I'll learn you good

I have a good friend who is currently experiencing what it's like to teach freshmen in college. She's teaching one of those "First Year Experience" - type courses and needs help.

She sent out an email asking for the following:

"WANTED: Ideas on how to get college students interested in learning easy material and take it seriously. All ideas welcome. Any ideas that work will be greatly rewarded. This teacher is very sad but optimistic!"

My immediate reaction was "tasers and pepper spray!" - but I decided to also think more and give her some supportive and creative ideas.

The only one I could think up was making kids experience things they're not used to. I always enjoyed projects and classes that made me step out of my comfort zone to learn -- then you not only learn more about yourself, but also about whatever different situation you've been placed into.

So you could require that the students take part all semester in some project -- whether it be regularly serving at a soup kitchen or helping out with Habitat for Humanity, etc... -- something that they've not ever done before. Then make them write regular journal entries about their opinions and views on how they're changing and what they're experiencing.

Or you could even make the students do these projects together -- then they can also learn teamwork and build up a cameraderie with each other. Build some good friendships and also some good views on helping others.

That was all I could think of right off, but if any of you lovely readers out there have any other good ideas, throw them into the comment section and I'll pass them on to my prof. friend.