This post reminded me of a conversation that took place in another class having to do with assumptions. I find myself making assumptions about the students in my class on a regular basis. And while some assumptions may indeed be true, I think it is important to be cognizant of this sometimes subconscious practice. I believe that if we are to treat our “students as people,” we should not assume things about them or should at least further explore these presumptions. I find myself assuming things like “oh they should already know that,” about course material when in actuality we may not know which courses students have or have not taken or what their high school experience may have looked like. We may assume that they are not interested or engaged in a topic, when really they may not feel that they have been given the space to speak up and voice their thoughts. Even small things such as the assumption that students will take home their syllabus and read it can cause more harm than good. I think this especially pertains to larger class sizes when it is difficult for an instructor to get to know a student on a personal level and may not be aware of a student’s work ethic and learning preferences.
Author: Nicole Arnold
Comment on School Inception by Nicole Arnold
[Our education system still places obedience to authority above all else. As long as this remains the case, the man in charge will be able to get away with murder. Time and time again, institutionalized cruelty is given a pass. Although this was not news to me, it was comforting to know that someone else gets as mad about it as I do.]
Yeah. I’ve seen this occur in broad daylight time and time again when it comes to academia and education in general. Parker Palmer has always made me feel like okkkk maybe I’m not crazy after all. It is so easy to merely not want to be a part of academia anymore. I find myself becoming more and more comfortable with the idea of a job within industry where I’ll make more money and receive more accolades for caring about people and their wellbeing. Maybe that is just wishful thinking on my end, but when we continuously hear the woes of senior professors who genuinely care about teaching and receive nothing tangible for it, it’s disheartening. However, if our generation doesn’t begin to right the wrongs, then who will? Our education system has quickly gone from bad to worse when left in the hands of people who don’t care.
I definitely understand the concerns about the hierarchy within academia. I would like to think that our generation and future generations are more opened minded. I hate to say this but I’ve been in multiple situations where people have literally waited patiently for the “old boys’ club” to retire out.
Recently, I heard a really encouraging snippet of a speech from Meghan Markle. Although this speech has been circulating in lieu of the recent sexual harassment scandals emerging relating to various celebrities (and not to downplay the former cause, but this video is also popular as a result of her recent engagement to Prince Harry), I found it to be encouraging to both men and women in a sense that little actions can indeed promote change, sometimes even when we don’t expect them to.
Comment on Weekly Pessimism vs Seth Godin, and “Famous Colleges” will outlive us all by Nicole Arnold
As usual, I look forward to reading this blog every week. Gives me a good laugh.
Have you met college freshman? They tend to be split into two groups; the ones that email you about how you we’re 0.002 points off with the grading scheme and therefore they deserve an A or the students that show up on the first day and you never see again – you’re not even sure if they’re still in your class or not by the end of the semester. While I don’t believe in hand holding, I think that “coaching” students does not always mean homework by day, lectures by night. If we are going to ask students to listen to lectures or complete reading outside of class time then we need to hold them accountable for doing so. That can become difficult with larger classes. Some students (in my opinion) do not have the discipline and motivation to teach themselves. Therefore, I think we need to cater the in-class and out-of-class selections to the age group and level and also be careful in the way that we account for the out-of-class work.
In regards to the ending of specific degrees comments – I agree with you that we are almost at that point anyway and should not take it any further. I’ve taken many more classes pertaining to pedagogy in my PhD than Food Science classes. A bit scary if you ask me (but I’m also not complaining).
Again, I agree with you that parent advocacy is of utmost importance. I tutor middle schoolers every Tuesday who more than likely do not have this type of support. Oftentimes they do not possess simple skills that almost seem like common sense; for example, having a planner or agenda to write down assignment due dates. Can’t really say where I would be if I didn’t have a mom that listened and guided me through my academic-related mental breakdowns over the course of my 20 years in school. Let’s be honest, these still very much occur. Lol. When I (hopefully) receive my PhD, it will belong to both my mom and I.
I continuously remind myself of (TA) Amy’s comments in class that we don’t need to overwhelm ourselves with too much in relation to changing course practices. Maybe students complete reading on their own every so often. It doesn’t have to be a 100% classroom flip for the full duration of the semester, which I do believe is how the TED talk was framed. The majority of Seth Godin’s points were valid, just a bit overdone.
Comment on Like Deer in Headlights by Nicole Arnold
Amy – I like that you bring up that we as instructors (and most as students too) are just as guilty of being distracted by technology ourselves, so it is a bit hypocritical to merely point a finger. Assisting students in becoming mindful about their own personal habits related to technology usage is a great skill that can be used both inside and outside the classroom. First year freshman may need help in developing these types of skills and habits as the transition from high school to college can be a difficult one, or at least challenging one, for many.
Comment on Like Deer in Headlights by Nicole Arnold
Zhanyu – Distractions to others is a good point that you bring up. I don’t believe someone should be allowed to bother another student in that way. I have observed many courses over the past year and even I feel distracted by what is up on some of the students’ screens (i.e. online shopping, watching football, playing video games, etc. Typically if students are not making eye contact for long periods of time, I assume they are browsing the Internet or doing something they are not supposed to do. I don’t mind if a students feels the need to answer an email right away. However, there is a difference between answering a quick email versus going through the entire inbox.
Comment on Being a Parent Means Multitasking is a Way of Life by Nicole Arnold
Sara – Your blog post made me feel like I was right there going through your daily routine with you! You deserve a round of applause for all that you do! Thank you for pointing out that sometimes multitasking isn’t much of a choice but a must for some individuals if they are to get all that they need to get done actually somewhat completed.
I especially enjoyed your spiel about working in your graduate office. Lately, I have found myself working from home fairly often. I do this because I become so distracted with our open graduate desk area in the HABB building. While it is a great place to collaborate with others, I personally have a difficult time concentrating on school work with everyone moving about. I have considered purchasing noise canceling headphones because general headphones just don’t do the trick. I agree with you that there is something special about getting to chat with fellow peers about all the things related to our subsequent fields of work, however this obviously does take up time away from your own work. I have struggled to communicate this to others as they often view this as me “not coming in.” In my defense, I need to get my work done and can do a load of laundry WHILE working on assignments while at home. : )
It seems as though mindfulness continues to emerge as a theme in this course. While I’ve always identified it as being valuable, I’ve never recognized just how vital it can be to graduate life. With everything swirling around us, it is essential that we be present (in some form) and at most aware of how we are or are not being present – and what or who is affecting that so adjustments can be made if need be.
Comment on Critical Pedagogy by Nicole Arnold
If I had to choose one description as to what critical pedagogy means to me, I would go with, “get comfortable with being uncomfortable in the classroom – recognize and set aside biases.” Discomfort was a topic recently discussed in my graduate teaching scholar class. Is it ok to feel uncomfortable? We, as humans, typically run away from it; we naturally gravitate towards things, people, and situations that bring us comfort. However, if you reflect on times in life when you have learned the most, it can often be drawn back to an instance that wasn’t necessarily comfortable per se. For example, I think about the time I lived in Philly, interning with the USDA for a couple of months. It was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done, but I learned a great deal about food microbiology, travel, what I’m looking for in a potential career, and about myself as a person. I think the same goes for the classroom. While it is important to make students feel that class is a place where they can be comfortable to share their thoughts and feelings, the idea of discomfort comes into play for things such as challenging students with difficult questions, having students interact with people different from themselves, and encouraging students to try things they have never done before.
Comment on Critical Pedagogy: Education as Emancipation . . . or . . . Teach for the Sky by Nicole Arnold
“Neither students nor teachers are static entities, and this has direct consequences for both teaching style and course content. Failure to recognize the fluid nature of a classroom will likely lead to failure.”
This was my favorite part of this group post! How often do we see professors (let’s be honest – especially those that have been around for a while) teach the same exact material over and over again each year? The world changes, people change, and even scientific beliefs and ideals change. Therefore, what we teach in the classroom, as well as how we teach in the classroom, also have to adapt accordingly. A prime example of this is technology in the classroom. At the beginning of my undergraduate career, using a phone in class was typically deemed as unacceptable. Nowadays, technology in the classroom is often encouraged. I think my question to others would be: How do we influence or communicate with others that their teaching practices may need to be modified to be more “current” and/or more open?
Comment on The What and the How of Critical Pedagogy by Nicole Arnold
Brandon – I wholeheartedly agree with you. I think it is the instructor’s responsibility to assist students in seeing their own potential and unique skill sets. My part of the jigsaw puzzle was about Paulo Freire’s teachings, which is very much related to the description you picked out from my group’s blog post. Freire preached education as a pathway for social change, which obviously cannot take place if mind “banking” is occurring. The instructor would need to empower the students themselves in order for them to go on to make societal changes on their own. His teachings also incorporated the idea of “critical consciousness” which relates to your statement as well. Critical consciousness is what I would call a personal “recognition” in itself.
Comment on Encouraging Discussion. Emphasizing Gracefulness. by Nicole Arnold
Thank you for bringing up the topic of grace. I think it is very relevant when it comes to topics that can be controversial. There tends to be a religious affiliation with this word and yet it can be used universally in many different situations. I actually have the definition of grace posted on my desk bulletin board in my building’s graduate office because I find it to be so important, yet oftentimes difficult to give. During this week I’ve also thought a lot about listening versus talking. While diversity and inclusion are obviously topics for everyone to talk about, there are certain times when I feel there is more value in what I could learn from others rather than what I can provide to the conversation. I feel that I can add to the conversation when it comes to creating inclusiveness in a classroom, however when it comes to feelings of exclusiveness as a student in the classroom – I don’t feel that I can really speak to that like others can. That is just me being blatantly honest about the situation!
