Closing Time

This past Wednesday marked the final Classroom to Community “class” period. But for the life of me, I can’t figure out what that means. Yes, we’re finishing our lesson plans and turning in final reflections. We’re graduating. We’re running away to South America or taking big kid jobs in Atlanta. It seems to me that it’s C2C version 1’s closing time and though we don’t have to go home, we can’t stay here…Well? GOOD.

The truth is, I’m confused by what I’ll do with my free time every other Wednesday and Friday. I’m wondering what I’ll dream about if not best practices in discussing burning and itching with 10th graders. But the lessons of C2C are vast and unforgettable, dynamic and resonating. So, compadres of the Classroom and the Community: Move on, but not away. Keep learning. Keep observing. Keep experiencing. Keep doing what you do and doing what you never thought you would.

In conclusion, while reflecting on the semester, there are, of course, point moments I remember—many of them surrounding Audra’s facial expressions and the general hilarity of our class members. But the greatest lessons are in a culmination of rare experiences:

• Guest lectures and partnership with TFA teachers in and out of our Rollins classroom
• Developing relationships with some mad cool kids aged 4-18
• Fielding questions from these kids as they actively participate in their learning
• Overcoming the terror of standing in front of a room and teaching something
• Sharing both our successes and our failures in the classroom, in order to grow
• Getting outside that comfort zone we all love and experiencing the doctrines that brought us into public health

But, to be sure, the list goes on. So, to draw on the very voices, which have defined my C2C experience, the following themes have been pulled directly from blog postings throughout the semester.


What have we learned?  Who are we? 

Determination
Engagement
Creativity
Superhero
Community
Diversity
Chatting
Energy
Time to think
Healthy
Teaching
Partnership
Collaboration
Multiple levels
Intensive
HARD WORK
Awesome
Changes
Continuous
Collective
Discussion
Destination
Experience
Healthcare
Education
Resources
Evaluation
I do. We do. You do.
Curiosity
Support
Success
Vision
Jump
Advancement
Leaders
On Fire
Communication
Style
The moment
Awareness
Confidence

Who do you see in C2C?


--Erin McGrath Keyes