Well Rounded Classes?

I was reading a news article at Yahoo! News about how a scientist – a well-known skeptic – has discovered that in fact global warming is real and happening. As I’m reading the article, I star wondering about how can I, just one individual, do something to ease my ecological footprint?

When I started my college career, immediately after graduated high school, my major was chemistry; as I took different classes, I turn towards general science with my sights set on environmental science. However, as the semesters went by I realized that my true passion has always been books and eventually switch to TESL major and working to see if I can get a minor in English. Regardless, my background in science is something that always comes up front and center whenever I read news or articles about the environment or other science branches.

I’m aware that I haven’t taken any classes about how to organize or actually give a class yet; I am only about half way through my degree so there are still many classes left for me to take. Still I wonder, given my class subject, how can I create a well-rounded class? How can I create a class that is educational, practical, current, and is not a snooze fest?

This is a subject that, honestly, worries me a little; how can I, as a teacher, create an environment that allows them – the students – to learn, explore and be creative.
Just because I love reading a lot doesn’t mean that the kids I’ll be teaching will love it too; so how can I offer a well-rounded class. English is such a wide concept that its possibilities are practically endless; and kids have an incredible array of interests that should be allowed to be explored.

Needless to say is that books are in fact an important tool when it comes to classes, regardless of the subject. And they give the tone of how the class is going to develop.

I am an advocate for the arts and culture and i like reading classics, but I’m also an advocate of giving students reading materials that they can connect with. I’m not saying to ignore or completely put aside the works of the likes of Shakespeare or T.S. Elliot – not at all – just to diversify and include other types of reading materials; whether they are articles on current events that affect everyday life (directly or not) or because the materials are books that were written for the present generation.

I don’t believe that anyone should be limited to just one type of reading material; I do believe that one should give others the opportunity to begin their journey into the literary world with a subject or genre that makes them feel most comfortable, then we can help them branch out and explore the ever expanding worlds that can be contained in books. After all, we all begin hearing and reading fairy tales just to move on as we grow up.

Here is the link to the article that sparked this post:
http://news.yahoo.com/skeptic-finds-now-agrees-global-warming-real-142616605.html