Part 1: "Start where you are..."
"An educator in a system of oppression is either a revolutionary or an oppressor." --Lerone Bennett, Jr.
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When students walk into my classroom, I have two goals for them: take “the work” seriously and learn something worth sharing. When you take “the work” seriously, you subconsciously take yourself seriously. For that reason, I require that students title their writing projects—it shows respect for the work it took to make “the work” work. I also want my students to share what they’ve learned outside of the classroom. Knowledge should be shared and usually, the most memorable lessons happen outside of the classroom. In my classroom, I want to be a backseat driver. I want my students to make the choice to drive, the choice to grow and expand their worldview. I will meet them where they are, but they will take us to the destination. I will ride with them, but I cannot take the journey for them, and I will only go as far as they do.
Teaching Philosophy
Part 2: "...use what you have..."
"When education is the practice of freedom, students are not the only ones who are asked to share, to confess. Engaged pedagogy does not seek simply to empower students. Any classroom that employs a holistic model of learning will also be a place where teachers grow, and are empowered by the process." --bell hooks
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I am very similar to my students. I struggle with procrastination and perfectionism. I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and ADHD as a college sophomore. Because of my unique educational journey, I have been primed to understand my students more than many other instructors. Because it took nine years to finish my undergraduate degree, I am a consummate student; I am always learning. During WP2 my students taught me that they needed examples to fully grasp the objectives of the assignment. I asked them to do either a lyrical analysis of a song or a visual analysis of a music video. When explaining the assignment, I asked my classes to consider how the music impacted the lyrics or visual interpretation. After seeing their blank stares, I thought back to the Student Profile Sheets they filled out on the first day. I knew that the majority were from Kansas. Guessing that they had seen The Wizard of Oz (1939), I played a clip of Judy Garland singing “Over the Rainbow.” To integrate my personal interests, I played Patti LaBelle’s version immediately after. When I asked my students to compare the tones, I actively integrated new concepts into their learning by building on their current knowledge base using pop culture analysis techniques.
Part 3: "...do what you can"
"The teacher is no longer merely the-one-who-teaches, but one who is himself taught in dialogue with the students, who in turn while being taught also teach. They become jointly responsible for a process in which all grow." --Paulo Freire
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Inspired by Freire and hooks, I believe in an engaged, ethical pedagogy where everyone in the classroom is both teacher and student. I believe that we are all “experts” in/at something—even if it is just our own existence. This philosophy inspired how I taught WP1 and WP3. I encouraged students to teach me about their lives and literacies in WP1. Similarly, I encouraged students to research an issue that personally impacted them for WP3. In WP3 many students asked if they should actually send emails to the university president and their other target audience members. I reminded both classes that while this may just be a simple assignment, they can still affect real change. All who enter the classroom are capable of changing themselves and, therefore, changing the(ir) world.
