What this means for you as a student in a class where I’m designated as teacher is that I know how hard it can be to juggle life and school; I know most of the tricks that give the allusion that you’re doing things when you’re really not; I understand how hard and disconcerting it can be to learn new things, particularly things that challenge your own assumptions, beliefs, and attitudes. So I’ll be as understanding and empathetic and sympathetic as I possibly can.

But….you knew that “but” was coming…..

Because whether its required course or not, you are here in grad school because you want to be.  I want to help you anyway I can, but learning is a relationship that means we all have to put in the work.

I like to get out of the way a few things so that you know

  • what my expectations are about your participation
  • what you can expect of me
  • what are expectations about doing the work

Expectations about your participation

If it’s listed on the schedule that you need to do something before class, I truly do have the expectation that you’ll do it before class and come prepared to work with that knowledge in class. Do you have to be expert in it? No. Cause that’s why you’re here. But you need to have a damn good idea about some of the major takeaways OR come prepared with some questions so we can get you to those takeaways.

I also have the expectation that for those three hours a week we see one another that you’re going to really try and be engaged and present for those three hours. I know these block classes are hard. They’re hard on us all, but we’re going to do the best we can. One of the ways we do this is to move and to play and to make and to question. All of these require your participation and they also require stepping outside of your comfort zone at times. All I ask is that you try and not be afraid to fail cause that’s part of the learning process.

You will have to invest about 3-9 hours (this all depends on you, but this is a rough estimate from past classes) outside of class to achieve the goals of the course. As in any new work routine, students may need more hours during the initial weeks as they learn to carry out the assignments in a way that balances efficiency (time required) and effectiveness (extent of coverage, depth of comprehension).

If you have concerns as we move through the term, please talk to me about them.

Your assignments should be carefully written and edited and move toward the learning goals.

Expectations about me

One of the most important things you can expect from me is having an inclusive classroom. What that means is our classroom is a space where we can have open, fruitful discussions and all opinions and points of view will be respected. It’s also a space where I’ll work with you to make allowances for different types of learning abilities.

In addition, my job is to

  • Establish the objectives, assignments, and schedule for the course.
  • Share my knowledge and opinions about topics covered in the readings (where you can disagree if want)
  • Facilitate the transfer of information between and among students through discussions of assigned readings
  • Encourage students to express their opinions and formulate their own arguments on the topic at hand
  • Help you make connections between your existing knowledge and the information being presented in class
  • Publish and maintain the course website that contains policies, readings, assignments, and related information about the course
  • Be readily accessible to you during my office hours or through email.
  • Review and offer directive and formative advice on plans and drafts related to the assignments

Moreover, I have and always will run an open classroom. What that means is you can ask me anything in class or out. Openness means, though, that the classroom is a safe, open space so if you are unsure how to raise a particular issue where we can discuss it safely and openly then ask me outside of class how to do this.

Expectations about doing the work

In many cases, you may see the word “professionalism” when talking about the work you do in class (and eventually as a faculty member or employee). So for me, every graduate course is a mini-lesson in developing a set of habits and practices that are often expected of faculty as employees in the vast majority of organizations of higher education. (And I get that “professionalism” and those habits and practices are often coming from a place of inequality, racism, and discrimination. That’s part of our job as critical thinkers to learn how to operate in one while trying to dismantle one at the same time.)

Yes, even academics have things that mark them as professionals. I want you to grow into a  scholar/teacher that enjoys what they do and understands how to prioritize the work with the rest of your lives.

You have the opportunity to continue to develop necessary  skills, such as reliable communication with me and your classmates, problem-solving approaches, cooperation and collaboration, to name but a few. Use this time wisely to try out new approaches and techniques.

And ask questions. There are lots of things I don’t know you don’t know. I can’t help you unless I know what you need. I do understand that you may not even know how to format he question, but you have to figure out a way to let me know where you’re struggling and we can figure out the question and answer together.