Good morning Care & Equity crew!
This is the last week that we will be focusing on Topic #1 of the Care & Equity module. If you want a recap for how to engage in the core resources/ questions/ activities, please refer to dispatch #1!
I’m writing this dispatch right after an absolutely amazing drag show at the Flying Monkey with the CoLab fam. As a queer person, it was beautiful to see the Plymouth community show up in a big way– toting rainbows and smeared in glitter. The show had plenty of laughs and fun, but the drag performers also brought attention to the current rise in legislation to disenfranchise trans and queer people, and the violence that trans people (especially trans women of color) face. The queens put out a call for people to tell stories of real trans and queer people– to humanize the queer/ trans folks facing injustice. As we are exploring equitable classrooms and the role of care in promoting equity, I have been thinking a lot about the power of sharing stories of our experiences, and being honest and vulnerable. In the classroom, this might look like breaking down and reflecting on the professor “persona” that we embody. Where did this persona come from? Who defined it for us? Is it serving us? Our students?
I wrote up an answer to our question: What do you think are some of the qualities of an “equitable” learning environment? reflecting on my semester teaching while dealing with a lot of personal life hardships. This semester, I left behind the expectations of the “untouchable” professor, and just showed up as myself. I love the replies to my reflection, especially Sara’s comment:
When reading this I am struck and stuck on the idea of “the expectations of being a professor”. I remember my first semester I was also stuck in this place. I do wonder what are the expectations, and who is setting them? After my first semester I came to the realization that I could not be what was stereotypical, at least my version of it. In that moment and subsequently since then, I have begun to just be more of my authentic self in and out of the classroom. I will say it is not an easy path to walk. However it is one that has allowed me to build good relationships with the students who walk into the classes that I am engaged in.
Honesty, vulnerability, and authenticity are hard. But humans are hardwired for stories. They help us make sense of the world and develop empathy for our fellow humans. In Who Cares?, Tronto (2015) writes, “Citizens who share a sense of common purpose with others are more likely to care for others and to feel committed to other citizens by virtue of their own caring acts.” To develop a sense of common purpose, it’s necessary to develop empathy for people who are unlike ourselves. Empathy can’t happen unless we learn about each other. I wonder what might change in our learning environments if we invited students to connect with each other by sharing stories, experiences, and perspectives, and modeled that in our own teaching.
Have a great week, folks! I’ll be back next week to outline a structure for engaging in Topic #2!