Lessons Learned in Teaching Seminarians

Team-teaching the J-Term class on Faith, Labor and Economic Life was a rewarding experience. And overall, based on the student evaluations (and our own), it was a smashing success. Below are our reflections on what made the class work.

Ms. Kim Bobo (Interfaith Worker Justice), Ms. Joy Heine (Interfaith Worker Justice), Rev. Kazi Joshua (North Park Theological Seminary), Rev. Dr. Richard Perry (Lutheran School of Theology), and Rev. Mark Wendorf (McCormick Theological Seminary).

The following were essential elements of the class:

• Offering experiences outside the classroom setting. The teaching team tried to schedule some outside experiences for the class and offer others. All students were required to participate in an action outside a grocery store that wasn't paying its workers (unfortunately it was subzero weather). For many students, this was the first time they had ever participated in an action. In addition, students were invited to participate in home visits to janitors, along with an SEIU union organizer and to attend an injured worker forum focusing on Latino day laborers. The students were not required to do these two, but they were strongly encouraged and many did. In order to offer such experiences, the faculty must have connections with labor and community groups. If you do not have such and would like contacts, email me. The residential faculty (Kazi, Richard and Mark) found it very helpful to have nonresidential faculty (Kim and Joy) participating in the class.
• Interviews. Each student was required to interview five workers in low-wage jobs. This worked very well for stimulating students. We provided students with questions, which helped get them started.
• Balance lectures, discussion, and exercises. During the in-class times, the sessions were a mix of lectures, discussion and exercises. This seems important for all classes.
• Outside guests came to class. As part of the class, we invited a number of outside people to speak with the students, including a worker leader from the grocery store (in order to prepare people for the action), several union organizers, and several pastors involved with local worker justice issues. These guests exposed people to a range of experiences and perspectives.
• Class presentations. The class presentations of the projects B songs, poetry, multi-media shows, psalms, journals - were inspiring and offered additional learning opportunities for students.

• Pre-class meeting time. Our class began at 8:30 a.m. every morning. The teaching team agreed to meet at 7:45 a.m. each morning and to invite students to join us for conversation. The time allowed the teaching team to touch base with one another before class and to meet with students on a regular basis.
• All members of the teaching team commit to being present. As busy as everyone is, team teaching requires a commitment by the teaching team to try to all be present for all sessions. Without this, faculty can't build on what one another are teaching and don't understand the questions students are asking.
• Hospitable space. The class is best taught in a comfortable space with room to move around, work in groups, and add guests. We tried to provide some snacks and coffee part of the time. Perhaps the class could rotate on providing snacks.
• Assigned reading. Make sure you connect the assigned readings with the classes and review the literature in class. (We didn't do this particularly well and will do a better job in the future.)
• Anticipate economics questions. Students feel ill-equipped to understand basic economic issues. Help them practice answering common questions and misperceptions.

Here are some class resources used by the faculty:

• Working Class Culture–lecture notes from Mark Wendorf on the cultural aspects of being poor, or at least of the working class.
• Class Outline for "Bible and Theology"–lecture notes from Joshua Kazi on The place and meaning of work in scripture and the experience of Jesus as a carpenter. Jesus must have been familiar with the conditions of self employed carpenters during the period of the New Testament.
• Faith and Labor History Outline–lecture notes from Mark Wendorf on the history of the labor movement and the faith communities involvement.

For more information. . .
If you would like more information or want to get involved in this project, please contact Joy Heine, Project Director, Religious Perspectives on Work, Interfaith Worker Justice, 1020 West Bryn Mawr, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60660, or (773) 728-8400 ext. 33.