Questions about Your Partner Prep Learning
What did you learn that was new or surprising?
That the pandemic had such a positive effect on helping teachers rethink their classroom environments and pedagogy approaches.
What did you learn that you are most excited about?
That so many scholars and teachers are excited about critical pedagogy, and not just excited, but implementing these mindsets and approaches into their class room and noticing huge positive changes in students.
What did you read that you disagreed with and why?
It is difficult to find something I disagreed with! Some of the resources seemed heavy leaning in the direction of teachers are at fault, and must do differently. Of course teachers have a significant and maybe the most important role in educational settings, but (using the problem solving and reflective approach from the article we read “Train Wrecks: 3M National Teaching Fellows Explore Creating Learning and Generative Responses from Colossal Failures”) it’s important to trace things back to their roots. It’s imperative we focus on the deeper system of a college institution, and the harmful trickle down effects those systems have on teachers. If teachers are not supported financially, or properly trained to teach, or their values are not regarded, they will struggle to change their methods and give students a more fulfilling education.
What did you learn about the values and priorities of the CoLab?
I learnt that knowing what our values mean from a scholarly and action-based perspective is even more important than just being able to list the values of the top of your head. If we understand what those values are, how they work, and how and why they were formed, we are way more equipped to implement them in our work at the CoLab, and support others understanding those values as well. Some of the CoLab’s values and priorities include collaboration, intersectionality, inclusivity and accessibility, thinking outside the box, kindness, critical pedagogical approaches to learning, and helping students and teachers feel empowered.
What questions do you still have?
How do/can students actually assist faculty in the CoLab? What kind of action can be taken to create actual positive change in PSU classrooms and student learning experiences?
Questions about Your Participation in the CoLab:
What kind of work do you want to do in the CoLab?
I want to learn more about the struggles students and teachers face, and support their problem solving process, given that all situations are unique and require different thinking and different answers. I want to keep reading and learning, I find critical pedagogy really fascinating and thrilling to read about. I want to learn more about the role the CoLab plays in the wider student experience at PSU, and what more we can do to have an effect in students’ lives here.
What skills do you want to develop?
Critical thinking and critical reflection, problem solving, interpersonal communication, mistake making, a scholarly perspective to education
When you picture your graduation day, what do you hope you’ll take from working in the CoLab to your future career/ field?
The skills I listed above that I will be working on pre-graduation! I want to be able to make learning more accessible to others, more exciting, and a more personalized experience for people. I don’t know what kind of career I’ll end up having (probably lots of different things) but motivating people, helping them problem solve and think critically, are essential skills for any job, that I know my work at the CoLab will help (is helping me!) develop.