One month ago I stepped into a traditional academic classroom as a student for the first time in 18 years. When I received my undergraduate degree, I had a cellphone my mother insisted I take on the treacherous 45-minute drive between campus and home, but had no other use for. I had no MySpace account, no Twitter handle, and referred to the hash tag symbol as "pound." Because there was no Internet.
To research my senior thesis, I would drive from Connecticut College in New London to the Bridgeport Public Library once a week where I would take census volumes off the shelf. I would then take notes with pen and paper, replace the volumes, and drive back to school. To supplement these trips, I used microfiche and, occasionally, the Lexus-Nexus terminal which I considered new fangled and scary.
Times have changed and so have I. Being a student at 40 (that's right, I said it!) is an entirely different sensation. In this blog I will explore my relationship to being a student in light of my experiences as an educator and a supervisor of teaching artists. I hope to illuminate my work through increased empathy and perspective. Please let me know what resonates for you.
Jenny Greeman is an artist an educator living in NYC. She is a Program Manager at The Leadership Program and an artistic associate with New Perspectives Theatre Company and Dark Lady Players. She is in her first semester as a Master of Public Administration candidate at Baruch College.