One very memorable time I truly felt that “YES!” feeling inside was when I taught an education course under a tent in Skyline Park in Denver.
I’m writing about this experience now in part because of a book I’m reading by Shane Ketterman: The Meaningful Business Book. I won’t go too much into the details of this book right now other than to say that Shane’s focus on “being of service” in terms of business is one that resonates very strongly with me.
One of the exercises in this book is to remember a time when I REALLY had that feeling of “YES!” Teaching the class in a park in downtown Denver was a bit of an experiment on the part of Metro State. As I would be teaching summer school anyways, and I craved being outside during the summer (and imagined students would as well), this was an opportunity I could not resist. I think most other professors thought I was crazy…
Class convened for the first time and I explained to the students that this one would meet at the park nearby; if they wanted to change sections to the “classroom” course they could. Students looked at me like I had two heads. “What do you mean it meets in the PARK?!?” “Where do we park our cars?!?” “What if it rains?!?” They rapid-fired questions at me. In the end, all of the students in this section of the class oped for the park option, and some students from the “classroom” section even oped to join us. We were off to a great start.
What transpired that summer in Skyline Park can only be described as something transformative and magical. As I write this I have chills remembering the students’ – and my – engagement and exuberance. I literally couldn’t wait for each and every class meeting.
At the beginning this experiment felt kind of strange, tent and white board set up steps away from The Palm and other restaurants, open to the park and the sidewalk. Students and I struggled a bit to adjust to this unconventional setting. Before long we were just enjoying being outside and having great conversations about course content. Enthusiasm and engagement were the highest I’ve ever seen in teaching this course.
Just about every activity I used in the “classroom” setting was adapted or even trashed while we learned about the limitations – and possibilities – of meeting in the park. On more than one occasion a homeless person stumbled into the tent to “check out” what we were doing. This was also a point of this class – to generate community interest in Metro State. While this was not exactly the kind of interest sought, it certainly made for good times and teachable moments.
Sometimes during this summer session we were all giddy and giggly from the beginning of class until the end. Sometimes we ran for our lives to our “indoor” alternative setting amidst lightning bolts, giant rain drops, and gale-force winds. Michael Bennett, then superintendent of Denver Public Schools (now US Senator) came to speak to the class, as did many college and city officials. It was a spectacle, albeit a fun one, from start to finish.
I think about this “YES!” moment now, when I’m figuring out just how the next teaching adventure will pay my bills.
According to Shane, “profit is the result of making a difference.” Teaching moments like these are when I most felt I was making a difference. Re-creating these moments in a way that I might eventually make money doing them again – aside from going back to the “traditional” classroom – while having the freedom to travel is my goal.
