Screen Shot 2016-02-17 at 3.09.16 PM“In order to become great teachers, students must experience what it is to be engaged, disciplined and inspired students.” That’s one tenet behind Williams’ Program in Teaching, a combination of coursework, advising, teaching experiences and guest speakers designed to help budding educators. Monthly teaching lunches, a popular aspect of the program, routinely attract 25 to 30 students for talks with education veterans and innovators. Among the recent topics:

Five Easy Steps to Good Teaching: Susan Engel, Williams senior psychology lecturer and Class of 1959 Director of the Program in Teaching

Writing with Children: Gale Jackson, poet and storyteller

What Teachers Should Teach, and Children Should Learn, About the Information World: Lori Dubois, Williams reference and instruction librarian

I Am Not Michelle Pfeiffer: Teaching in America’s Educational Divide: Will Okun, teacher and writer who traveled throughout Africa with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof

Teaching Peace: Carol Bellamy, president and CEO of World Learning and former director of the Peace Corps and Unicef