A Seat at the Table with Ms. Wit' the S%#!

As someone who not only loves to cook but also finds cooking as a way to foster community, engage in meaningful conversation (about food or otherwise), and a chance to flex my skills, Susan Wilshire's metaphor of her classes as a great meal made complete sense. When I prepare a session of 1010 or 2020 recitation, I feel much like I do preparing a new recipe. I am throwing together necessary ingredients (concepts) with layers of flavor (entertaining delivery) to then, in turn, invite my students to a seat at my table (discussing and engaging with the concepts).

Similar to cooking for those I dearly care about (as I do for my students and their development), there is much anxiety for the chef. Do my guests enjoy these flavors? Will their pre-existing beliefs and attitudes for these flavors alter their interpretation of my meal? How should I present this meal so my guests are most receptive to it? These are similar questions that arise when I develop a lesson plan however they reflect my anxieties for what students identify as valuable for learning. I place deep consideration in both content and delivery. 

Upon completion, I find myself developing a compilation of the content and activities that foster the knowledge I desire for my students to achieve by the end of our time together. Specifically, I have found myself making a concerted effort to address the content that the course director has planned to assess on the exam (based on the review) as well as information that addresses the topic but in the real-world context. It is important to note that this does not mean the reflection of my real-world context, but instead the reflection of a variety of people's real-world contexts and subsequent experiences that have value.

For example, when we discuss language and it's importance, it is also important to place significance on the implications of language death. Additionally, when discussing listening, why not incorporate strategies from a speaker beyond myself that can improve students listening in everyday life through proposed strategies (not offered in the text). Moreover, to address nonverbals, why not integrate media examples that demonstrate key concepts while addressing student's previous knowledge of the topic?

Tailoring your flavor is not only necessary in the kitchen when preparing a meal for loved ones, but it is also necessary for your students in the classroom. I have learned to not be stuck in my ways or the prescribed recipe but instead, consider too much salt? Add sugar! Too watery? Add flour! Not enough spices? Add red pepper flakes (that s%#! always works!)!

I've come to understand that if I understand my students I will reflect this understanding in my teachings and behavior as their teacher. I will demonstrate trust not only in my abilities to sweeten things or clarify concepts but also trust in my students' own abilities to wrestle with the abstract and unknown. In retrospect, I have identified my most challenging moments of undergraduate were met by moments of "this is why I love this s%#!"! They reflect moments when I was not only receptive to the content but also my own scrutiny and questioning of my own ideas as well as my colleagues. Furthermore, this scrutiny was particularly beneficial in conjunction with the insightful feedback of my instructors.

I invite my students to sit with me as I serve them well-thought-out and developed content that reflects not just the objectives of the course but the problems or issues in life that these concepts can be identified in or challenge. I invite my students to receive my committed interest in their development through the means of insightful feedback and genuine encouragement. I have made it my mission to invite students of various backgrounds to engage in meaningful dialogue (whether to me, their peers, or themselves) that fosters critical thinking and ultimately the transformation of pre-conceived beliefs, attitudes, and values. Furthermore, I wish to invite my students to challenge me to improve and enhance their learning experience. 

In this notion, I am the Solange of teaching. I invite my students to sit with me not only as a distributor of information but #Ms.WitthS%#! - who is with what they need to know and want to know.