Teachers' Comments

Teaching in TAS . . .

The teachers brought not only rich experience but deep thought and engagement to the topics I presented. I learned a great deal from their comments about the types of students they encounter and the constraints on their curricular and teaching strategy choices. There was also a splendid mix of younger and older teachers, teachers from urban and suburban schools, and teachers and administrators.
    Martha Minow, Harvard Law School

. . . my greatest reward was to work with a class of enthusiastic, intelligent, highly motivated, and experienced adult learners and educators who all wanted to teach more about the Arab-Israeli conflict and Middle East politics, culture, and society.
    Denis Sullivan, Northeastern University

But teaching in the program meant more than I expected it would. University life is wonderful, but insular. Discussions with (the teachers) went in very different directions than discussions with undergraduates or my colleagues, and each night after a seminar I found myself frantically typing . . . new insights and questions and observations.
    Noah Efron, Dibner Institute for the History of Science and Technology, MIT

. . . it has been a rewarding and even rejuvenating experience for me because I had the freedom to explore topics, demonstrations, and discussions that I have been dying to try out. I had expected to be exhausted at the end of the day, but found myself energized. Most importantly, this program keeps alive a vital link between the life of the university and that of our schools.
    Roy Gould, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

TAS is a powerful model for what a professional development program should be. I have been extremely impressed with the teachers. They have been intellectually intense, thoughtful, perceptive, committed and widely read people. Anyone who has taught adults knows how refreshingly different it is from teaching college students . . . but it has been better than this because teachers bring to the course intellectual commitments and experiences of their own that can’t help but illuminate the issues under discussion.
John Burt, Brandeis University

The TAS seminars have always produced different perspectives for me not only on how to teach but on the subjects I teach. I believe it is crucial for university teachers to remain in touch with what is happening in the public schools. If we do not know what kinds of issues our public school colleagues are facing we will not be ready to face the students of tomorrow.
T. Jefferson Kline, Boston University

Learning in TAS . . .

LEAR IN CONTEXT
Bill Carroll, Boston University

Yet another glorious intellectual
adventure. Bill’s thorough and imaginative reading of the play broke new ground for me. Assigned reading enriched conversation and film versions provocative as well. Especially enjoyed combination of lecture and discussion.
Wellesley teacher

Thanks to the powers that be for offering the seminar in TAS. Fun informative and exciting. Longstanding interest in China and appreciate having this opportunity to keep learning. Would love to tell everyone about program but hesitate because I would love to come again and don’t want to be left out!
Moses Brown School teacher

SCIENCE, ART AND MIRACLE
Roy Gould, Harvard University

As a drama teacher I found studying the principles of physics to be mind expanding and its connections with art exciting. Roy Gould is dynamic and thought-provoking. As a teacher, I loved taking a class that was for my enrichment, not for that of my students . . . made me feel good to know that I can still expand my interests and make further connections with the world.
Arlington teacher

Stimulating discussion. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to jump into the thought process that we do not normally have the time to explore. Thought provoking. It often seemed like the leap from one discussion to another was across great expanses.
Westford Academy teacher

This was a marvelous experience for me. Carma is a wonderful teacher and scholar, and I have appreciated her sharing her insights in an engaging, honest, and forthright way. I am anxious to continue to learn about Chinese culture, and I know that being able to share this material with my students will be enlightening for them.
Westwood teacher

WOMEN IN HISTORY
Jackie Jones, Brandeis University

Thank you, TAS, and Jacqueline Jones, for offering another illuminating seminar. This experience has nudged me to examine my teaching of The Color Purple and Song of Solomon in particular. I’m looking forward to returning to this reading and discussion over and over with my friends and colleagues.
Newton teacher

An exceptional opportunity to absorb the lessons of a women’s historian immersed in all the thorny problems of ‘doing’ that history.
Cambridge teacher

THE CLOUDED WINDOW: CHINA PERCEIVED THROUGH
DOCUMENTARY FILM
Carma Hinton, Long Bow, Inc.

A truly fascinating seminar held by an insightful, objective, and engaging speaker. TAS is run in a professional but relaxed format. I look forward to attending again in the future and reporting the many positive aspects of this seminar in my district!
Lexington teacher

Excellent opportunity to interact with an eyewitness to history.
Carma was able to bring out the complexities of trying to document history accurately . . . As a filmmaker, she was able to show us the challenge involved in putting together a film that is “fair”.
Boston teacher

I truly enjoyed today's seminar, The Social Psychology of Language. Gregg Solomon was engaging and great to listen to. His enthusiasm for sharing research done, made you want to know more. The topics discussed today were all interesting to me as an educator. As we begin to teach a more diverse population, we need to be cognizant of how the language of our students and their parents need to be really listened to and respected.

Thank you!

Great workshop! Bob is an excellent scholar/instructor, patient with all students no matter what their background. This was my first TAS workshop and I hope to do more. Though goal isn’t necessarily to learn stuff to use in class, I did.

I have never enjoyed a course, seminar or conference as much as this. I finally (after fifteen years) made a connection between a function, derivative, and integral. This has been the best use of my professional development time in ten years.

Experience broadened my knowledge, given background so I can learn on own. I plan to integrate much into my new curriculum on ancient China.

Opportunity to engage in discussion with other teachers and an expert on this topic is a privilege.

This was my first experience in the TAS program and I thought this course was extremely worthwhile. I appreciated the opportunity to hear other students' poetry and felt energized and inspired to devote more time to my own writing practice. I also learned about new poets and methods of teaching poetry, which I hope to incorporate into my own teaching.

This was a wonderful experience. I feel rejuvenated and can't wait to get back to my classroom to try the techniques that I learned with my own students. The materials were also excellent: the packet of poems and the Anthology. I learned a lot abut some poets that I was not aware of before the class. Sharing ideas with other adults is so helpful for us as teachers. We are often isolated from aother adults; this is a great opportunity to come together and talk about poetry.