because I work; I didn't go online because it is too much trouble; I didn't go online because I can't really read it from my phone; I don't have the book; I don't really care for the class; I figured I'd get to it eventually and lost track of time; My home internet sometimes goes out and I can't stay on campus because I have to get my daughter from daycare; I can't afford the book and the library (where the book is on reserve) is too loud....
In January, I thought that I was fasting to for my health and fitness, or to support my brother, but now I see the truth. THIS situation was the ultimate purpose of the fasting and prayer. How to be love in the face of this and not immediately judge and criticize? How to see my students as God sees them? How to have a servant's heart? How to start the revolution?
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