How schools should teach!

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

I went to the University of North Carolina Greensboro for two years and while I was there I was fortunate enough to participate in the Residential College on campus. RC was a blast and a great way to learn. Its a 2 year program where you live and take classes in the same coed dorm

good old Mary Foust dorm...

RC has enough room for about 120 students and you are required to take at least 6 credits a semester through the RC program classes like

RCO 280-01                                                                    Murray Arndt
The Literary Study of the Bible    (WL/CWL)
RC Room 118,   4-5:15 MW
In this course emphasis will be placed on:
(1)  geographical and historical backgrounds to biblical materials
(2)  intellectual and cultural development in Judaism
(3)  the influence on Judaism and Christianity of "foreign" cultures and ideas
(4)  the authorship, form, and meaning of major biblical materials.
This is not a course in religious belief, and denominational argument has no place in it.  Students who are strict literalists may find some of the material discomforting.
Text:  King James Bible
Evaluation:   Frequent quizzes, two tests, an optional paper, and a final exam.
Maximum number of RC students:  24
Equivalent:  ENG 371

and

RCO 291-01                                                        Justen Infinito-Allocco
The Institution of Education   (E)
(Requirement for Teacher Licensure)
RC  Room 118,  TR 12:30-1:45
This course discusses the historical background, purposes, and concepts basic to public education as a(n):
1)  expression of social and economic life
2)  modifying influence on life
3)  interpreter of ideologies
4)  instrument for the transmission of culture
In class we are seeking to create a "community of inquiry" as a mode of investigating/discussing the material.  Critical and ethical skills are highlighted in the process of inquiring into the nature and possibilities for American education.
Text:  Svi Shapiro, ed., The Institution of Education.
Requirements:  1 term paper, weekly page, journal writing, participation and preparation, portfolio
Maximum number of RC students:  12
Equivalent:  ELC 381

Classes are small usually about 12-30 students at a time ( a huge help when your taking physical anthropology) and the professors are very literate, easy to talk to and creative.

The bonus is that since you can go down to your class in a robe and slippers (which happened on many a monday morning) and since you live with the other students you have more oppertunities to study, communicate and live with your friends. The only time things got wierd was when you started to date the other students... like dating your sister after a while.
I loved RC and Saint did too, in fact he was so impressed with it after one visit during his spring break that he transferred into RC.  

[EUOL]

Ug...Post too long...cannot read...


Uh, are those girls on the floor in the first picture playing paddy-cake?

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

heh yeah they are, thats Georgia and Molly two of the sweetest girls you'll ever meet.  The room there is Ashby parlor and its where the big lecture classes were held, the couches and chairs were pushed around to form a circle and the Prof usully flopped onto a couch with the rest of us. We also had plays, nights at the Improv, jazz and live music as well as a heck of christmas show in Ashby parlor...

So much fun.

[Entsuropi]

How schools should teach - with shotguns!

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

RC had a 4 semester program. It broke American history into 4 categories, and then the "core classes" (of which all residents had their choice from 4 or 5) followed their subject (ranging from polisci, to biology, to literature) in the context of that period. the entire dorm met from time to time for major lectures. One of which was a bra burning. (I was there during the post-WWII semester) at which Jeffe and I, as about the only people with suits that didn't make us look like mobsters, were FBI investigators (damn hippies!)

You also had a secondary class, which is where you got things like Bible as Lit or, in my case, Grail Lit.

One thing about the secondary classes is they were held in the afternoon, and my MWF was harsh, first class at 8am, break for breakfast, then Families in Fiction (my core class), Spanish, Philosophy of the Constitution and Grail Lit in quick succession. I fell asleep on the big comfy couch more than once, even though it was my favorite class. It was for Grail Lit that I wrote my (in)famous paper on Joe versus the Volcano.

The idea of the program was that you'd build a community spirit, since you lived and learned with the same people. There were lots of other dorm activities that got huge attendance, like trips to the zoo and talent nights, etc.

One indication of how great this place was: most of you know of my T-shirt signatures. In one semester at UNCG i ended up with more signatures than in 4 years at BYU. I made some dear friends at both places, but I have more loving memories of RC.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

Yeah , I really loved that place. Theres a few new pictures up at the web site...

Oh and becuase I missed it this year.

We miss you Ben, Your in a better place.