The Interdisciplinary Thinking Conference took place this past Saturday, Mar. 14., the attendance was free and open to anyone who took an interest in thinking and teaching across a variety of disciplines.
The committee that put the conference together was made up of Liberal Studies students, banded together in a group called the Big Thinkers. You could see them that day sporting their bright, fresh green shirts.
Patricia Lust, a professor of Music here at Longwood University and the main presiding advisor of the Big Thinkers club, gave the audience members a warm welcome and a sincere thank you for attending the conference that day.
Since the conference happened to fall on Pi Day, audience members were given a brief presentation by two Math majors on the history of pi. Lust then directed everyone to give their full attention to the first keynote speaker of the day, Barbara Young.
Barbara Young is a science specialist from the Virginia Department of Education. She holds a strong background in Elementary Education, and more specifically Elementary Science Education.
Her main focus was on interdisciplinary instruction, the title of her presentation being “You Want Me to Teach EVERYTHING?!” Which fit perfectly into the main focus of the conference.
“It’s how I taught,” said Young when asked about her take on interdisciplinary instruction or thinking in general.
Young strongly believes that classrooms and teachers today are putting an emphasis on testing, rather than lighting the excitement for learning. Her speech was an inspirational remembrance of what the real importance of education is.
Following the first keynote speaker, the conference attendees broke up into four different breakout sessions, each one focusing on a variety of topics. Since all four took place at the same time, conference goers had to chose the one that seemed most interesting to attend.
The breakout sessions lasted for an hour, and when those were over the conference broke for lunch. Committee members, visiting teachers and all the speakers ate together in the Grand Dining Hall.
After the lunch break the conference attendees returned straight into a second round of breakout sessions, which led into the final highlight of the day, the last keynote speaker, Linda Webber.
Linda Webber is an adjunct professor of Education and Special Education, here at Longwood University.
A graduate from Longwood College, Webber has extensive experience with interdisciplinary instruction and promoting classroom teaching. Focusing more specifically on science and social studies as integrating contexts.
When asked of her opinion on the matter she stated, matter-of-factly, “interdisciplinary [instruction] is the only way to go.” Once again repeating her trademark, “You don’t teach in isolation, you teach incorporation.”
Overall, the conference was a success in the eyes of the committee members and the extremely talented keynote speakers that graced the conference with their presence. The committee plans this to be an annual event that all liberal studies students, or anyone with an interest in education, should look forward to attending.
If you’re interested in joining the committee, please email sarah.slayman@live.longwood.edu.
