Student's Perspective on How to Run a Class by Ashley

Student's Perspective on How to Run a Class by Ashley - August 2017 Scholarship Essay

I would like to teach Groups for social work students because I believe the class can be taught in a fun and invigorating way, which will inspire students to actively participate and succeed in their academics. As a student, I have sat through a variety of different classroom approaches; however the hands-on experience classrooms were the ones I had the most success in. I was never able and still am not able to read a textbook and understand it; I need to participate, observe, and practice in order to be successful. Moreover, I have sat through lectures and was able to learn and understand the information given to me, but I could not put that information to practical use. Over the last sixteen semesters, I have taken an assortment of classes; however the classes where I flourished the most were the hands-on and interactive classes. These classes boosted my self-confidence, skill level, and knowledge on the subject; hence why I would like to teach Groups.
As the professor of Groups, I would have the ability to teach students in a hands-on type of way, where students have to role-model, run a mock group, and learn from practicing. By actively participating and practicing skills necessary to run groups, students are given the opportunity to learn, grow, and build upon their skills. I would treat the class the same way I would treat a group. I would begin by informing the class about the group, the purpose of the group, the end goal, and how we are going to achieve that goal, similar to how groups start each meeting. For the first couple of classes, I would run the group and explain the activity and why we are doing that specific activity. Additionally, I will allow the students to speak openly and be heard by the leader and their peers. After modeling these skills to the students, I would have the students run the group themself. Each student will have the opportunity to run a group, choose activities that have importance to the topic, and increase their skill level and confidence in running groups. Based on my experience, it is my personal belief that students learn best when they are fully engaged and when they can practice what they are being taught.