This week, I'm adjusting back to the time zone where I live, after traveling abroad for what might have been about a week, or three months. It depends on when you ask me. If there are errors in this Field Journal, let's blame it on that, ok?
I revisit my conversation with Gina Ann Garcia and one of my favorite all-time quotes from Teaching in Higher Ed past interviews. Liz Norell helps us think about our language and we discover what people who are younger than we are have taught us.
Listened
Episode 635
Servingness and liberatory teaching
It was edifying to get to speak with Gina Ann Garcia and have her help us explore servingness, liberatory outcomes, and ways to teach Latine students across disciplines. She reminds us that the process is beautiful:
Insisting on clarity in our use of language isn’t pedantic—it’s the only thing that can save us.
I enjoy thinking with intention about the language I use, particularly with something as polarizing as AI can be... Liz Norell challenges us to consider our words carefully, particularly when we use anthropomorphizing language to describe artificial intelligence. She asserts that:
What seems like pedantry can also be precision
Liz links to a number of resources throughout the article and recommends a book at the end, for those who want to explore more.
Once again, the people who make the pudding.cool website have captured my imagination (and my attention). This time, they invite us to play a game to see how well we can efficiently mow a lawn.
Afterward, we can learn how we did, compared to others who attempted the same problem. We also learn about a well known path planning problem called The Traveling Salesman Problem.
Last week, I wondered about the last time you learned from someone younger than you. Here's what some of you shared:
Todd Zakrajsek
Given my age, it still surprises me that nearly everyone I learn from these days is younger than I am. Increasingly, I have been mentoring individuals who are relatively new as directors of a CTL.
As a Boomer, many people talk about subsequent generations not being willing to work as hard as we did. Of course, I am not a big fan of overgeneralizing about groups of individuals, so I am cautious about saying one age group works harder or less hard than another. That said, I receive consistent messages from those younger than me that they tend to value time away from work to decompress, refresh, and gain perspective.
A few years ago in a medical school presentation I was talking about work schedules and one of the older physician educators made a comment about younger docs not having the commitment they did. A younger doc in the room said something to the effect of:
We are just as committed. It is just that we realize that to be the best caregiver possible one needs to be in the right headspace. That requires taking time away from work. We all know the burnout rate and suicide rate of physicians who work all the time. How is that better for patient care?
So, I have been learning to take time away from work. It has been a fabulous lesson. One of my mentees checks in on me when I am traveling to see if I have taken time to see local sites as I promised I would. Without her check-ins, I'm not sure I would have actually started taking some time.
Green River in Dinosaur National Park
Bringing Fossils to Life
Peter Felten
I have so many things to choose from! One of my daughters is an artist, and she has taught me about etching lately. She’s not teaching me how to etch (we live 1,000 miles from each other) but she’s helping me learn about the choices she is making as she conceives of and then creates a piece. I’m fascinated by the creative process so I’m all ears.
Maha Bali
I always learn from younger people!
Last week I attended a Wellbeing in Higher Education event and my 14 year-old daughter attended as a full participant. She was the only person who was not an adult in the room, and she commented that "this is the first time I see so many adults crying".
She made me realize that we as adults and parents rarely ever cry in front of our children or students, and by not doing so, we invalidate that crying is a thing we can do when we are sad or moved. I don't myself cry often, but I know this even helped model something for my child, and her reaction taught me something.
Cyndi Kernahan
I feel like I learn so much, but I tend to forget the specifics. I think for me it’s sometimes a practice of trying to listen, to not talk so much, and to hear how their context, often so different from mine, is shaping their understanding. Sort of obvious, but important to keep remembering.
In hearing them, I think it becomes easier to check myself and to remember that I am only one person, with my own particular context too. We are all limited in that way. Sort of an exercise in intellectual humility. And helpful for teaching, especially when it feels frustrating.
Kerry Mandulak
I learned how to sell my clothes online from my son! He started "thrifting" clothes over the past year (i.e. buying things from the Goodwill bins) and absolutely loves the thrill of the find, and then he resells them on an app - Depop.
Depop is definitely for a younger crowd, so he helped me find an app that was more age appropriate - Vinted - and I've been able to sell a whole bunch of clothes and shoes I'm not wearing anymore, AND I've been able to get a bunch of funky fun things for my Fall semester wardrobe! It's been super gratifying to share this hobby with him.
This week, I'm wondering:
Where do you do your best thinking?
Hit reply to let me know. I'll choose a few to include in the next Field Journal. Let me know in your reply if you prefer to remain anonymous, as otherwise, I'll assume it is ok to include your name.
Noted
Sara Bareilles Lyrics
About grief and coming home
This beautiful song by Sara Bareilles comes from her album called Good Grief. She sings:
What is broken cannot heal Until it's known and loved by name
Trouble viewing? Read this issue in your browser. This week is about rethinking. Our outdated research notions, our roles with and about GenAI, and the way our brains can be reduced to thinking in dualistic ways (yet have the capacity for paradoxes). Listened Episode 634 Outdated Research Notions with Jane Hammons and Adrienne Warner What a treat it was to be connected with these two librarians for this past week's episode. They helped us identify information literacy practices that may no...
Trouble viewing? Read this issue in your browser. This week, we are noticing. About the people and situations around us, about how humor does and does not work in our teaching, about starting new practices and finding new snacks. I also wonder about a ritual you have that helps your day go better. Listened Episode 633 Everyday Acts of Facilitation with Beth Cougler Blom If the world around us is the classroom, then the mechanic, the stranger on the bus, and the person ahead of us in line all...
Trouble viewing? Read this issue in your browser. I get curious this week about how to get things to stick, whether it is putting together the materials I'm sharing at UCI's Pedagogical Wellness Day, or how to get ourselves unstuck from challenging moments in our classes. Also, how to stick the landing, when it comes to our class plans, and how to take notes that will stick around and be beneficial for the long run. Plus, I invite you to reply with some positively sweet gossip about a mentor...
