It's the Final Countdown 🎶

It is truly unbelievable that is the last week of the semester. We made it! I want to leave y’all with my three biggest failures and how our Pedagogy class helped me learn from each one. I hope you will appreciate them as much as I do.

Failure #1: Go above and beyond what is expected because students will appreciate it.

HA, wrong! I’m sure some can relate to me on this one. In the beginning of the semester, I would create elaborate PowerPoints, make copies of CIA activities, and even accept Online Activities past the due date if the majority of the class did not turn them in. While I thought the class would see how much extra work I was putting in for them to succeed, I soon realized they simply did not appreciate it. Not only did they not appreciate it, but they weren’t learning because they expected me to hold their hands through it all. I learned through this failure that while it is important for instructors to become prepared to class, real learning can only happen when the students take responsibility in their learning. Elizabeth F. Barkley stated, “We can help them by reversing our typical roles in the classroom. Instead of standing in front of the classroom working hard to present information as clearly as possible to students who are expected to sit quietly  and absorb it, we can set up conditions where they are doing more of the work.”

Failure #2: Try and act super professional and smart so the class takes you seriously.

On the very first day of class, I walked in incredibly nervous. I was nervous of feeling judged and for a group of 30 people to think I am an idiot. Initially, I was going to put on a whole performance as this incredibly gifted scholar who was serious and strict to avoid this. However, when I walked in, I introduced myself and said something along these lines:

“Although this is my first time teaching and I am still learning, trust me when I say I have been in your shoes before. I have been the A+ student, I have been the student athlete, I have been the student that didn’t care about the class, I have been the student that has not shown up to class for a month because they were too depressed to get out of bed, and I have been the student that was able to figure out how to turn it all around. This is a class you will do well in because I am already your biggest fan.”

While Stan Fish would find the nearest trash can to vomit in if he was in class that day, looking back on that first day of class made me realize how vital it is to maintain your identity within the classroom. Echoing the teachings of Palmer, teachers should always remain authentic and teach from their true selves. By remaining authentic, I am able to teach students at a much deeper level than if I were to act like someone I am not.

Failure #3: You can change the lives of all students if you try your hardest.

It took me until Week 15 to realize that I will not be able to change every student’s life and that’s okay. I was having a conversation with a colleague about how some of our students had stopped attending classes and turning their assignments in which resulted in them potentially failing the class. Initially, I took this as my own responsibility. However, I realize that unfortunately, there will be times where we must be the teacher in which the student learns from through failure. My freshman year of my undergraduate degree, I received a 1.9 GPA. However, this had nothing to do with the quality of the teachers or their lack of doing something. Coming from an extremely small high school where I received everything I wanted without trying, I just had to learn through failing classes that I needed to put in the extra work in college. After then, my GPA improved every semester.

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My big take-away is that teaching this semester has truly given me a new appreciation for every teacher, coach, and mentor I’ve had. Until you are put in the position of authority or responsibility, it is difficult to understand how much effort and care our teachers put into what they do (holla' at John Dewey for the experiential learning). The structure of academia and sports are very similar. Typically, you have one individual who is seen as the authoritative figure while a group of individuals are expected to learn from the one individual in order to achieve a common goal. Both of these structures can frustrating for both parties, there is something so unique and special about the bond made between the these individuals that make every struggle seem completely worth it in the end.

"Leadership, like coaching, is fighting for the hearts and souls of men and getting them to believe in you." -Eddie Robinson

#Pedagoalie

Wrap It Up

Let's Wrap this Up!

Summary

Student participation and student engagement are not synonymous. Students may answer questions in class or complete in class activities, but that does not necessarily mean they are engaged. Dannels referred to engagement as a student's willingness to participate and learn. After teaching for a semester, I also argue engagement refers to a student's willingness to take action in her or his own learning process. For me, engaged students are not only invested in the content, but they demonstrate agency and critical thinking skills. In addition, Dannels argues instructors are responsible for creating an engaging climate. Dannels suggests instructors can use immediacy, humor, and technology to encourage engagement.

Speaking of humor, humor is hard. Attempting to instill humor in the classroom actually makes you a little vulnerable. I am putting myself out there when I try to share my sense of humor and engage my class. Its embarrassing when they stare at my blankly. Sometimes you just need to say to heck will it and be authentic to your own humor style. #freshsparklingappropriatehumor

Students are also responsible for their own engagement. According to hooks and Freire, students must have agency in their own learning process. This is in contrast to what Freire identifies as the banking model. This model situates students as passive receivers of knowledge and the instructor as the all-knowing, unquestionable expert. Unfortunately, this is one of the most common educational models. This proved to be a major obstacle for my student engagement this semester as my students often resisted my attempts to dispel the banking model. I even had some students straight up view my attempts to involve them in their own learning processes as teacher misbehaviors. This was very frustrating to me as I really wanted my students be engaged in the material and engage in critical thinking.

Despite my frustration, I needed to remember to not be critical of my students. Fassett and Warren warn against instructors criticizing each other and their students. Instructors need to approach problematic student views with intention to inform, not shut down. Instructors who tell students they are wrong with no explanation will ultimately silence and disengage the student from the material.

Take Away

Both students and instructors are responsible for engagement. Instructors are responsible for creating conducive and engaging environments. Students are responsible for taking agency in their own learning and thinking critically.

How to Use in the Future

Learn your students names, tell stupid jokes, don't be the bankers from Marry Poppins, don't be a dick when your students are wrong, and finally, know you can only do so much. We can't know what all is going on in our students lives. We need to make our class as engagement friendly as possible and then trust them to be gosh danged adults and take responsibility for their education.

#reengage #bye

All Wrapped Up With A Bow On Top ❤️

Seriously, how is it already December? I feel like I blinked and the semester just happened. Over the past few months, I have learned so much about myself as an instructor and as a student. Pedagogy has been an eye opening course for me and I already feel much more confident walking into a classroom.

via GIPHY

I’ve come to learn that I really love teaching. In this first semester, I have been able to figure out what teaching methods work for me and how to effectively create a positive classroom dynamic. I love being able to get to know my students as individuals because everyone has something different to offer. I am so grateful to have formed such great relationships with some of my kids. I love watching them understand concepts and actually engage with course content. Having such diverse classrooms was extremely rewarding because we all learned so much from each other. I loved watching my students become increasingly comfortable with each other, as well as with me.

At the same time, as much as I enjoyed teaching this semester and getting to know my students, it definitely was not always rainbows and sunshine.

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There were times that I literally wanted to pencil dive off the top of the Union. I had my fair share of negative experiences thanks to a variety of things such as my dear student from hell, my six students who decided they didn’t want to show up to class anymore, and uncomfortable discussions in the classroom. Looking back, I think that these negative instances were more helpful to me than the positive ones because I had to learn on the spot how to deal with things. I would argue that you can read all about how to deal with these types of things but you won’t actually learn until it actually happens in your class.

With all the different readings we had, I definitely had ones that stuck out to me the most and helped form my educational philosophy. Friere’s (1970) pedagogy of the oppressed will always be something I keep in mind, as well as Fish’s (2008) “do your job,” McAuliff & Denker’s (2016) approach to giving power and a voice to students in the classroom, and finally the importance of diversity.

I think that going forward, I can only become a better teacher. I am so grateful for this class and even more grateful to have shared the experience with all of you! I have learned so much from y’all and the stories you have shared (and your hashtags). #DontPanic #ThoseWhoCan #ReEngage

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My final words to you folks will be something that I have lived by this whole semester (and also my whole life). No matter what happens- in class, at work, in life, whatever… all you need to do is just #KEEPONKEEPINON

This was supposed to be the post before my final post...whoops!

This semester was crazy y'all. In a good way. I have literally been busy 24/7, same as y'all, I'm sure. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be teaching 3 sections of Intro to Comm. I still find it hard to believe sometimes. With that being said, there was so much that I wanted to teach my students and pedagogy helped she the way I could do it. I think that one of the most important things I wanted to include in my classes was the idea of addressing privilege, self-reflexivity, and just being a good person, in general. We all have students who think that racism doesn't exist anymore. Luckily for them, it doesn't. Why? You ask? Because now we can use Hooks' White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy instead.

It's long but it works. This term helps remove the "whiteness" out of the social issue that surrounds us on a daily basis. I don't think that I had many students who avoid discussing these issues too much, but the times that I did encounter these moments, I made sure that I affirmed their agency. As much as we don't like listening to someone's ignorance on a specific issue, it is our job to listen as much as it is to guide our students to reach awareness. The privilege walk was a great way to do this. Another time  that I feel was important to teach about "whiteness" and addressing privilege was when I included the wall commercial during the week we discussed stereotypes and the types of appeals. There is always a way to implement teachings about challenging the status quo and I think that if we can identify those moments, teaching about difficult topics can become an easy task.

Never hesitate to call people out on their racism. There are jokes that go too far and those can certainly change the tone of your classroom. As instructors, we need to know when it is okay to step up and make things a teaching moment. Don't scapegoat jokes, you're in the position of power and it is your duty to stand up when you know something is wrong.

If your students chose to not learn from what you are trying to teach them, they can always chose to remove themselves from the situation. You're the teacher, help them realize that their mindset needs to change (if it is an entitled one). You're the instructor, you got this. Go on and impart your knowledge!

Mari Officially, officially Out <3

I Bb-Bb-Believe That's all Folk!

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am sad that the end is coming. While I still have this coming week left with my 1010, I wish there was more time since I had a great time teaching and I'll miss my students. Not to mention, all the papers, assignments, and grades that are due, YIKES! (Howard, 2017).

This semester has being a roller coaster, there were good and bad times, not only in teaching but as a student as well. There were challenges I overcame and others I still need to work on. One thing for sure is that I've learned many things throughout the semester some which include dealing with anxiety, building a classroom dynamic, being authentic, and relate to students. Throughout this semester, I have dealt with anxiety in many occasions one which I got ill. I had to tell myself constantly to relax and I would think positive. Another method that has helped was taking naps as part of my breaks or listen to music since that helps me clear out my mind. Luckily, I avoided bringing my anxiety to class except for that one time where I had a personal problem with mt sibling. I used Dannels advice and straighten out my goals for the class that day as well as disclosing to my students that I might seemed a little off. That really turned out great for me because my students were understanding that in the end they were the ones who were able to cheer me up.

I remembered being nervous on my first couple of weeks of teaching because I wasn't sure how my classroom environment would be like, it wasn't until I told myself to be confidence and be my authentic self. I brought my "accidental silliness," a little bit of sass, and dramatic self to class. That really made difference in class since my students started to opening up. I was also able to provide them feedback as well as allowing them to express themselves freely. Majority of my students told me that they liked how they got to talk to other students because it allowed them to know them more and felt comfortable enough to participate in class. I can definitely say that all my classrooms were able to have deep conversations and think beyond when it came to in class discussion. Moreover, I was able to relate with my students. They enjoyed when I shared past experience or stories that provided them an example of the assignment or activity that they had to do.

Furthermore, I intend on keep apply the skills and knowledge that I did this semester, although I need to improve on being consistent with grading as well as being prepared to answer questions I am unsure of. I connected with my students and I am grateful to have been able to teach this semester. I hope that one day I am able to become a professor or even a high school teacher.

#WhatAmIDoing #HappyTeaching #Goodluck

The Privileged Balk

Last post and I'll get out of your hair...


A couple of weeks ago COMM 1010 introduced the chapter on Language, Culture, and Power and my student from hell turned another student into a student from hell. Yes, there are two now--both Fraternity members--both white. Together, they are getting worse in regards of disrupting class and becoming more and more disengaged week in and week out.

I prefaced the privilege walk as a special activity the week prior. The day of I instructed my class that we would be doing the special activity outside. I stay behind the class to make sure that the door is closed and just in case students who are late know that the class is outside today, in case they forgot. As I am the last one to leave my two students from hell try to break off from the rest of my class and run up the stairs so that they would not have to participate in today's festivities. I was young and thought I was slick as well once. Little do they know I was 10 times more hard headed and mischievous than they could ever imagine (Still am). I catch them half up the stairs and let out a loud bolt of "Na ha!! Y'all come back down here right now or I'm dropping two letter grades from your final grades!". Both come back down and claim that they "thought outside was upstairs". I reply, "and I thought Obama was the pope".

The class arrives outside and we start the activity. I explain the privilege walk to my students and after we began. While reading the questions extremely loud both of the student from hell start to engage in numerous conversations with one another (I should have split them apart) instead of listening to the questions. They were asked numerous times to stop talking, they couldn't hear hear the questions because they were over there bumpin they gums!

After we finished the activity we debriefed. This debrief expanded far beyond evaluation on whether the student's liked it or not. By engaging in CCP I got to ask question like why they liked it. As you probably would have guessed the students from hell whom were well ahead of everyone else experienced distaste for the activity. I asked them why they didn't like it and one of them responded with "I just think that it was pointless. It's not going to change anything; I will still treat everyone the same". I almost threw the chair at him, that happens to be attached to the desk. His partner and another white student shouted with joy, agreeing with him. I ask the rest of the class what they think, and the class just shook their heads in disappointment, but no words were uttered.

I'm going to honest, I did not know what made even more upset, the student from hell's stupidity or the silence that occupied the room. I counted to 10 in my head and I responded. For length purposes I will not state what I said. the point I want to make here is a tough one. My goal in the class is to disrupt whiteness by denying students rights to abject scripts. How? By holding a mini lecture and a think pair share discussing hegemony and power the day before the privilege walk. After the lecture and think pair share we as a class debrief. During the debrief we interrogate color-blindness and other techniques that reticulates systems of oppression (Another CCP component). Getting everyone involved is a strategy employed so that students hold each other and the teacher accountable and responsible for their responses. I thought their classmates would call the students from hell out, and it did not happen.

As painful as it might seem, if this is to happen I believe it is our job as educators to educate. I was prepared for students who identify as white to balk on the activities and the talk back. No, we do not want our white students to shut down, for they are an important part of your classroom community and the activity itself. But it is so important to address abject scripting and talks of colorblindness. If they shut down, it is important to let them know it's okay to feel the way that they do, but we must challenge them to think deeper and critically about their responses and the possible ways how it affects others. Even if it breaks their hearts. But oh was I happy to respond to my students from hell!! And honestly I am not afraid of backlash, because I taught them to challenge me, and I promise to challenge them (And oh boi did I!) and that's a tactic and a strategy to acknowledging difference. It is within itself a challenge. Ignoring comments that are problematic and not talking about the "R" word only feeds concepts like abject scripts, Dare Education Be Liberation.

#Thosewhocan
    

Putting a CAP on Feminism

I am a feminist. <--That is such a powerful statement to me. I feel empowered just typing it!

But seriously, being a feminist means a lot to me. Although, I can't just stop there because I am also a teacher. So I must combine these two notions of being a feminist and a teacher and what better way to facilitate these two then by engaging in Communication Activism Pedagogy.

Enck (2014) notes that "from a feminist perspective, the classroom is one of the few spaces where taken-for-granted notions of privilege and power can be productively challenged, and where hopes of social justice and can be voiced." I can only hope to create a classroom environment that serves the purpose of knowledge and social justice for my students.

I want my students in the present and future to be passionate about a social issue and learn how to be an activist and make a difference in the world. As a teacher, I want to challenge my students to think differently than what they have been accustomed to. By no means do I want to force feminism on my students, but I do want to encourage them to be open-minded about a feminist standpoint and how that standpoint can benefit all students, not just women.

Feminists are not solely concerned with the social construction of knowledge, but rather the creation of knowledge. I think it is important for students and teachers to want to create knowledge. After all, that is why we are in this cycle of learning and teaching, right? I argue that instructors and students should seek to find the injustices in their community so they can advocate against them. As instructors, we should all want our students to seek knowledge and truth. I'm not arguing that feminism is the only way to obtain knowledge or truth but it would be a good starting point. If students just so happen to appreciate the feminist perspective and adopt it as their own while being activists for their communities then I encourage that as well. #pedamorgy #stayinyourlain