Design Forward
An emergent exploration of critical instructional design.
Design Forward
Portfolio Part: Jeff’s Teaching Origins
Your Teaching Origins
Jeff’s Teaching Origins
Step One
In the boxes below, Name those things/people/experiences that have shaped your approach to teaching. Describe their Influence. Add as many as you would like.
In the Rank column, try to rank your influences (as best as you can), where the lowest number means the greatest amount of influence.
| Name | Influence | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Robert | Compassion | 2 |
| Vipassana | Openness | 1 |
| Students | Inspiration | 3 |
Step Two
Choose three influences you identified and write three paragraphs about the impact they had on your teaching.
Paragraph 1: Identify specific ways in which these influences can be seen in your teaching.
Paragraph 2: Discuss whether you feel like that overall impact has been positive or negative.
Paragraph 3: Imagine your future teaching self and write how you would like to further integrate or eliminate these influences.
One of my mentors and friends, Robert, has had a significant impact on me as a person and teacher. Specifically, Robert exemplifies a way of being grounded in genuine compassion for others. During my graduate education, he graciously invited me to explore gender and masculinities in both deeply personal and professional ways. He welcomed me into a community of scholars and practitioners. Perhaps most closely aligned with my teaching, he showed me how to bring students into conversation even when they are reluctant and/or openly hostile to the material. In a similar vein, my continued practice of Vipassana meditation has informed my teaching in direct and indirect ways. For instance, I use meditation/contemplative practices as a way to start each class meeting. Students have consistently valued these moments of grounding and connection. Indirectly, the practice has further opened my heart and spirit to my students. Finally, the students I have had the privilege of learning with over the past 15 years are an inspiration, especially as I reflect on the various ways they show resiliency, care, and persistence in the face of often significant barriers.
As is likely obvious from my first paragraph, the impact of these three influences has been overwhelmingly positive. While I am sometimes (well…okay…often) finding myself frustrated with “students these days,” those moments are fleeting. The memories and moments of connection and shared understanding and growth are lasting and keep me motivated to reflect on my own teaching and the ways in which I am creating spaces for connection or disintegration.
I am very much interested in continued growth in terms of compassion and openness inside and outside of the classroom. I continue to struggle with finding a balance between perceived disciplinary and institutional responsibilities/expectations and my belief that higher education should be about the whole person, not just the mind. I am hopeful that PSU is a place where I can really develop new practices grounded in these influences. Time will tell.
