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1. Think about a course you have taught or one that you experienced as a student.

2. With that course in mind, describe 2-3 values that you brought to that course (or felt the instructor brought to the course) that made the learning experience more inclusive and accessible.

Note: Please use one sticky note per value.

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I taught a research methods course that had a reputation for moving quickly (dense readings, few application assignments). Mid semester, it was clear that students were falling behind. I wanted to help, but wasn't sure if students would see my "help" as more work. So I asked a CTL Consultant to lead a focus group with students. I wanted to hear directly from students what the challenges were and how I might help.

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collaborative learning, no curve no grades

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collaborative learning, no curve no grades

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Extra points if the quizzes of all in group are high

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A focus on generating insights - as opposed to creating something "perfect" or even complete.

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A focus on generating insights - as opposed to creating something "perfect" or even complete.

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Making physical (or virtual) spaces available for connections with students.

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Teachers can also make mistakes. We all can. It is important to own up to them and learn from them.

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Creating a resource list populated by students as well as instructor.

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Creating a resource list populated by students as well as instructor.

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Sharing with students my class rationale

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Sharing with students my class rationale

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Asking for feedback and then applying (or not) the suggestions they make, but taking the time to go over their feedback in class and openly look for ways to incorporate the feedback. If I cannot, I explain what's my reasoning and try to look for consensus

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Humility/positionality (being honest about where I situate myself vis-à-vis difficult texts or concepts, and with regard to course materials, etc.)

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Humility/positionality (being honest about where I situate myself vis-à-vis difficult texts or concepts, and with regard to course materials, etc.)

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Centering BIPOC academics' voices and perspectives as course texts.

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Valuing a range of learning styles and different kinds of secondary education.

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Valuing a range of learning styles and different kinds of secondary education.

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Approachability (similar to humility, making sure not to model 'mastery' or 'command' as much as thoughtful grappling/reflection)

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Approachability (similar to humility, making sure not to model 'mastery' or 'command' as much as thoughtful grappling/reflection)

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clearly stated learning outcomes, discussed with students and with their input

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clearly stated learning outcomes, discussed with students and with their input

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I learnt from my fellow teaching colleagues that showing vulnerability can go a long way in building trust and respect. For example, sharing a spectacular failure in the course introduction.

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organizing students into pods of 5 students to form stable breakout groups

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Seeing the learning processes as interconnected with understanding social justice movements

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Seeing the learning processes as interconnected with understanding social justice movements

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We use teams in student work. Support teams by sharing thoughts about a trajectory that happens: forming, storming, norming, performing. Help students understand that they are working on trust and leadership models in initial stages. Listen to ones struggling in smaller meetings. Point out the fallacy that the one that speaks first and loudest is best leader. Praise other collaborative leadership models. Get folks to slow down.

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Teaching that vulnerability is a strength, and teacher modeling this value.

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Teaching that vulnerability is a strength, and teacher modeling this value.

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In most of my classes, even pre-pandemic, I would include breathing/groundings moments and free writes to acknowledge that it takes time to drop-in to the learning space.

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I think assessment can be more inclusive. I am trying to assess more what they know than what they "don't know" -- no assessment can be completely culturally-fair, and group work always has issues, but at the end of the course, students are often surprised to discover that they learned something without tests or quizzes (that is the wording students use when we reflect at the end of the course).

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Working to understand the needs of every student.

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Working to understand the needs of every student.

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Polling students during the semester to allow them to share their concerns.

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Valuing long-term goals in learning and giving students space to experiment, learn, and grow.

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Offering different opportunities/ways to engage

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Offering different opportunities/ways to engage

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When I feel class conversation is not as lively as I want, I offer the possibility of participating on a written forum at a later time, and tell students any way of engagement is valid: live and oral, or written and asynchronous (sometimes students feel safer speaking at a later time, especially in foreign languages!)

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"The most important thing [you can teach] is letting everyone know that they are loved and capable of loving." - Fred Rogers

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Respect students as the intellectuals they are.

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Respect students as the intellectuals they are.

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student autonomy and intrinsic motivation

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student autonomy and intrinsic motivation

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experimenting with different approaches to "ungrading" (A for all last spring, self-grading in the fall, contract grading this semester). Totally changes interactions with students.

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Providing space for students to connect with each other - zoom rooms, etc.

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Providing space for students to connect with each other - zoom rooms, etc.

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As the instructor of the course, power dynamics exist and thus it is my responsibility to continuously reflect in my practice and create a more inclusive learning environment.

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Understand the difficulties students face.

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Understand the difficulties students face.

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You are part of something bigger than yourself!

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letting there be space for quieter students to gather their thoughts and prepare to speak up in class

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giving retakes on exams helps reinforce the idea that it's ok to make mistakes and that learning is a process

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A group of students with heads directed towards each other as they read closely a shared material and consider its implications. Low level murmer and discussion as students are figuring out their thoughts together and making meaning.

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Opportunity for anonymous expression of ideas

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Opportunity for anonymous expression of ideas

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Acknowledging my strengths and challenges

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Acknowledging my strengths and challenges

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Started each class with a few moments of checking in with each student to see where they are at the beginning moment of class. Share anything here, really, but give them a chance to just say what's up, and me a chance to listen and become aware.

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As students it is important to collaborate in the classroom. As small groups, students can learn from others and expand upon their ideas and ability to express them clearly

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Creating assignments in various modes so students have a chance to work through course material in ways that they feel more comfortable and/or are challenged to experience new ways

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Critical thinking that is done in a safe environment

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Critical thinking that is done in a safe environment

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inviting feedback throughout the semester

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inviting feedback throughout the semester

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(i.e. not just at the end of the semester)

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Trying to be democratic and inclusive without being dishonest about what I think it's important

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Trying to be democratic and inclusive without being dishonest about what I think it's important

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When possible, I create assignments that allow students to choose topics (or explore specific avenues within a larger. topic) that they are interested in, that relate to them on personal and scholarly level.

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Making space for students' history-in-person as a resource for sense making about formal course material

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Making space for students' history-in-person as a resource for sense making about formal course material

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It's okay and encouraged to ask for help and to ask questions. We gave extra credit for attending office hours or tutoring sessions.

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To speak your truth and heart in the classroom.

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Validating student expertise and experience as relevant to the course

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Validating student expertise and experience as relevant to the course

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I try to create spaces in my class discussions and assignments where students can reflect upon and teach others based upon their own experience of places and circumstances from their own lives.

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As one student talks and shares honestly or takes intellectually risks, classmate listen closely, supporting the colleague and hearing the comments.

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How skilled instructors listen to their students, and follow up with thoughtful clarifications or questions

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Encouraging students in my professional skills class (writing case studies for interviews) to get honest about their struggles with a project as they write their case study, and encouraging them to own their own unique experience, as well as helping them own their contributions

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making space for students' expertise and experience in to inform and direct the trajectory of the course

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Tried to be honest with students about my own, institutional, social, historical challenges

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openly naming oppressive nature of (math) education 

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openly naming oppressive nature of (math) education 

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Another one of my core values is HOPE. I bring hope and positivity to my classes and I encourage that in my class, too.

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I purposely started with work that was deeply relevant to the course themes but wouldn't be the "go to" texts, this gave me and the students a different foundation for the course

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Using a student questionnaire to give students the opportunity to privately share pronouns, concerns, etc.

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Using a student questionnaire to give students the opportunity to privately share pronouns, concerns, etc.

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iteration/changing course based on student feedback

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iteration/changing course based on student feedback

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challenging material that is honestly engaged

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challenging material that is honestly engaged

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Bringing all students into the room, when in person or now in zoom room - asking them to engage in discussion, provide input

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Bringing all students into the room, when in person or now in zoom room - asking them to engage in discussion, provide input

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Starting class with acknowledgement of what's going on in the world/life and how that inflects our purposes for learning that day

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Willingness to acknowledge what I don't know

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Willingness to acknowledge what I don't know

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Mutual, co-created , learning environment

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Mutual, co-created , learning environment

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I try to foster an environment where students can take risks, be themselves, allow themselves to be transformed by the process, and where I am also open to that transformation.

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I want to make sure that I tailor my lessons to what the students can learn and then remember well. I check in with my students and ask them for feedback.

Be gentle and kind:
Students have very different life situations, and listening to their concerns is really important.

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Competing but respectful and energetic discussion about a topic. Multiple voices filling the room

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Explicitly acknowledging the racism present in the material

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Explicitly acknowledging the racism present in the material

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Notice if it's always the same students participating and encourage others to jump in.

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I usually explain to my students, particularly when I am describing a historical event, that I have my own ideological bias, and I explain why, showing my own cultural upbringing

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believing that our actions can change the world

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believing that our actions can change the world

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showing students that what they learn and actions they take can make a positive difference in the world

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Importance of listening and really hearing - words and beyond

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Importance of listening and really hearing - words and beyond

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I always made sure, as a GTA, to tell my students that everyone learns things at different times and in different ways and that that is OK. Nobody is less intelligent is they take some extra time to understand something compared to their classmates. And if you understand something really easily, you can always help your classmates that are having a hard time.

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Asked students to share the positive things they felt that they had succeeded in doing in the work first. And to write 3 positive things down first. Then to share where they felt they could continue to grow. We are so quick to say what we did wrong, and not what we do so beautifully.

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Deconstruct power. Help students become agents of their own learning.

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Deconstruct power. Help students become agents of their own learning.

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Invited small groups of students in a large lecture course to lunch. They could also self-nominate. Open, informal discussions about their values and the direction of the course. These discussions often caused me to make adjustments to timing of assignments or other things and helped communication. (I acknowledged their influence in larger group.)

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love of what I am doing, compassion for the students, empathy, and nonjudgemental attitude

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I teach an undergraduate democratic education course in the school of education. To me, it's super important that student voice and experience is centered, and that they be involved in co-constructing the curriculum in all phases of the course. For example, I work with course assistants that were in previous semesters to revamp the course according to their feedback or things they want to try based on their previous semester experience. Additionally, the course has a team-teach project that enables students to "take over" the course in the last half of the semester. And while I define activity time during class sessions, most learning is done through small group activities rather than lectures as I think a democratic and participatory course requires facilitation rather than downloads of information on my part.

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acknowledging that humanity of students is so much more than the (math) skills being trained&tested

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acknowledging that humanity of students is so much more than the (math) skills being trained&tested

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In design courses, feedback can be overly critical and student feel personally attacked, it is important to provide positive feedback to all