Jose Hernandez
Staff Writer
Professor of Education Carol Morecki-Oberg recently came back from a sabbatical in which she left behind traditional research methods and took a journey of reflection.
In her Monday lecture in the President’s Dining Room, she presented the experiences gained during this period, including time with her mother – which she said related to her methods of teaching other teachers.
“I intended to find out all strategies and combine them to help teachers in their quest to be the best teachers they can be,” Morecki-Oberg said.
Her journey took a different route after she realized that she did not want to do standard research involving note-taking and endless reading of books with the word “strategy” in the title, which is the trend in the world of education today, Morecki-Oberg said.
Instead she sought research to be obtained by a different method.
Morecki-Oberg decided to spend time with her mother and reflect on their relationship. Her mother is someone who has experienced change as a result of life’s natural course.
“People are more important than paper. Is it acceptable to develop … empathy and not try to be published,” she said.
Her mother taught her the importance of taking a child aside, having a quiet talk and asking why he or she misbehaved.
“Don’t embarrass the student, stay calm and be respectful, talk to the student privately and listen to what the student has to say,” Morecki-Oberg said.
Jose Hernandez can be reached at jose.hernandez3@laverne.edu.
