There are a vast range of tools at the disposal of the teacher as well as the student with the advances of technology. I only use tools that both of us can share in the classroom environment. Using sources and examples available on the Internet or basing the reading in contemporary and more familiar terms to the students is a persistent goal of mine in the classroom. I encourage students, while they are reading, to e-mail me examples that resonate with the text to me so I can show the class the next time we meet. This enables me to determine how they are making connection between the classroom and the world beyond the class.

An example from my time at Syracuse University:

In Public Advocacy, I taught a lesson that used speeches by both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. I had the students copy/paste the text from each site that we visited collectively into a Word document. We listened to both speeches together as a class and then for 5 minutes after each speech, they had the opportunity to make notes and highlight on their versions of the text in front of them. Then, as a collective, we commented on what stood out to them. I marked a version up on the screen that reflected the notes and highlights as the master copy for the collective so we could see where overlapping insight occurred. I then gave them time to speak to each other as a group to state why they thought the overlap occurred. The pairing of interacting with the speech individually and then collectively on the classroom technology gave them two ways to assimilate the speech text and context.

Metaphors are particularly useful while teaching. Putting new or unfamiliar material into terms of something students already have traction with is what I strive to do daily. Most of the material is new and unfamiliar to the students. For example: when dealing with ancient primary texts in particular, I gauge my audience’s palate and place something that the Ancient Greeks would think into 21^st century terms. For example, in a class with multiple athletes and students tuned into the school’s basketball team’s progress, I put the reading in terms of positions on the basketball team and the physical aptitudes of the positions in terms with the mental and physical aptitudes in Ancient Greece society.

Student comment from that class regarding the process:

“I had the distinct pleasure of having Tiara Foster as my TA during the first semester of my freshman year, and I couldn’t picked a better person to get me excited about my chosen major in communication studies. In the time that I have known her, Tiara has proved to be one of the most dedicated teachers I have ever been instructed by. She has been more than the ideal teacher, which is why I can fully and enthusiastically recommend her and her skills.
Tiara goes above and beyond, both inside and outside the classroom. The exceptional amount of time that she dedicated to preparing for recitation was obvious by the level of detail and care that she taught each lesson with. Tiara is extremely approachable and naturally gained the respect and attention of my class. Over the course of the semester, she spent countless hours outside of class and her office hours meeting with me, reviewing concepts that I didn’t understand. Tiara’s patience is endless, and her actions make it clear that her number one priority is ensuring that her students understand the material presented, and can therefore be successful in the course.  I know that I have benefited tremendously from being Tiara’s student, and that the knowledge she impressed upon me will stay with me for many years to come.

I can honestly and without hesitation say that Tiara Foster is one of the most extraordinary teachers I have ever had. Since my classmates and I will always hold her in high esteem, I strongly recommend Tiara as an exceptional and exemplary educator. ”

An example from my time teaching at The Pennsylvania State University:

CAS100a Public Speaking

In a Public Speaking course, I strip the technology to a minimum. I do not teach from Powerpoints and I only use the classroom technology to play pep music before the speeches, show them video examples of speeches so we can grade them together, or reward a particularly fruitful classroom discussion with a fun Internet video–that I can tie into the canon of Delivery, a focus in Public Speaking. Instead of getting them to attend to a screen, I get them to interact with one another and understand their corporeal selves better. I want them to be more comfortable in their own skin since their own bodies and knowing what to do with them are a large portion of delivery. We play a lot of delivery games because most students feel comfortable with outlining and doing research–it is the performance side of the Public Speaking class that is the root of their anxiety. Playing an impromptu game I learned from my time in theater called “7 Things” is a helpful game. It gets everyone up and away from their desks. The students stand in a circle and improv both a topic and seven things that correspond with the topic that they were spontaneously assigned by a peer. There few rules. Most importantly, they have to go quickly and they cannot use verbal fillers–otherwise they are out. Since the course demands they get up in front of their peers for a grade, I like to incorporate this as often as possible because it offers a low stakes opportunity to perform in front of their audience and builds comfort with the others in the room.

Student comment about the process:

“The delivery game was a blast today. Not only did everyone have a
chance to share a laugh and get more comfortable with each other, but we also
had a chance to get comfortable speaking in the room and reducing verbal
fillers while on the spot. I enjoy being forced to speak because it helps me
improve on my goals for the class. So thank you for helping me (and
everyone else) in that respect.”

Sample Assignment for Public Advocacy (can be used for Public Speaking courses as well!):

Blog, Storyboard and Video Project

Choose a topic that you feel passionate enough about to create an advocacy campaign. It should focus on an important social, cultural or political issue. Make sure that the topic aims for the advancement of constructive goals for society, the environment, vulnerable individuals and so on.