Lesson Report:
**Title: Orientation Overview: Embracing Liberal Arts Through Critical Thinking and Reflection**
**Synopsis:**
Today’s session introduced students to the foundational structure and objectives of this orientation program with a primary focus on defining and experiencing the liberal arts philosophy. Students were briefed on expectations, such as attendance and final assignments, and engaged in interactive activities aimed at promoting critical thinking, self-awareness, and community building. The session set the tone for an exploratory and discussion-based course that encourages creativity and intellectual curiosity.
**Attendance:**
– No specific absences were noted in the transcript.
**Topics Covered:**
1. **Introductory Materials Distribution:**
– Distribution of readers containing course texts.
– Confirmation that all students had the necessary materials: pen, paper, and readers.
2. **Course Requirements and Expectations:**
– Emphasis on mandatory attendance; missing more than three days results in not passing the seminar.
– The course is pass/fail to facilitate a stress-free orientation experience.
– Two main assignments discussed: a mini-intellectual essay and a portfolio compiling the students’ best work over two weeks.
3. **Understanding Liberal Arts:**
– Introduced the concept of a liberal arts education as broad and well-rounded, encouraging exposure to various disciplines.
– The learning setup’s interactive nature is designed to foster discussion and class participation.
4. **Critical Thinking Exploration:**
– Introduction to critical thinking, emphasizing questioning and intellectual curiosity beyond accepting facts at face value.
5. **Name Introduction Activity:**
– Students introduced themselves by sharing the meaning of their names and contextual stories behind them.
– A follow-up exercise where students created the opposite meaning of their names to stimulate creativity and critical thinking.
6. **Focused Free Writing:**
– Engagement in a focused free write exercise on the prompts: “What does it mean to learn?” and “When is learning easy or difficult?”
– Group sharing of responses highlighting learning as a disciplined, deliberate, and often motivation-driven process.
**Actionable Items:**
– **Preparation for Text Discussions (Before Next Session):**
– Ensure students understand that future sessions will focus on the texts from the readers distributed.
– Encourage students to familiarize themselves with the initial texts for facilitated discussions.
– **Name Card Retention:**
– Students should keep their name cards for the first week to help facilitate community bonding and mutual introductions.
– **Continued Emphasis on Collaboration and Support:**
– Reassure students of available support for any discomfort with course material, reinforcing an open-door policy for concerns or questions.
This report captures the essence of the seminar and will assist in continuing to track the progress and participation of all students as they navigate through the orientation program.
Homework Instructions:
NO HOMEWORK. The transcript primarily covers classroom introductions, foundational discussions on liberal arts education, and initial orientation activities without mentioning any immediate homework assignments.