Sequence Spotlights
Sam Owen
Can you talk about your professors in this course?
My professors for this course are Dr. Charles Pazdernik and Dr. David Crane. When we met our professors for the Worlds of Ancient Greece and Rome (WOGAR) sequence, their desire to not only teach us but build a community within the class was prevalent. They both are very understanding and supportive of their students’ various workloads and timeframes. They are flexible and make themselves available in the event that anyone has questions about assignments or expectations.
What has been your favorite part of this class?
My favorite part of this course, by far, was the Reacting to the Past (RTTP) games that we played throughout the year. These games allowed us to embody the views and ideas of many historical figures from the Greek and Roman timelines. This activity not only encouraged us to interact with our fellow classmates but also taught us about the political and social inner-workings of government styles. These games allowed us a lot of freedom when it came to making decisions and forming secret alliances with others. Many of us also spent a fair amount of time outside the classroom working towards our characters' objectives which led to a lot of the class becoming close friends with one another.
How has this class helped you in your other classes/ future career?
This class has taught me how to effectively locate and read various primary and secondary sources in order to complete research projects and assignments. Although I saw this task as daunting at the beginning of the year, Dr. Pazdernik and Dr. Crane instructed all of us on how to accomplish this goal ahead of time which contributed to all of us being successful. This class has taught me to work hard since coming to college but has also shown me that professors in college are open and always willing to help you with your questions and concerns. This class has, by far, been my favorite course this year and has helped me to meet new people and adjust to college life very well. Although I do not plan on studying history or philosophy, I still really enjoyed this class and as a result, history will always be a special interest to me.
What is your biggest takeaway from your sequence?
The biggest takeaway from my sequence is how compassionate and dedicated college professors are to their courses and students. Dr. Pazdernik and Dr. Crane were always quick to respond to emails and questions that I had. They encouraged all of the students in my class to go to their office hours and even hosted online meetings at night if there was a time conflict. This willingness to be available caught me pleasantly by surprise. I wasn’t expecting college professors to be so down-to-earth and personable. The amount of interest and desire shown by my professors really contributed to the success and effort that I was able to put into the class. Having professors who are dedicated and love the course content really encourages students to love it as well. Our professors played a large part in making this sequence so enjoyable that many times it didn’t even feel like a class but more of an opportunity to share our own thoughts on Greek and Roman texts and history.
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