Hi Sengul,

Thank you for this reflection and synthesis of the material this week. You are pointing out some of the major criticisms of the education system and also providing very useful ideas for how to change it for the better, for the sake of the students and the world we want to live in in the future.

I would challenge you on your last sentence though… you say that you ” don’t know exactly how to do, actualize, and achieve this.” Just from reading your writing and hearing you talk in our class discussions, I think you may know more about what to do than you are giving yourself credit for. You’ve got a decent start on the road map (proposals for) what should be done–now it’s time to reflect on that and ask yourself how you will implement them in your discipline. Education–teaching and learning are very human, individual experiences. As long as you are striving to meet your students where they are, to help ignite their curiosity and passions, to help them see and want to be part of a more equitable world, you will find yourself on the right path.

Hi Setareh,

You are making a strong point about the capitalism-driven school factory method and what many would have us believe is the right and only way to educate our citizens. I think you’re asking a good question about what is the role of the teacher. Like all things, teachers and their pedagogy exist on a spectrum. There are many like the ones you describe, who teach rote tasks, theories and technical knowledge through lectures, memorization and assessment of what the students have retained. And then there are others who do the same thing–teaching students about the same kind of content, but in a different way; they facilitate experiences that drive students with curiosity and inspire them to reach for that technical knowledge that is needed to solve the problem at hand. There are teachers who see students as ID numbers within a category (i.e.: “domestic-undergrad” vs “international-graduate,” etc.) and those kinds of teachers, I would bet care more about how their teaching is perceived by administration because of their pass-fail rates and test scores than whether or not their students are actually learning, finding what ignites their passions and growing into the people they will become. To me, the role of the teacher is everything because education, as Seth Godin points out, is about making a human connection, helping students being “seen” as an individual and for students to have an opportunity to ask questions and engage.

You’re probably right that there will always be a place for the school factory method and that certain sectors of society will continue to push forward on the necessity of formal assessment, rote memorization and making sure that we have trained perfect workers. I would argue that an even more powerful movement is on the rise and that is one where education is seen as learner-centered, equitable and individual as the jobs (and world) of tomorrow is going to require a citizenry with the skills to think critically and to solve sticky problems–many of which we don’t even know about yet. I believe our role as educators is to help our students “see” the world in a more emphatic and equitable way, to help them dream/think big, innovative ideas and to help guide them toward becoming engaged and informed citizens.

Thank you for your reflection this week. I think it gives us all a lot to think about. It certainly made me scratch my head for a minute and reaffirm my own views on education, pedagogy and the role of the teacher. This was very thought provoking.

Hi Samuel,
I agree that there is a lot to be said for the moment when it clicks for students in both STEM and humanities disciplines that there is value to be seen in the “other side.” I’m glad that you’re to a point in your education where you’re able to explore new topics to broaden your experiences and help you further develop your critical thinking skills. If you go into education after graduation, have you thought about how you will cultivate this kind of thinking in your classrooms? Thank you for the reflection this week.

Hi Robin,

Thank you for sharing this personal statement with us. It gives a glimpse at who you are as an educator and the journey that brought you to the realization that students need more than help with the technical information–they also need reassurance that they’re going to make it and that someone in their life cares. As educators, we have the privilege of being that person for our students and I so appreciate that it is this realization that drives you to want to be the best educator you can be for your students. Often in the semester, Arash and I have looked at each other and been like “how does she do it? 400 students? *mind blown*” and yet you do; you strive to facilitate learning while also seeing them as people. Thank you for choosing education as your calling. The world needs more teachers with a mindset like yours.

Hi Cindy,
Thank you for sharing this story with us. I appreciate your reflection on the readings and also that you are connecting the message with your practice and leading by example for your co-workers, teachers and staff. I know that little boy (and his mama) appreciate your kindness and empathy during what was obviously an upsetting experience for the little fella. I hope that your actions set an example for the rest of your staff to actually do the right thing when the moment calls for it. Sometimes we are called to help students outside the parameters of the job description. When we can all see our students (especially children) as people and meet them where they are to help them grow into who they will become–well, that’s when we know we have done (or are at least doing) our jobs. Again, on behalf of that little boy and his mother, thank you for your swift action and care during his time of need.

Hello Meredith, Deb, Nayara, Mike, Khaled, & Vibhav!

I appreciated your post this week. You’ve paired some visually compelling graphics with concise language and you get straight to the point on critical pedagogy–in its definition, in its meaning and in its application to your respective disciplines.

I like your emphasis on how enjoyable learning is and that its important to create a positive environment for learning to occur. You bring home the collaboration and facilitation message and I think that is so important in fostering critical thinking in students. It implies a lifetime of learning and the growth mindset, both of which are instrumental to the success of students as they become engaged members of society.

Hi Corrie, Matt, Minh, Kyunghee, Cindy, & Samuel!

I can relate to the struggle of trying to define something that seems a bit obscure–especially when applied to different disciplines and areas of expertise. Despite this, I think you provided a nice definition to Critical Pedagogy and I really appreciate your group’s emphasis on cultivating lifetime learning, a growth mindset and the power of possibility in students (and within the self.)

My favorite part of these jigsaw posts is where each student reflects on how critical pedagogy can be applied to their respective discipline. These are the parts that give me interdisciplinary takeaways that I can tie back to my own field. The overarching theme (even if y’all didn’t say it outright) that I took away from this post is the importance in helping students develop into compassionate, good people who are engaged with society.

Thanks for this thoughtful post!

Hello Stephanie, Mohammed, Hani, Setareh, Bradley, & Raymond!

This was such a fun post to read. Your group definition of Critical Pedagogy is both strong and comprehensive. The definition provided a great framework for thinking about the points (paired with great illustrations) that followed. I especially liked seeing how each of you shared how critical pedagogy can be applied in your disciplines, especially when those applications extended beyond the classroom and into society. You’re right: our students are on their way to being “actively engaged citizens of tomorrow.” We should be thinking about what we want them to know that will carry them through their 30-year+ careers.

Thanks for developing this thoughtful post–especially the takeaways from each respective discipline. Although I’m not specializing in anything field that’s represented in this post, I learned a lot. When we’re all in it to help cultivate “students a spirit of understanding, compassion, connection, and critical thinking” the world will no doubt feel that positive impact from our efforts.

Hi Susan,

Good post this week. You’re asking a lot of important questions about inclusion and access that I think many struggle with. It is a challenge to meet students where they are and to tailor the classroom experience so that everyone is in a good place to learn and benefit–it’s a challenge, but not impossible! I hear you on the laptop/technology in the classroom issue. Owning expensive devices can be a serious barrier for some students, especially since we are growing ever more dependent on these kinds of tools for teaching and instruction.

I am interested in the discussion happening in your comment thread about engaging teachers with workshops/opportunities to improve their pedagogy. I think there has to be a spectrum of reasons/motivations for why faculty attend or why they don’t. In part, I think some might be genuinely interested, but they’re over-worked, so it’s challenging to make time. At the same time, there are clear examples of faculty who could give a shit and just aren’t interested. There are probably 1000 other examples that we could generate, but I think it’s still an important discussion for departments & programs to be having internally about how they can help improve the student experience by offering continuing education to educators.

Thanks for the post this week!

Hi Şengül,

I hear you on the point that social diversity can cause discomfort, but I think this might be a situational phenomenon where in the context of a working-group, the diversity makes for a stronger atmosphere of critical thinking and problem solving. I say this because when we have diverse groups working together, we benefit from having lots of different kinds of people with different kinds of experiences, backgrounds and working knowledge, thus the increased chances that a creative solution will be produced by the collaboration. If everyone is more homogeneous, as Dr. Nelson commented above, then there are likely to be more missed opportunities because everyone may tend to think the same way.