"Time May Change Me"

Hey Google, play "Changes" by David Bowie

“There can be, and usually is, some degree of pain involved in giving up old ways of thinking and knowing and learning new approaches. I respect that pain” (bell hooks, p. 43)

We didn't have to read Teaching to Transgress to know that change can be painful. I'd like to think that I enjoy change and the spontaneity it brings to life, but even the most spontaneous and free people can be greatly affected by change, especially when that change has to do with the ways they fundamentally think about the world.

As we consider the contributions of Freire, bell hooks, and other critical communication pedagogy scholars throughout our readings this semester it is clear that in order for our classrooms to give voice to our students and become places of self-reflection and learning, we must all engage in a dialogue regarding the necessity of change in how we view our world, and how we make space for others. bell hooks stated, “it is crucial that critical thinkers who want to change our teaching practices talk to one another, collaborate in a discussion that crosses boundaries and creates a space for intervention” (p. 129). 

In today's TED talk (or... Ed talk?? Too much?), dialogue is key, and no matter the pain it might bring to the classroom it is vital to transform it into a space of inclusion and learning. I think I've been "okay" at implementing dialogue such as this in the classroom, whether through offering alternative messages in a group rhetorical analysis, discussing different social issues when choosing a class partner, or solving conflict between Advocacy groups with different goals. However, it's not just something we can sprinkle here and there, but this sort of dialogue should become a new language in the classroom. We should teach students from day one that inclusion and learning are our main priorities, and that students should express their voices and be experts in their own right and that we will offer them the space to do so. 

Tomorrow, as I embark on our week of performance studies and get to talk my students ears off about my dude Kenneth Burke (for 15 minutes or less of course), I want to implement this language of critical dialogue from start to finish. While I can pinpoint specific times these dialogues have occurred in the past, it is important that our students know this dialogue should be constant and have significance not only to certain topics but to the transformation of our class environment and student learning. Not only do I want to empower my students in their ability to express their voice in the classroom and become experts, but in their learning ability to understand each of the topics required, no matter how foreign or difficult they might be initially. 

While it might be painful, unexpected and difficult for us as teachers and our students to experience this change, it is a pain we should respect and welcome. It brings transformation to our classrooms and ourselves, and ultimately displays to our students that they are all welcome and valued!