SOWK 680

I just finished teaching "Children and Families Policies and Services" for the 4th time to social work master's students at Loma Linda University. Every class has a different character - Summer 2007, five weeks, 15 students, they broke me in and the first thing I did the next time I taught that class was ban laptops. Fall 2007, 10 students, we sat around a table and had a great time. Winter 2008, I was getting burned out, three times in a row was a bit much and I was just getting ready to start a new job. A year break, another class, 15 students again, mostly Title IV-E, which was good, most had child welfare or something related experience, so we could have good discussions and what I had to share with them meant something. The class is part lecture, part journal article critiques. The students read articles, write a short critique, present to the class and then lead a discussion. Quizzes and papers too. I am continually amazed that people in graduate school can have such poor writing skills. I don't know how they get in. Not everyone, of course, but I finally had to do a style sheet, with pet peeves to get some results. Nevertheless, I do enjoy it. I think if I teach it again I am going to totally revamp how I do it, just to keep me fresh...