Field Journal 001: Notes from the Week in Learning + Teaching

Field Journal: Notes from the week in Learning and Teaching

Hello Reader,

This week, I was getting caught up on grading, as we wind down our semester together. I ask the students to share their airport ideas with me as their final assignment. These are the things they most like to talk about from the class, were we to see each other in an airport five years from now. Thank you, Dan Levy, for sharing on Episode 376 about this approach. I receive such rich insights into their learning and they get to reflect on the class in a more meaningful way.

Note: I'm trying a new weekly email format for Teaching in Higher Ed (in case you couldn't tell, already). Please let me know what you think.

Listened

Episode 618

From Awareness to Action: Interrupting Bias in the Classroom

Norma Montague shares her experiences going from awareness to action, interrupting bias in the classroom on Episode 618 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.:

One thing that my work on inclusive teaching focuses on, is really being able to understand your learner's motivations.

Listen now

Read

Virginia Evans

The Correspondent: A Novel

What if we all started writing letters, again?

I loved this book, which celebrates letter writing and the ways the main character deepens relationships through that method of correspondence. The audio book is especially good, since the back-and-forth letters are easier to track, since they are read by different narrators. I'm grateful to Nancy Chick for recommending this treasure on Episode 616.

From the bookshelf

Tried

Getting Back to My Streak

The Bend App ~ for the win

I have had some difficult times these past few months and broke my 300-day streak in the Bend App. 💔 Our daughter (12) told me it was time to get back to the habit. I'm now on my way, thanks to her encouragement. One of the things I love about the app is that I can place a widget on one of my home screens. The character displayed stretching is different each day, along with which move they're doing. My streak is also shown, as a gentle nudge to keep going. 19 days and counting, as of this morning.

The Bend App

Wondered

About Going Slow

How might we give ourselves permission to take our time?

This section is a new space for us to interact with each other, an invitation to notice and wonder together. Each time I write, I'll share something I'm wondering about and then ask you to reply. For this time, I'm sharing a Mary Oliver quote, just to give you a sense of how this will work. Then, I pose a question for next week, below that, and will hopefully hear back from some of you.

MARY OLIVER

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

This week, I'm wondering about habits. How might we take advantage of the power of a streak, without losing all momentum when we inevitably break them?

Hit reply to share your thoughts. I may share a line or two next week, with your first name, or anonymous if you would rather. Just say so in your reply.

From the Field

This week: A Song

AOK by Tai Verdes

I'll be rotating this spot out in each Field Journal with a song, photo, quote, or something else that caught my attention that week. For today, I share these lyrics from a song that's been brightening my spirit when I go for walks:

Living in this big blue world
With my head up in outer space
I know I'll be A-O, A-O-K
I know I'll be A-O, A-O-K

When I see trouble come my way
I'll be makin' lemonade
I know I'll be A-O, A-O-K

AOK by Tai Verdes

THIS WEEK ON TEACHING IN HIGHER ED

Lew Ludwig + Todd Zakrajsek join me to talk about the science of learning meets AI.