BREWED by the best

Different people come into and leave our lives at different stages, but a strong force from within me compels me to acknowledge Dr Anderson-Lain. Albeit I may lack the exquisite words to explain how she came to my life, she has significantly impacted my career life, and her dedication and commitment to a better and professional me are worth appreciating. When I joined the University to study, I lived to believe I had it all in my #beYOUtiful head.

         

       However, what I held onto changed when I sat and began to listen to Dr Lain, She has augmented my understanding of some pedagogical concepts through different readings, and I heartily dedicate this piece to her. In a class where people of color formed the minority, her meticulous approach to the racial disparity shaped my appreciation of mentorship, showing love, and making home to students of color, derived from Callafel’s (2007) “Mentoring and Love: An Open Letter.” Since I was getting tired of color criticism, her teachings came at a critical time. When I felt hurt by isolation, her words of solace and voice of assurance strongly chased the hurt and saw it as a great avenue to healing. Also, her strong emphasis on the need to live for our culture and esteem love made me reflect strongly on the need to bond with other blacks.  Therefore, Dr Lain’s approach to racial disparities positively impacted my thinking and relationship with people of all races.

     

         Notably, I was worried why fewer students could be attentive during my lessons, but when I listened to her more often, I realized where the problem was and got the solution. She taught me about experience while in the education field, she has shown me the sense of taking every problem in class and making all possible outcomes, as Palmer (1998/2007) argues.

         Remarkably, most aspects of life were full of constraints, and so education was. Although the theories she used underwent criticism, this did not deter her from moving on. Her learning experience was the best for me. Also, I noticed that education was key in solving many world problems: both the old and the new education merged. At times I was worried about how I would present a lesson in front of students from different races and walks of life. Still, she introduced to me the educational continuum of philosophies that Palmer (1998/2007) discusses in “The Courage to Teach” to help me present my ideas with the utmost quality. Therefore, if not for her, I could have grown dumbfounded and deferred, something normal to people from foreign lands.

          

         Through constant interaction with her, I realized that dehumanization also affected the oppressors, although indirectly. I fully understood that liberation from oppression was painful childbirth that needed perseverance and was best achieved mutually (Freire,1970/2000). Dr Lain taught me how not to be an oppressor through Freire’s (1970/2000) "Pedagogy of the oppressed.” This lesson opened my eyes and gave me the stance to push on in education. In my wildest dreams, her teachings dismissed the thoughts. Besides, she opened my eyes to changing education to freedom. Her unique education culture analogy, case studies made me fully understand pedagogy derived from Dewey (1938). One of her analogies opened my eyes to learning that education would always be above fear and it enabled my confidence to learn through Hammond and Anderson-Lain’s (2016) “A pedagogy of communion. Theorizing popular culture pedagogy.”

      

           At this point, I am fully confident to teach and influence the lives of many others. I thank her for being a great pilot in this beautiful pedagogical journey that lasted for 14weeks in class but will last a lifetime outside the classroom.

Wherever the wind blows, remember  #beYoutiful

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Calafell, B. (2007). Mentoring and Love: An Open Letter. Academia.edu.

Dewey, J.  (1938). Experience and education.  New York: Collier

Freire, P.  (1970/2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed:  30^th Anniversary Edition.  New York:

Continuum

Hammonds, K., & Anderson-Lain, K. (2016). A pedagogy of communion: Theorizing popular culture pedagogy. The Popular Culture Studies Journal, 4, 106-132.

 

Palmer, P. J. (1998/2007). The courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher’s life. San Francisco: Wiley & Sons

 

WOMANIFESTING STRENGTH THROUGH TEACHING

                

Womanifesting strength in any condition you find yourself isn't always centered around perceived winning, professionalism, and feeling like a macho. For me, it is sometimes being deliberately vulnerable, filled with humility, showing respect, acting proactively, kindness, being compassionate, applying fairness, etc. 

To Womanifest these strengths and enable total inclusion for all, I adopted these theories from Farrell, Fasset &Warren, Freire, and hooks. 

1: Nurturing Tension

Fasset& Warren encouraged nurturing tension with our students as they get all worked up with schoolwork and expectations they are required to meet to succeed in their various courses.

Something with tension is that it is like a force that pulls at us, demands too much from us, leaves us bent, and sometimes broken. And having a person of color as a teacher, maybe their first-time experience is enough to brew tension. 

It's tricky at times because it's not just the students who are left to figure out how to deal with having a person of color stand in front of them; I deal with standing in front of 'white' folks too by nurturing tensions myself.

Now I know that they need some time off, we meet in class, and I ask them to come up with an activity in their various groups, and we'll do each activity in the class.

An activity that best describes the unit we are covering that week. Because of these activities, the student came up within their tense state; I saw positive critical thinking, community building, productive healing that calmed their nerves.

I end my class with affirmations, where they have to say, "I will do my best to succeed in this course" before leaving the class, more like their exit ticket and on my part, I tell them, "I will also do my best to see that we all succeed in the course".

2: Compromise and Commitment (Take a stance of humility)

In a woman's world, we are called upon to make compromises and show commitment in all we do, which is easy to achieve and apply in my classroom. Then comes humility; Mother Theresa once said, "Humility is the mother of all virtues, purity, charity, and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted, and ardent." I thank Mother Theresa for these words because they ring true and remind me that I don't have to be religious to practice humility in my everyday life. 

Being humble means accepting my limitations and making an effort to make the world a better place without wanting to take all the credit.

I try to put my humility into play when grading and overlooking some bs in the classroom.

Like Fassen and Warren said, to do critical communication pedagogy is to take a stance of humility; it is to listen with an open heart and a willingness to be wrong

3. Pedagogy of Inclusion

According to Farrell (1997), to include all learners in a lesson, it would be helpful if teachers could use behavioral teaching activities such as prompting, reinforcement, and task analysis.

Well, thanks to my supervisor, who had alerted me that some students required accommodation in the class, meaning going extra with them and extending due dates for them where and when necessary. 

I also have students who never talk in class simply because they think they have a strong accent; I did not realize in the first weeks; they came across to me as COLD.

Lo and behold, one of their projects required them to record themselves speaking about the project; that was when I figured what the problem was. I talked to each one of them and assured them we were in this together; I am the mother of THICK accent…. ha-ha

4. Solidarity to the Queer Community

Freire's pedagogies are meant to empower and liberate the oppressed by offering tools to interrogate and deconstruct social structures and transform them. I feared that as a heterosexual woman, I might not know how best to womanisfest strength by showing solidarity to the students who identify with the queer community. But according to Freire (2000), "the essence of education as the practice of freedom; the human world relationship; the awakening of critical consciousness" rests upon us. This awakened and informed me that I need to be conscious when preparing my power points and always remember to address them rightly with their pronouns. I always find a way to put some rainbows in my ppt presentations now.

To conclude, I realized my emotions (pity/sadness) started getting at me when a student misses a class, an OA, or isn't participating actively amongst groups. I realized I have become more vigilant; being a woman came out to play by trying to put myself in their shoes always. 

Learning from other movements in my WGST classes and Pedagogy Classes, I have decided to be fully committed to this teaching task for as long as it lasts while I stay #beYoutiful

We must accept the protracted nature of our struggle and be willing to remain both patient and vigilant.

According to hooks (1994), Our solidarity must be affirmed by a shared belief in a spirit of intellectual openness that celebrates diversity, welcomes dissent, and rejoices in collective dedication to truth." 

Farrell, P. (1997). Teaching pupils with learning difficulties. London: Cassel.

Fassett, D.L., & WARREN, J. T. (2007). Critical communication pedagogy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

Freire, P. (1970/2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed: 30^th Anniversary Edition. 

New York: Continuum.

hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. New York: 

Routledge.

 

Mid-Semester State of Mind

I have realized that I am not the only one doing this work (Teaching), my amazing students are bringing their ‘woke’ lens to the classroom and responding in powerful ways. And the thought of how far I have grown on my own and together with my students in this learning journey sends a chill down my spine.

I find this transformation and transformative classrooms a big testament to Hook's vision of changing the way we think of pedagogy as liberatory for all involved in education. Hook in her writing said, “we are all striving not just for knowledge in books, but for knowledge about how to live in the world.”

From the teacher to the student to the institutions we teach and learn from each other in my new ways every day.

Hmmmmm, Hooks’ so powerful!!

I am most glad to write about the work and progress going on in my classroom, it is Hook’s belief in reflection and praxis, an action that makes it possible for me to teach in a relaxed state and have my students act on their own in the same relaxed state. 

No more calls to come to class early, no more respect talks, no more mobile phones distraction talks.

While I am glad about these improved attitudes and progress from the students, I am also careful not to be carried away and revert to using the Banking Model, rather than exploring learning together.

Thanks to Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed) for bringing to my notice and understanding about the different models of education, having Freire ringing a reminder bell in my head keeps me grounded and focused.

I have made a conscious decision not to be an OPPRESSOR in any form whatsoever (Unwash the brainwash)

Mid-semester seems tough on everyone, deadlines to meet, exams to take, classes to attend, OA, DQs, etc. to turn in every week!

In my mid-semester #BeYouTiful state, I have decided to approach my students as human beings capable of engaging in dialogue any day, anytime. 

 CONSTANT REMINDER:

1: Dialogue is Hope

2: Dialogue is Love

3: Dialogue is Faith

Without dialogue there is no communication, it is our responsibility to sit and listen sometimes.

How else can I handle the Mid Semester pressure and not let it affect my classroom behavior? 

 This question sat in my head without an answer but again thanks to Freire for letting me know that the “students and I can attain this knowledge of reality through common reflection, action and discover ourselves as permanent re-creators” (p.69).

We are co-learners in this journey so I must give students the opportunity to self-select, it helps them have more choice in the classroom.

These are my Mid Semester #BeYouTiFul state of mind and boy, never felt so good knowing that I am taking bold steps towards being a teacher and not an oppressor.

I hope like me, you’re all having a #BeYouTiFul Mid Semester state of mind…… 

Sources

Hooks, B. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. New York: Routledge.

 

Freire, P.  (1970/2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed: 30th Anniversary Edition. New York:  Continuum.

 

Steve, W. (2017). Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed: A visual summary

http://meaning.guide/index.php/2017/07/21/paulo-freires-pedagogy-of-the-oppressed-a-visual-summary/

 

Classroom Affirmations

 

Where are you at Cynthia?

Am I doing enough?

Well, this is how I like to start this reflection.

Going into class the first day, was one of the toughest days I had to face.

I lost my #beYOUtiful self and instantly became an ice block

Ever heard of the Mortuary standard? Yes, that was me on Day1 of teaching.

This isn’t a sad story because it has taken a happy turnaround for me upon exposure to Akyol & Garrison’s (Community of Inquiry) breakdown which led to teaching presence and Barkley, E. F. (Student Engagement Techniques) trust me to apply it all in class.

The first and some part of the second week, did I see a set of disengaged students who made little effort to hide their apathy? Heck yes!!

Applying social presence (open communication, group cohesion, personal affection) skills in class did it for me. YAY

Designing and organizing every class ppt, materials, speaking out loud, making direct eye contact with the students, etc. put me in the proper teacher’s spot in class.

Then I noticed some decent relaxed environment hovering in my classes.

Now that I see improvements with the students, I have decided not to discredit or turn a blind eye to their concerns, thanks to Paulo Freire “Pedagogy of the oppressed”

 

Sometimes Life brings us events that seem so timely.

While doing the Lord’s work (Teaching), I am actively learning (Student), I am changing daily, and this growth I am experiencing feels so comfy. 

Then comes the new colleagues, sharing the same office space, different cultural values, different backgrounds…etc.

How is that going for you Cynthia?

Surprisingly, it's going well with all of them, bonding with some, trying to understand some (respecting boundaries), they’re generally cool.

With them, I feel seen and supported in and outside the space we share.

 

I must say all these are happening at the time I need the knowledge and directions the most.

I find myself outgrowing who I once was and becoming who I am destined to be, and this made me realize that choosing not to settle for less is an act of self-care.

Do you have a supervisor, Cynthia?

Yes, but not today. It’s a whole episode for her so definitely not today

The first few weeks have called upon me to be resilient, have an open mind towards each day of class as I never can say what to expect from the students.

I have consciously reminded myself that being a new bee isn’t a limitation to bringing the fire burning inside of me out.

I have decided not to shy away from questions in class, rather let them know when I don’t have an answer and on my part research, and have it answered in the next class.

I have decided not to forget myself in all of this. I must constantly evaluate myself and give myself all the love I need to carry on.

For September, I leaned towards dedication & consistency. Let’s see what October brings!

I owe it to myself to finally create the teaching life that I desire & dream of, and my affirmation is: I am capable to accomplish each goal I set out for my students and me.

I choose to stop making myself small.

I have what it takes to excel at anything I want to accomplish.

What else?

Did some brainstorming with developing a syllabus on Communication and Aging, and boy haven’t felt so good learning about it! 

The affirmation for me here is that; I won’t stop till I teach Communication and Aging in the nearest future.

I hope this encourages you to make some affirmations this semester.

#beYOUtiful

Sources

Karen. A. Lain, Farmer. R. Dale. Communication in Action: COMM 1010. Plymouth

Barkley, E. F. (2020). Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty, 2nd edition. Jossey-Bass.

Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed (30th-anniversary ed). Continuum.

Akyol, Z., & Garrison, D. R. (2008). THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNITY OF INQUIRY SOCIAL, COGNITIVE, AND TEACHING PRESENCE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Journey Of A Thousand Miles Begins With One Step

#beYOUtiful

That intention to be a teacher in a university somewhere sat on my list for a long time. I had no idea where to start, to be honest, I was intimidated.  A big chunk of doubt crept in even though I’d been teaching in a non-academic environment, I knew exactly what I was doing then but lost all the school of thought in the new setting. I almost talked myself out of this possibility, but instead, I have decided to lean in. Leaning in so far has given me the opportunity to start my first ever teaching journey in an academic setting (UNT)

The inner critic is an interesting thing and, if we are open enough, a great teacher.

 

Today I invite you to stop playing small. Let this be your turn to shine, let this be your time to time, to be your greatest and grandest version, be magnificent you, in the best possible way.

I want you to start speaking your truth more and start living your life exactly how you want. 

I hope your real purpose be revealed to you soon.

 

I strongly insist that you must use these remaining 3 months of the year in becoming the person you always wanted to be and illuminate your world with your inborn abilities, talents, and person. Always tell yourself that you’re choosing to take care of yourself so that you can show up in your roles full vs. depleted.

 

I want you to stop telling yourself that you are faulty, lacking, or incomplete somehow- that you don’t have what others possess to be happy and successful, that you don’t have what it takes to make your life great.

Be committed to showing up for yourself because you’re worthy of your own time, space, and energy.

Remember, no one has what it takes at the beginning of their life journey, we all learn and acquire what’s needed during the journey.

You should create the life you desire by slowing down and turning inward.

Nourish yourself by saying no to overextending and yes to more rest.

 

Remember you are only stuck if you let yourself be stuck. Start doing something that will bring some positive change in your life today and then tomorrow.

 

Remember on this journey, you should outgrow who you once were and project towards who you’re destined to be. Honor your process and stay close to your truth no matter what.

 

I must remind you again that inside you are a star, an incredible person, and a divine being. You have always been enough.

In doubts? Look into the mirror and give yourself some re-affirmation that you got this. I will start: “Hi my name is Cynthia. and I am capable.” Say it with me. “Hi, my name is (Insert name) and I am capable.” Rather, “Hi, we are capable.”

Be comfortable with your heads up high when saying these repeatedly. Let’s call it a daily dose of re-affirmation.

 

Your sleeping genius is ready to wake up, your hidden greatness is ready to manifest, your real worth is ready to sprout. Allow your own sunshine (your passions, natural talents, and abilities) to bloom your seeds of greatness.

 

 

#beYOUtiful

 

SOURCES

hooks, bell. Engaged pedagogy: A transgressive education for critical consciousness, 1998

dannels, deanna. 8 Essential question teachers ask: A guidebook for communicating with students, 2005