Hail and Farewell To Another Great Class

My class at University of Texas at Dallas ended a couple of weeks ago. I’ve just finished reading all the final papers and posting the final grades. Since the Honors College has been kind enough to ask me to teach again next spring, I will soon begin thinking about revising the syllabus, adding or subtracting readings, and other ways to make the class more relevant and stimulating. Now, though, is the time when I reflect upon, and usually get a little nostalgic about the class that just ended. It was an extraordinary experience, because this was not purely a premedical group of students. These were students in the Honors College, some premeds, but about half the class was made up of students pursuing other fields of study. Since most of my curriculum was built around the relevance of stories to students who were planning on a career in health care, I wondered how the material would resonate with those choosing other career paths. The results were fascinating. Based on the class discussions and papers submitted, I think the class achieved its goal of changing the way these bright, motivated young adults think about the power of story in their own lives, and in society. They challenged the material and me, and in so doing, laid the groundwork for an even better course next year. No teacher ever knows whether the lessons taught will stick, but I can say for certain that the lessons this great class taught me will not be forgotten. I wish them all the best.

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