I enjoyed your post, both in terms of framing and content. I agree, DAF can grip us to the point that we become immobile, overwhelmed, and frustrated. Yet we must persist. We need to apply the same rigor applied to our own research and analysis also to our classrooms, but in a way that is a bit more personal and reflexive. We need to closely consider our own perspectives and how we can manage our own assumptions and blindspots as a means to better facilitate the same process for our students. In fact, I find that the 30 minutes after teaching (on days when I do not go straight to a class I sit-in on) are some of the most meaningful moments. I typically spend that time analyzing and reflecting on the teaching session.

Hi! Thanks for sharing this week. The research you do on nanotechnology sounds very interesting and it is cool to hear about interdisciplinary relationships within the university. I appreciated your perspective on how diversity generates new ideas and ways of thinking. While it can be hard to break out of your comfort zone and talk to new people, this activity produces interesting conversations and helps expose us to different points of view. I agree with you about interdisciplinary research becoming more popular. As humanity starts to work on more and more complex problems, it will require teams of allied thinkers to help them get solved. How many people are working on your research project with you?

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Hi, I really enjoyed reading your blog post this week. I think you bring up a lot of good points about some of the challenges students face in the classroom. I agree with you that having small class sizes goes a long way toward having a more inclusive environment because the instructor would have more one-on-one interactions with each of the students. Do you have an idea about what you think the ideal small classroom size is in your mind? I’ve had great classes with just 6 students–on the opposite end, I am not sure where I would draw the line and cap the max number of students in a course. What do you think?

Hi, I enjoyed reading your post this week. I wanted to comment on your take-away point:

“I can’t predict who will be in my classroom and how best to include everyone. What I can do, is be aware of my biases (because we all have them) and teach in a way that allows everyone to be successful.”

I think that’s a great classroom and teaching approach. Taking a moment to acknowledge your biases sets a tone for openness and lets you mindfully guide the class into a good semester. You’re right, there’s no way to predict what will happen in your class, but we can facilitate learning and create the best classroom experience possible for our students. Holding our standards high as the educators will help create a community of strength in higher education.

Thank you for your thoughtful post. I do agree with you, there is that thought and feeling of wanting to do more. Though, what I have often found useful is actually doing something. It doesn’t matter how big or small that action may be, what matters more is that something is being done. From your post, it sounds like you are doing something, which is amazing and I am excited to see what you do next.

Thank you so much for sharing your story! It is very interesting that you noted all the rules and laws that you had to learn about the US. I feel that every culture has its own respective rules and laws that guide how people act and behave. In order to be a part of that community and culture, we need to honor those laws and rules to gain a deeper understanding of what life looks like from the people in that culture and community. Thank you again for sharing your perspective and story.

Love the gif! You know, Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed is a book that I will never forget. It forced me to question the work of educators, who had good intentions, but sometimes harmful impacts. This is helped me decide what kind of educator I want to be and how I will define my authentic praxis.