To be completed before Tuesday, June 13, Zoom session.
Culturally sustaining pedagogy and trauma-informed pedagogy, like open pedagogy, are asset-based pedagogies. As we discussed, asset-based practices focus on strengths of our students and their communities, rather than deficits. Before our next Zoom session:
- Read about culturally sustaining pedagogy;
- Read Mays Imad’s article, “Leverage the Neuroscience of now,” about trauma-informed practices and review Trauma-Informed Teaching and Learning Examples, from the Columbia School of Social Work and Alex Shevrin Venet’s Principles of Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education.
After reading the information at the links above, respond in a few paragraphs to the following questions by posting a comment below.
- What are some ways you currently incorporate culturally sustaining pedagogy and trauma-informed practices into your courses?
- How might you apply asset-based pedagogies to other learning experiences in your courses? Give specific examples.
Bonus listen: For more information on trauma-informed pedagogy, Tea for Teaching has a terrific interview (39 mins) with Karen Costa, an educator who’s been working in this area for several years.
6 thoughts on “Reflection on Asset Pedagogies”
As an art history professor I incorporate culturally sustaining pedagogy by reframing canonical artworks and dominant narratives and contextualizing them with marginal and excluded ones to offer a more comprehensive, or global approach. I tend to focus on the trauma of war, colonialism, and diasporas as a way to not only explain an artwork or artist, but also relate that idea to current debates and issues about cultural repatriation, public monuments, and nationalism. While I raise many of these issues in the classroom, my students don’t necessarily engage with this content in a structured or researched writing assignment. Should certain artworks (i.e. Feathered Headdress of Moctezuma II, Elgin Marbles, etc.) be returned to their country of origin? What is the role of public monuments, whose histories should they represent? These are questions that are posited in the classroom, but that I hope to develop further into a formal writing assignment.
What are some ways you currently incorporate culturally sustaining pedagogy and trauma-informed practices into your courses?
First and foremost, I encourage students to reflect on who they are. This is not always an easy directive. The first few weeks of my writing courses, especially introductory-level courses, will encourage students to use personal experiences as a basis for their writing and their intellectual curiosities in general.
College-level writing can be intimidating. Students often begin a first-year writing class with more fear than reason. Many students will be self-conscious about their writing, especially at the beginning of the semester. They might expect to be corrected or penalized simply for writing sentences. This is a harsh dynamic.
Teacher: Write your sentence.
Student: I wrote the sentence.
Teacher: You did it wrong. You fail.
This is obviously an extremely reductive example, but I do think it encapsulates how many students expect a college English class to unfold. As such, I try to undo this nauseating expectation by having the students do “no-penalty,” “low-stakes” assignments that get the students writing in a positive, supportive atmosphere. No matter what, I tell them, you’ll get full credit as long as put in a sincere effort.
One aim of this is in the realm of asset-based pedagogy, along with culturally sustaining pedagogy. The students will hopefully see their experiences, whatever they may be, as an asset. They will hopefully see their writing, regardless of its perceived “quality,” as an asset. As students enter into more complex assignments, it’s important that they have lots of texts and materials to choose from that might inspire them. As such, a culturally diverse range of texts is important. Maybe they relate to the texts in ways that might surprise them. Maybe the texts are unfamiliar to them, but provide new ideas for students to discover and work with.
I would like to add that a stylistically diverse range of texts is important as well. Reading writers that manipulate language in unusual or unexpected ways can reveal new possibilities for students who might typically find that writing/reading is a path marked mostly by roadblocks and dead ends.
How might you apply asset-based pedagogies to other learning experiences in your courses? Give specific examples.
It’s always a tough decision to determine the size and scope of activities for students. Ideally, I’d have students read their work aloud and share their reflections with gusto. Of course, many students hesitate to participate in class, especially when it comes to sharing writing. I would like to devise a way for students to interact with each other to see that they are assets not to just to the class as a whole but to their peers.
Collaborating on a group project could be a good idea. In a group, students can start by sharing a piece of writing that says a bit about who they are. Hearing a bit about a peer’s personal narrative, as well as the style of presentation, could be a good starting point for collaboration. Writing is often thought of as a solitary endeavor. It could be a good idea to create a shared writing assignment that allows for equal participation and incorporates the strengths of each student.
I would consider a writing prompt that tells students to intentionally “break rules.” Students might have preconceived notions about “the rules,” so it could be a good idea to extract those and use them as creative possibilities. The shared writing assignment could be posted to Brightspace or OpenLab so that other groups can see what everyone has accomplished.
In terms of trauma-informed pedagogy, there are a few things I do. I strive to be very transparent with students about requirements to earn a particular grade. I have also started to incorporate ungrading in many of my classes, which allows students to earn a grade through effort and revision, rather than through getting an answer correct the first time they answer something. This gives them flexibility, allows them to learn at their own pace, and allows learning without the pressure of earning a high grade. In my WI class, I involve students by becoming peer reviewers of each others’ work and provide guidelines on how to give respectful feedback. I also allow multiple revisions for the main writing assignment with my input, as well as peers. I allow students to pick some of the topics we cover in my Consumer Health class. I’ve also tried to have students pick the order of lessons in my Comprehensive Health Education class, but mainly they just chose to go with what the syllabus initially laid out.
I will be teaching a new class for me in the Fall, Human Sexuality, and I want to give students space to explore and be creative. At the same time, if I were to give students an assignment to explore some of the topics around sexuality that have been in the news, e.g. abortion restrictions, trans rights, etc., I worry that they may come across upsetting materials online, or that they may fall into rabbit holes toward conspiracy theories or mis- and disinformation. I also want to make sure that folks from all backgrounds are comfortable discussing sexuality in the class, so keeping a respectful and open mind will become very important. I intend to come up with some guidelines for engagement together with the students on the first day of class, and post what we came up with on their class site. I will likely have to remind folks of our agreement during class time.
When I first began teaching voice, I followed some of the repertoire patterns that I learned in school. I used this formula centered around European Classical music as a model for my students. Very quickly, I saw where this model lacks. Over the last several semesters, I include classical music of all kinds. If students speak languages other than English, I include this work and study as a part of their curriculum. I understand that some of the exclusion and otherness I felt as a student was in part because of this neglect.
I noticed a lack of Music department support during Black History month and created the Afrikan Heritage Month Concert as a part of the larger AHM events at BMCC. This concert gave reason for faculty to program works from the African diaspora. In talking with students after, this experience created a greater sense of belonging and introduced them to new ideas!
I would like to do a better job of incorporating written works by authors from historically marginalized communities. In looking at say, vocal pedagogy, there is a breadth of new materials supporting deconstruction of gender in voice. I think this would benefit all of us.
On the first day of class, I have students introduce themselves giving their full name, where they are from, their talents, skills, hobbies, interests, and what they want to be five years from now. Then I have them choose three to five classmates to form a group where they can ask each other questions to know each other better and get each other’s contact information. They can also ask the other members of the other groups that they want to befriend. This somehow makes students more comfortable and at ease with their classmates.
I share the traumatic experiences I had and how I was able to overcome them. One example is during
9-11. Then I have students share their traumatic experiences and how they are coping. Some students can also give their ideas on how the student could overcome the fear. Then I show them the page in the course syllabus that lists the departments at BMCC that could help them.
What are some ways you currently incorporate culturally sustaining pedagogy and trauma-informed practices into your courses?
On the first day of class, I have students introduce themselves giving their full name, where they are from, their talents, skills, hobbies, interests, and what they want to be five years from now. Then I have them choose three to five classmates to form a group where they can ask each other questions to know each other better and get each other’s contact information. They can also ask the other members of the other groups that they want to befriend. This somehow makes students more comfortable and at ease with their classmates. Some students feel more comfortable sharing their fears with other students.
I also introduce myself and emphasize that I am there to help and support them in their pursuit of knowledge not only in the classroom, but also in my office hour, Zoom meetings if needed, and referring them to the BMCC and community resources.
I share the traumatic experiences I had and how I was able to overcome them. One example is during
9-11. This will make them aware that they are not the only ones who have fearful and horrifying experiences. The students will open up and share their traumatic experiences and how they are coping. Some students can also give their ideas on how the students could overcome their fear. I show them the page in the course syllabus that lists the departments at BMCC that could help them.
How might you apply asset-based pedagogies to other learning experiences in your courses? Give specific examples.
To apply their talents, skills, and knowledge, I use classroom discussions, case studies, role play, and group projects. These activities foster critical thinking, empowerment, and self-esteem.