Seth A. Jeppesen is a professorr of Classical Studies at Brigham Young University. His research focuses on religious parody in Roman comedy, the modern reception and performance of ancient drama, and cultural diversity in the ancient Mediterranean.
In addition to teaching Latin and Ancient Greek language classes at all levels, Seth also teaches GE courses on Greek and Roman mythology and an introduction to classical literature. When he is not teaching Classics or holed up in a library somewhere, Seth can be found playing old-time banjo, mountain biking, or exploring the outdoors with his family.
I think it is very important for students to discuss and write about their expectations for an experience before engaging in the experience. I like to use these discussions to help students know, as they go into an experience, how to categorize and analyze it. Before visiting places that are sacred to the culture we are exploring, I have a discussion with students about what places are sacred to them and how they connect with the divine, so that they can look for personal connections in the experience of hiking to the Greek Orthodox monasteries at Meteora, climbing the peak of Mount Olympus, or visiting the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.
For me, the best way to integrate intention and experience is to be among the students during the experience, modeling how to make those connections. At a museum or archaeological site, this can happen through answering student questions and pointing out details that they might not otherwise notice, thus helping everyone remember that our purpose is more than tourism. On campus, this can look like inviting students to act out passages of a play together in class and pausing to discuss the meaning of the lines and how elements of performance can inflect the meaning of a scene and the audience's experience of it.
I like to employ reflection in small doses throughout the term or semester, followed by a larger reflective portfolio assignment at the end. Weekly reflection assignments can help students think about their intentions and experiences at regular intervals, Curating a reflective portfolio at the end of the semester, and giving them the chance to articulate for themselves what has been meaningful in the material covered in class, instead of me checking to see how well they know what I think is important.
In my view, the most important factor in creating an inspiring learning environment is developing a sense of a shared journey together with my students. When we approach education in the light of the restored gospel, it is easy to see that professors and students are all on the same journey toward an eternal goal. If I am in any way in the lead on this journey, the difference is measured in inches not miles, and frequently I feel that many of my students are further advanced along this path than I am! When we imagine education as a journey of discovery that we go on together, it helps create a sense of trust and shared experience that is necessary for fostering inspiring learning.