The Latin word seminarium, or seedbed, is a graphic depiction of the role we want to play. It’s not about seminaries, so much as it is about seminars−learning experiences that bring the best out of everyone. Hotbeds of creative, yet academically critical, reading, writing, thinking, doing, but above all instructing with the support of peers who share your passion to design great classroom experiences.
In 2013, I joined a diverse team of educators to launch Seminarium: The Elements of Great Teaching. It’s a space devoted to the craft of teaching in the fields of Religious Studies and Theology. The contributors come from a variety of institutions and backgrounds. And the spirit of the project complements much of the conversation taking place here at Sowing the Seed.
My offerings will cover a range of topics about which I’m passionate: the anthropology of scriptures, critical thinking and writing skills, and hybrid pedagogies. Below you’ll find a list of featured posts.
On Writing Body Paragraphs
“The ACE Model for Critical Thinking and Critical Writing,” Seminarium: The Elements of Great Teaching, Fortress Academic, June 23, 2011, a four-part series, http://seminariumblog.org/?s=ACE+Series.
On Writing Introductions
“Writing with a Point,” Seminarium: The Elements of Great Teaching, Fortress Academic, a three-part series, September 8, 2014, a three-part series, http://seminariumblog.org/?s=writing+point+series.
On Hybrid Pedagogies
“Flipping the Classroom: Don’t Sweat the Technique,” Seminarium: The Elements of Great Teaching, Fortress Academic, May 12, 2014, http://seminariumblog.org/general/semtech/flipping-classroom-dont-sweat-technique/.
On The Anthropology of Scriptures
“AAR + SBL: Toward an Anthropological Study of Scriptures,” Seminarium: The Elements of Great Teaching, Fortress Academic, November 14, 2014, http://seminariumblog.org/general/semclass/aar-sbl-toward-anthropology-scriptures/.
“Teaching the Bible and Race in the USA,” Seminarium: The Elements of Great Teaching, June 22, 2015, http://seminariumblog.org/general/semtrends/teaching-the-bible-and-race-in-the-usa/.
You can keep up with my contributions at my author’s page here. And you join the wider conversation via their blog, YouTube channel, Facebook page, and Twitter feed.
Richard Newton, PhD is curator of Sowing the Seed and Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Elizabethtown College. His scholarship focuses on the anthropology of scriptures.
Sowing the Seed 