Teaching, Learning & Assessment

Here is a perspective to consider as we strive to create 'safe' spaces in our classroom. I'm hearing from many students (mostly students of color and LGBTQ) that they are feeling shut down and their pain not acknowledged because of how we as faculty are handling these challenging conversations.

"No, We Won’t Calm Down – Tone Policing Is Just Another Way to Protect Privilege"

(Also see "The Varieties of Anger" below.)

I wrote a statement which I read to my students. It focused specifically on issues related to class in marine science. Here's a link to the text, which I decided to post on my website to share with others: http://kerrynickols.weebly.com/blog/a-letter-to-my-students-after-november-8-2016

Thanks for providing this resource. My sense from colleagues here and elsewhere is that the election will be a continuing topic. I hope all Deans and Chairs will emphasize that the topic is appropriate for faculty to address.

The Chron article is especially helpful as it describes what educators did immediately, with emotions high. I was in that category, with an 8am Wednesday class.

I led off yesterday's classes with showing my undergrads my uncensored, unmodified Twitter stream that I saw at 6am Wednesday. (Screenshot attached.) [Not included. Please request directly from George Station: gstation@csumb.edu] This made sense in context of my FYS 156 tech & society class, as we were already using the technology. It showed the concern of various educator colleagues and of parents. One colleague, I learned, even kept his daughter home from school yesterday. My students didn't want to say much aloud, but they had concerns to share online with each other beyond the in-class conversation.

I also asked them to check on (e.g. text) classmates who didn't come to class Wednesday (there were a few!) and on any younger siblings back home.

Finally, I asked everyone to describe a "third place" in the Oldenburg sense, so they'd realize they had someplace to go in addition to campus if necessary. (Thankfully, "on topic" for my course, so no instructor-guilt on that count.) Link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_place

Dear all,

Along the same lines of the "third space," the students of The Otter Realm decided to open the newsroom to all students who want to share stories, post on a wall, create art, or just write their papers in the lab.

Also, they started a blog journaling about their experience regarding the elections. The only rule is that all posts need to come from a place of care and respect to all views. Everyone is welcome to participate in this collective journal of emotions, resources, poems, support, and ideas from our students. If your students want to participate, please tell them to email Kim Haley (kmaley@csumb.edu) or Rebecca Caladiao rcaladiao@csumb.edu

Or use this:

Otter Realm Google Drive folder

The first posts will start showing up by noon.

Otter Realm Blog

otterrealm.com

Thanks,

Estella