I can't say I came to class with expectations for the first week, but maybe I harbored some stereotypical expectations without knowing it. For example, the relaxed atmosphere made me breathe a little deeper and a whole lot easier. I love relaxed and semi-spontaneous, and that is what I felt when I walked in the door. I am accustomed to more rigid classrooms, with syllabuses that seem fixed, with words like 'quiz, exam, FINAL...' plastered in bold throughout the pages. Just hearing that those words didn't fit into our class brought a quick smile, along with the question of what is going to replace those things. I have a better understanding after the first week of what those things are, and I am excited. Now, excited doesn't mean I have a handle on all the expectations, or even part of them. Rather, it means our class is going to be moving with a beat all its own and I need to try to keep pace with it, and try I will. It reminds me of Jerusalem herself: fluid, changing, questioning.....
I can't help but wonder if our 'experimental' class, with its individual beat and its relaxed atmosphere, might be a perfect way to be able to shed the formality of apprehension I associate with a class and be more myself in thought and writing. After all, unusual as it may seem, it's not able being right or wrong; rather about reflecting and getting involved. That's how I perceive our class anyway. And I think that means I can focus more on what is said-as opinions, as facts-and consider in my own head and heart how it seems to fit into a bigger picture, or if it even does. This is so refreshing. I am looking forward to learning in this style and environment. And, in being able to reflect on our class (yep, I can truly take the time to do this because this is part of our class work) I can't help but realize: though fluid, changing, and questioning, like Jerusalem, it is complex...and deep....and questions can have no real answers, only more questions.....
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