Words from the Graduate Institute, edited by Stafford Wood
There are four types of classes in the Graduate Institute. In all of our classes, we try to create understanding together as a group. Using the words of the GIs, these definitions of our classes attempt to capture the magic of comprehension and creation that occurs in our coursework.
TUTORIAL
Every class is led by a “Tutor” who is a “fellow traveler/scholar who is learning along side us and gently steering the discussion when necessary” (Karen Kohut, MALA @ Low Residency – Santa Fe) who “guides and explores in a collaborative manner” (William Strange, MALA @ Low Residency – Santa Fe).
“Tutorial is where we often tackle the most dense readings but class and the readings are often short enough that we don’t notice this fact.” (Michael Foote, MALA @ Santa Fe)
“All of our classes aim at the same thing: to grapple with the deepest questions posed by some of the books that confront those questions. A tutorial is an opportunity to do it in a more leisurely and patient way, looking closely at texts in small, potent chunks at a time.” (Ned Walpin, EC @ Santa Fe).
But mostly, tutorial is “a rigorous, mind-melting, public exposition of ignorance (in the non-pejorative, Socratic sense) that hopefully leads us into slightly less ignorance.” (Benjamin Altman, MALA @ Low Residency – Santa Fe)
SEMINAR
“The Seminar is a place to focus on the selected segment for the semester.” (Joseph Griego, MALA @ Santa Fe). We “create an arc of themes and goals in a series of texts.” (Alexander Bram, MALA @ Both Campuses). “The diverse readings and discussion are excellent at expanding beyond my current depth, understanding and outlook of the world around me.” (Joseph Griego, MALA @ Santa Fe)
“Each segment in the LA has a seminar, because there the conversation in the realm of thinking of that segment comes into focus more completely than it does in the tutorial because we read so much more in the seminar. Each seminar in the EC travels through a particular conversation, whether Chinese historical and political thought, Chinese religious thought, or Hindu thought, for example.” (Ned Walpin, EC @ Santa Fe)
“Seminar is the bread and butter of the program. It is the marathon class where we plow through as much as possible. It is one of my favorite classes. You get the opportunity to share so many texts with your fellow Johnnies through seminar, which is the foundation of our community.” (Michael Foote, MALA @ Santa Fe)
But mostly, seminar is simply “a discussion with agreed upon rules.” (Ms. Amelia Wolfe, MALA @ Annapolis) and a “loose, improvised conversation that, if correctly managed, sounds a bit like jazz.” (Benjamin Altman, MALA @ Low Residency – Santa Fe)
PRECEPTORIAL
Preceptorial is “an elective that obeys the structure of a seminar or a tutorial” (Ms. Amelia Wolfe, MALA @ Annapolis). With “extensive focus on a single work or related works,” (William Strange, MALA @ Low Residency – Santa Fe) “which is read in absolute detail over a semester and a long paper submission” (Amit sheth, MALA @ Low Residency – Santa Fe).
“Texts come alive in preceptorials in ways that you really can’t appreciate in a tutorial and seminar. Of course, each seminar and tutorial text is worthy of the preceptorial experience. Texts glow in precepts that we can only dream for every text” (Ned Walpin, EC @ Santa Fe). Students find “the additional time and readings helped shift gears a bit and get out of mental jams that may not of cleared had I ruminated on only the other readings/work” (Joseph Griego, MALA @ Santa Fe).
It is the “Alpha-Omega examination of a (typically) singular work, prescribed within the program” (James Reis, MALA @ Santa Fe), “a forced march into the depths of a single text or author resulting in a long paper and (hopefully) a penumbral halo of enlightenment around that topic” (Benjamin Altman, MALA @ Low Residency – Santa Fe).
LANGUAGE (EASTERN CLASSICS, only)
“The language classes are what help give you the skill to analyze a text on a level that you cannot do with just a translation in front of you. It allows one to see a text in a purer light by reading the author’s words exactly as they were written.” (Michael Foote, MALA @ Santa Fe)
“Any ancient language class should ultimately be aimed at translating primary texts from the original/reading the original” (Joey Jekel, MALA @ Santa Fe). “Language is a window into how other cultures see the world and therefore consciousness expanding, not to mention helpful to understanding the original intent of a particular text” (Karen Kohut, MALA @ Low Residency – Santa Fe).
“To really begin to understand Confucius, say, one must understand Classical Chinese. Of course we don’t get to the place of real facility with Classical Chinese or Sanskrit in our language tutorials, but we do get to a place where we can see the force of language on thought” (Ned Walpin, EC @ Santa Fe).
