Melissa Martlock, now a sophomore, inherited the role of both teacher and student during last Winter Term when she taught a crochet class as part of the Burst the Bubble program.
The Burst the Bubble program is returning to Elon University, providing students with the chance to teach a course during Winter Term. Burst the Bubble programs are relaxed, free and student-led, according to Evan Heiser, assistant to the vice president of student life. They are taught during Winter Term outside of required classes.
“Faculty and staff stay very hands-off,” Heiser said. “It’s a chance for students to learn new skills and explore their passions without using textbooks or having homework.”
Martlock said teaching the course didn’t provide extra stress outside of required work.
“Crocheting is a very relaxing thing for me,” said Martlock. “The biggest issue was simply teaching a lot of people to crochet at once.”
This year, Heiser said downsizing certain classes, which usually contain 30 students, will solve that problem.
“We’ll have more than one instructor for my crocheting class this year,” Martlock said. “Everybody is allowed to go at their own pace, but this way everybody can have more hands-on individual instruction.”
The program started in 2007, and classes are taught one to four hours per week.
“These classes are not as intensive as Winter Term courses,” Heiser said. “They’re very relaxed and not too time-consuming.”
[box]Want to teach a class?
- Print and fill out an application at pend.lu/btb
- Email it to Evan Heiser at eheiser@elon.edu by Nov. 5
- Acceptance letters will be sent by Nov. 16[/box]
To teach a course, students need to apply for approval by submitting a completed application to eheiser@elon.edu by Nov. 5. After assessing the level of interest for each proposed course, students will be confirmed or denied Nov. 16, Heiser said.
Course listings will be available in late November, and students will be able to register after the options are posted, Heiser said.