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.