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Looping Sketchbook Passionate Pedagogy
A Lifetime of Creations
Looping Sketchbook: Welcome
This week helped verbalize my concerns as I form my identity as an academic. In learning about Embodied Pedagogy, I understand the premise of creating a non-oppressive classroom to challenge the notions of neoliberalism (Wagner and Shahjahan, 2015). In addition to creating this environment, it is important to be aware of my positionality in the classroom. Shahjahan demonstrates that the positionality of an academic who is a minority may be perceived differently than an academic of the majority. This really resonated with me as I go through my PhD program, I am becoming increasingly aware of my physical body and the perceptions people may have of me. These perceptions exist whether I am an academic or not. I am learning new things about myself—most of which involve unlearning (Wagner and Shahjahan, 2015) embedded practices in order to embrace my wholesome self. The image that I drew aims to capture my current fears and feelings as I navigate academia. As highlighted by Shahjahan (2014, pg 225), it is important to “renegotiate… neoliberal categories so that individuals of multiple and intersecting identities ensure that their autonomy is not completely colonized and disrupt the neoliberal norms of the academy.”
Looping Sketchbook: About
Looping Sketchbook: Gallery
“The Cesarean split between the mind and body has been at the very center of the Western academic life.”
This quote from Teaching with Tenderness (pg 64) resonated with me and I contemplated the extent to which this notion is glorified in the academy. Additionally, I wonder if it is only attainable by those who portray a Western standard physically and emotionally. Thompson also shares the experience of her black, male colleague, Tyrone shares,” [being] right on the edge between mind and body… the problem is that [his] body is not supposed to be present where [he] teaches. I have to learn to leave the body out of the situation entirely.” He continues to describe the academy as a “decorporealizing process” that earns status. I contemplated how the notions of mindfulness and heartfulness juxtaposed the standards of a successful academic pin the idea of the body in the middle. These ideas have been polarized and I think there must be a medium— a way to accept different notions of "a successful academic" without compromising one’s body. As I reflect over my first semester, I have become increasingly aware of how different I look and this discussion around the body in the classroom has generated some ideas of how my body would be perceived in the classroom and how that would impact students learning. I think Tyrone’s adaptation is the first response, but I also think it’s important to acknowledge the presence of people and their bodies. I also appreciate the specific type of awareness of the body—it is not the same as the representation of the hypersexualized body found in the media. Rather, it is mindful awareness of your grounding source. What grounds you? As I tried to capture in the visualization, I am aiming to align my mind, body, and heart in a place of humility, openness, and goodness. I believe this will cultivate inner-learning, which will influence my abilities to teach and share knowledge with others.
Looping Sketchbook: Welcome
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