CELT 2021 Presenter Information
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Michael Westwood
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Michael Westwood is a professor in the English for Multilingual Students Department at Bakersfield College. He has been teaching English for a little over a decade in volunteer and professional contexts. He is currently completing an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership through Azusa Pacific University and is a member of the CELEA board.
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Session 2 on Friday, March 5, from 3:30-4:00 (PT)
Leaving the Ninety-Nine: Christlike Concern for Struggling Students
Leaving the Ninety-Nine: Christlike Concern for Struggling Students
Community colleges provide unique opportunities for Christian faculty to model the example of Christ as they support diverse and often under-served student populations. A high percentage of students who attempt community college do not achieve their educational goals. The challenges that students have already faced for years were exacerbated in 2020. While this presents a problem, it also presents an opportunity for Christian faculty to demonstrate a faith-inspired concern for their students. This presentation will start with The Parable of the Lost Sheep found in Matthew chapter 18 and apply principles from that parable to a present-day teaching context. The presentation will describe specific and research-informed strategies for supporting and retaining struggling students. The question and answer period will involve a discussion of dilemmas and challenging situations and opportunities to discuss participants’ own strategies.