Great thoughts. I particularly liked this thought: “true learning doesn’t take place in the classrooms of complacent professors.” I definitely agree. And though it is a little daunting to think of the work that must go into avoiding complacency and constantly updating my teaching techniques, I think that it really will make a difference.
Author: Kristin
Comment on Just do your (art)work! by Kristin
I can understand some of the push-back from students who don’t want to do an artistic project, since sometimes its easier to crank out a lame essay on some topic that meets the bare minimum criteria. But at the same time I wish they would appreciate these awesome opportunities to engage with the material in a much more introspective manner. Creative (or innovative, take your pick) projects tend to be more memorable and more meaningful to me, so I say stick with it. They may thank you in the end.
Comment on Critical Pedagogy and Disney by Kristin
I like the definition you all gave, because it was succinct and digestible. I still have a hard time wrapping up the definition of critical pedagogy into something so compact (I would probably start going off on details too quickly…), so kudos to you all! I also love the connections to Disney quotes, that’s one lovely way to think outside the box :).
Comment on Critical Pedagogy in Practice (Not a word cloud) by Kristin
I agree with previous comments, the connection with the image was not obvious at first, but unfolded after some explanation. I could even start to think how other disciplines could be involved in the same visual representation. I think that this is a great example of critical pedagogy in itself!
Comment on Dismantling Racism in Education by Kristin
Thank you for your post, I really appreciate hearing your thoughts. I remember that while I was growing up a lot of friends would boast that they were “color-blind” or some other similar term, and I always wondered whether the way they meant what they said was actually helpful or not. As was said in your quote, this is not helpful. The same quote from the podcast stood out to me as well, and it reminded me that I need to help students/peers/children/people around me understand that “racism is real and it does matter in this society because there are people who make it matter,” even though it shouldn’t matter. How to convey this message is something that I am still figuring out, but I am glad that you wrote this post to remind me.
Comment on What animals can teach us about inclusive pedagogy by Kristin
Thanks for the thoughts. While I was reading your post, I was trying to identify the connection between animals that do care for other species and humans that do care about other humans who may be different than them (and the other way around: the connection between animals that DON’T care for other species and humans who don’t care about other humans). I have to be honest, I’m not entirely sure. I am no psychologist, sociologist, etc. Just a person. But it seems like having respect for others (including a respect for differences) is a start.
Comment on “When we focus on others, our world expands” by Kristin
You are definitely right, taking the time to make sure we are in the right place (as you put it: self-care) is essential to being able to work well with others. And I also agree that it is not always easy to empathize with students who are putting up barriers or who are antagonistic. We won’t be able to reach everyone, but I think that our efforts will generally help the students feel welcome in the classroom and will help us become better educators.
Comment on “When we focus on others, our world expands” by Kristin
I agree, it can take a lot of work and emotional investment, and I have had my own struggles with this as well. But every effort that we put into using empathy in our classrooms is a step in the right direction, despite all of the times that we don’t live up to our aspirations. So keep trying!
Comment on Step Away from the Podium and Teaching as Yourself by Kristin
Thanks for the post. I agree: there’s no point in wasting energy trying to be someone you’re not. And from the list of your strategies, it seems to me like you’ll be a great teacher. I like some of your ideas, like playing music before class starts (I used to do this for an early morning recitation class for a calculus course, and it always got me pumped for the class… though I have no idea how the students felt about it!). Field trips are also awesome, good idea. Good luck!
Comment on Issues with Grading by Kristin
Your point in the last paragraph is what I keep getting hung up on: “Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a fully thought out way to combat this issue.” I, too, hope that eventually we will figure out a better way to assess learning in the classroom, but I constantly wonder HOW? We have lots of written essays about the negative effects of grades, but I still have a hard time seeing any other way working effectively.
