• Relationships

• Perspectives

• Decentering Power

b)

• As a teacher I think I have engaged in some of these practices without realizing how they connected to feminist pedagogy. In the Wikipedia article, it touched on consciousness raising and decentering power. In my social studies classes, I tend to do a lot of learning through inquiry, which means I am not lecturing. Students use their own curiosities or interests to research and learn about the topics themselves. This then allows them to make more connections to the concepts we are learning about because they cary meaning.

• As a learner in post secondary, I recall having professors that encouraged healthy discussions in which conflicting views are okay and encouraged. It stood out to me and created a space where people felt comfortable to disagree. Again I was unaware that this was a feminist pedagogy until reading the Almanssori text.

b) As an nursing instructor, I have been using some of these pedagogies while teaching my students in clinical. I think being out of the classroom and in the hospital does decenter some power from me and allows the students to take control of their learning experience in clinical. As clinicals are completed in small groups (8 students max), I have the privilege of connecting with my students on a much more personal basis which allows me to develop good relationships with my students and therefore, hopefully create a safe and trusting environment for them to share their personal experiences and views. I also focus a lot on developing critical thinking in students as they must be able to transfer their knowledge to a variety of situations that arise while nursing while also thinking about the systems affecting the patients they are taking care of.

-equality;

-intersectionality;

-community;

-critical/innovative thinking;

-empowerment.

b) Example:

When I was overlooking the skilled trades portfolio at the board level, I had the great pleasure to organize a virtual conference with Mandy Rennehan during COVID-19. Mandy is a lesbian feminist and "blue-collar" feminist who entered the trades at a young age and is now one of the most successful retail renovation business (Freshco) owners in Canada and in the Eastern United States. I decided to bring Mandy in for a conference to inspire young girls to defy the odds and consider a trade as a potential career opportunity in the future. I considered this virtual conference to be feminist since she addressed intersectionality, notably, addressed gender inequalities and stereotypes in the trades, challenged traditional gender norms and embraced women in leadership roles. This conference had rippling effects on our Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP). Not only did our retention get better, but our school board doubled the number of girls doing a co-op placement in the trades, which resulted in increased funding at the board level for future activities geared towards women in the trades.

References:

OYAP (2024). Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program. All Rights Reserved. https://www.oyappajo.com/

Rennehan, Mandy (2018). Meet Mandy Rennehan. Mandy Rennehan – The Blue-Collar CEO. 29 sept. 2018.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGEsOub_S9w&t=30s  

1.     Freeing

2.     Revolutionary

3.     Relationship focused

4.     Active participation

I had a whole course that was called Raconter les savoirs féministes autrement where we the mandatory material came in various forms, such as videos, comic strips, story maps, podcasts and so on. In addition, the evaluations allowed us a certain freedom and creativity, as one of them was the creation of a fanzine. I consider this a feminist pedagogy, as it enabled me to learn in a totally different way, but also to break out of the norms of academic production, which are normally very strict. It made my learning very interactive, and even made me more interested and focused, as the medium varied.

• Voice and Agency – honoring the writer’s authority over her own narrative.

• Lived Experience as Knowledge – validating personal experience as a legitimate form of expression and insight.

• Empathy and Solidarity – creating a supportive peer environment that protects emotional safety.

• Critical Dialogue – encouraging respectful discussion while challenging interpretive overreach and power imbalances.

b) personal example

• In a creative writing course, a female student wrote a story exploring body dysmorphia and depression through a fictional female character. Another student interpreted the story as being about a trans experience, despite the writer’s clarification that it was a personal allegory about her own insecurities. The rest of the group supported the writer and reminded the other student to respect the author’s intent and not impose external interpretations.

• Why it’s feminist:
  This moment reflects feminist pedagogy in its defense of personal narrative, validation of lived experience, and resistance to interpretive dominance or gaslighting. The group acted in solidarity to protect the writer’s voice and uphold emotional and intellectual safety — core values in feminist classrooms.

• Impact:
  It created a learning environment rooted in empathy, agency, and mutual respect. The student who wrote the story, felt supported in expressing vulnerability, and the group reinforced that meaning-making should come with accountability and care.

• Equality

• Care/empathy and building a strong foundational relationship

• Empowerment

b) Similar to what Erin expressed, I hadn’t previously recognized that my teaching practices might align with feminist pedagogy. I used to think of feminism primarily as advocating for women's rights and viewing the world through a female lens. However, through the readings, I’ve come to understand that feminism, and by extension feminist pedagogy, is much broader. It is not solely about gender, but about promoting equity, inclusivity, and the empowerment of all individuals, regardless of gender. It is about creating learning environments where everyone feels safe, valued, and able to express themselves freely.

In my own classroom, even though I teach Math and Science, I make a conscious effort to highlight stories of resilience and achievement across all genders, such as women’s contributions to STEM fields, to foster empowerment and representation. I also prioritize creating safe, judgment-free spaces where students can share their thoughts openly, whether through group discussions or anonymous digital platforms. These practices reflect what I believe are the core principles of feminist pedagogy by encouraging voice, agency, and mutual respect. These values deeply align with my commitment to inclusive education.

Part B) As a mental health nurse and second-generation Latina Canadian, I see those three principles not only as central to feminist teaching, but also as essential in therapeutic and community spaces. Empowerment honours diverse voices and lived experiences; cooperation builds inclusive, non-hierarchal relationships; and equity ensures that barriers related to gender identity, culture, or language (to name a few) are acknowledged and actively addressed. As a student nurse, I witnessed feminist pedagogy in action during a community flu-vaccine clinic I co-facilitated with other students. Instead of relying solely on expert-led instruction, we invited participants (from varying immigrant backgrounds) to translate consents/information sheets, as well as share ways to encourage/reassure clients with whom we would have language barriers. This approach shifted power dynamics and encouraged deeper connection. In my opinion, it was feminist as it centred marginalized voices and values experience as knowledge.

• community/collaboration

• inclusivity

• advocacy

• empowerment

b) As a nursing clinical instructor, I facilitated a group discussion after a student shared feeling dismissed by a staff nurse. We used the moment to reflect on advocacy and how to respond to power dynamics in healthcare. The conversation encouraged community and collaboration, with students supporting one another and sharing stories and strategies.

This experience reflected feminist pedagogy through its focus on inclusivity, empowerment, and creating space for every student’s voice. It helped build a stronger, more confident learning environment where students felt supported and heard

B) In a Grade 9 outdoor education program, students co-led a nature walk where the students would choose routes, set the pace, and guide group reflections. We started each day with a check-in circle, giving every student a voice in shaping the experience.

This was feminist pedagogy in action: it emphasized shared power, active listening, and community care. Students felt empowered, especially those who don’t usually speak up in class. It transformed the learning environment into one built on mutual respect and collaboration.

·       Égalité des voix

·       Collaboration

·       Déconstruction des hiérarchies

·       Réflexivité

·       Expérience vécue comme savoir

Partie B :

En tant qu’étudiante en maîtrise en études féministes et de genre, j’ai été marquée par la façon dont l'une de mes professeures insistait sur l’importance de la positionalité dans tous nos travaux et discussions en classe. Nous étions encouragées à réfléchir à nos identités sociales, à nos privilèges, à nos expériences et à la manière dont ceux-ci influencent notre regard sur les sujets que nous étudions.

Je considère cette approche comme un exemple de pédagogie féministe, car elle remet en question l’idée d’un savoir neutre et universel. Elle reconnaît que le savoir est situé et qu’il est produit depuis une position particulière. Cela a grandement changé ma manière d’apprendre, car je me suis sentie à la fois plus impliquée et plus consciente de mes propres biais. Cette pratique a aussi instauré un climat d’écoute, de respect et de réflexivité en classe.

• Disrupting hierarchies

• Empowerment through knowledge

• Student voice

• Experiential learning

• Decentering authority

Part B:
A few years ago, I co-facilitated a unit where students co-designed part of the assessment criteria and chose the texts they wanted to study from a curated list. The process was messy, but meaningful. Students negotiated their own learning paths, engaged more critically with course content, and reflected on whose stories were centered and whose were missing. It felt feminist because it disrupted the traditional top-down model of authority and made room for agency, voice, and collective inquiry. It reminded me that sometimes giving up control as an educator creates space for more authentic, inclusive learning.

a)

• Voice and Presence

• Critical Reflection

• Relationship-based Learning

• Flexibility and Fluidity

• Emotional Engagement

b) One moment that made me recognize feminist pedagogy in practice happened during my undergraduate degree in a Childhood and Youth Studies course. Our professor encouraged us to bring our own cultural stories into our weekly reflections. She allowed multiple formats—written text, spoken stories, even creative visual work—and provided feedback that emphasized personal meaning, not just academic correctness.

At first, I was hesitant to share parts of my Chinese upbringing or my views on gender because these perspectives often felt invisible in Western classrooms. But the space she created made me feel safe, respected, and seen—not just as a student, but as a whole person. Looking back, I realize this was feminist pedagogy in action: centering student voice, validating emotional experience, and building trust through relational teaching. It was one of the first times I felt that who I am mattered just as much as what I wrote.

When I was a high school student I took Challenge and Change in Society, which explored social movements and how social structures impact different groups of people. I feel my teacher utilized feminist pedagogy in this class, as he encouraged us through discussions and course assignments to analyse issues surrounding gender inequality, racism, and class. This teacher encouraged us daily to think critically about power and oppression whenever we looked at social issues, and encouraged us to explore issues that mattered to us, making the learning more engaging. His approach ultimately created an inclusive classroom environment that fostered diversity and student voice. 

• Lived experience

• Symbiotic system of knowledge

• Voice

b)

I truly believe that one of the best ways to learn is through stories - humans have been sharing knowledge this way for thousands of years. One of the best teachers I had in school, the one who quite literally changed my life, was my Core French teacher in grade 9. This teacher had a different story everyday that always related back to the content we were learning. She invited us to share our stories and our experiences, again, always connecting it back to the lesson. We were engaged, excited to share, wanting to learn. We became, through the sharing of our lived experiences, a symbiotic system of knowledge. If this teacher did not follow feminist pedagogy and create this classroom community, I would not have fallen in love with the French language or pursued French Immersion in high school, and I certainly would not have a degree in the language or teach it today. I carry the feeling of that classroom with me everyday and aim to have my student’s classroom feel the same way. With the large number of new Canadians in my classes, this approach has been exceptionally key when discussing language learning and culture.

I've included the photo of myself and this teacher at my high school graduation, because even though it's been 10 years, there is not a day that passes in my classroom that I don't thank her for the impact she's had on me. I will be forever indebted to her!

Key terms that describe feminist pedagogy:

-          Inclusion

-          Equity

-          Empowerment

-          Active learning

-          Reflection

Part B:

At my military unit, Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (CPCC), our training programs are designed for adult learners from the Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Courses actively encourage learners to engage in conversations on intersectionality, inclusion, and power and privilege. Learners are encouraged to share their lived experiences, explore new perspectives, and reflect on systemic issues within the organization with the goal of evolving our organizational culture. Within the learning environment, facilitators collaboratively create group guidelines with their learners and encourage learner-led conversations on the provided subjects. The topics of discussion reflect a feminist pedagogy by reflecting on social issues and power dynamics within the organization, while also raising awareness of diverse perspectives.

• Equality

• Respect 

• Empowerment

B. When I think about examples of the feminist pedagogy as a learner, the first example that I think of is the switch from calling teachers by their first name in University. I remember finding it a bit uncomfortable at first because through elementary school and high school, teachers were always called “Mr”, “Mrs” etc. Thinking back on this now, this is just a small example of minimizing the teach-student hierarchy. 

From an educator perspective, I try my best to create an inclusive environment. In recent years, there has been a high influx of internationally educated nurses to Canada. Many of the nurses come with a wide range of experiences. When I teach a course that educates nurses to work in the operating room, I welcome students to share their past experiences to become engaged in the learning content and perhaps help others solidify their knowledge.

1. Empowerment

2. Reflectivity

3. Decentering Power

4. Consciousness-raising

Part B)

I have been practising Feminist Pedagogies as a teacher and as a parent without realizing that consciously.

As a teacher: In my 'Advertising' course, I have an assignment for students to complete individually where they bring an ad campaign to the classroom and talk about it - their direct learnings from the classroom lessons, online buzz for that campaign and their thoughts. Every presentation has left me happily surprised with the creativity and individuality that the students bring to the classroom. After reading Feminist Pedagogy, I realize, this method of evaluation and many more that I practise in my classrooms for assessments, qualify as a Feminist Pedagogical method of assessment.

Transformative meaning that classrooms and social expectations undergo change and challenge traditional power dynamics, creating a new space where critical questioning is encouraged.

Equitable because we are trying to bring equality to the front and ensure that people are treated the same.

Voice- Feminist pedagogy values and amplifies the voices of students and educators. It ensures that diverse experiences and perspectives are the center of the learning process.

B) As a Grade 1/2 teacher, I once taught a unit where students explored influential changemakers in history. Instead of defaulting to the typical figures often highlighted in textbooks, I intentionally included diverse voices. Voices like Viola Desmond, Malala Yousafzai, and Autumn Peltier. Students were encouraged to reflect on what made these individuals brave and how they challenged injustice.

We used sharing circles to ensure every voice was heard, and I shifted from being the “authority” to a co-learner alongside the students. I consider this feminist pedagogy because it decentralized traditional hierarchies, centered equity, and intentionally highlighted women and girls, especially those from historically marginalized communities.

The impact was visible in how engaged students were. Students were even talking about these historical figures during recess and lunch and working on ways they could help the world. This moment reinforced how feminist pedagogy can cultivate critical thinking, empathy, and agency in young learners.

1. Inclusive

2. Freedom

3. Student-Centred

I had to really decouple my presumption that feminism = women-focused when I was engaging with the material this week. I believe I would have labelled this pedagogical approach as 'inclusive pedagogy' or a term other than 'feminist.' I am glad to have an opportunity to confront ideas that challenge my deeply ingrained presumptions (many of which I have held for a long time without really giving much thought)!

Like others have mentioned, I have implemented many of these principles unknowingly in my practice. I have a semester-long project where students can, essentially, make all of the major decisions on their own. They pick their topic, they decide how to tackle it, and I am there to act as a scaffold or guide should they need it. One of my courses is almost entirely case studies-based, using the flipped classroom model. Students come to class and tackle problems as a group, where they are empowered to offer their unique perspectives to arrive at solutions to real-world issues. I think this decentering of power and rejecting the belief that I am the ultimate authority in the classroom are two ways in which I have embodied feminist pedagogies.

-Cooperation/relationships

- Equality

- Empathy/understanding

- Empowerment of students

- Engaged teaching/learning

I’m part of a weekly learning coop for kids 5-17 and feminist pedagogies are very present. First, it’s an alternative way of learning where the goal is to keep children and teens engaged in their learnings. They are involved in planning the workshops so we can develop a series of workshops align with their interests. That’s how the teens ended producing an entire movie from script to costumes, decors, acting and editing this winter. And the 7-10 are slowly building a recipe book with their kitchen experimentations while the pre-teens built a board game. The groups are small (6-10 kids) so they can build strong relationships between themselves but also with the “teachers”. Each parent educator take turn leading these workshops, so everyone gets to know each other on a more personal basis. For example, I know what subject interests the kids and what type of activities will keep them focused and engaged longer so I adapt my teachings. It becomes a safe learning environment where everyone is valued, can ask questions freely and will be accepted and respected. We understand every child is different so it’s a more personalized learning experience where the process is more important than the result.

Agency

Empowerment 

As a dancer and dance teacher I recognize the importance of exploring one’s voice through movement. Feminist pedagogy teaches us the importance of student-centred practices and exploring one's lived experiences. Hence, through dance I believe it is critical to provide opportunities for students to become vulnerable in their art, explore their truth, and continue to challenge gender norms through their bodies and stories. In addition, exploring dance history is an essential aspect in dance education. Through understanding various dancers/choreographers stories, such as Isadora Duncan and Katherine Dunham, students are able to recognize how dance has been used as a tool for resistance and social change throughout history. 

• Visibilization/invisibilization

• Deconstructing normative knowledge

• Intersectionality and standpoint theories

b) My experience as a student in Feminist and Gender Studies:

My feminist classes were amongst the first to encourage and teach me to think "outside the box" (i.e., challenging dominant ways of thinking and embracing new perspectives). I believe that the feminist value placed on alternative thinking and deconstructing norms had a positive impact on my learning experience by fostering critical analysis and inclusivity.This was especially validating as a queer and racialized woman, because the process of questioning White, heteropatriarchal, Western knowledge exposed us to texts written by queer, Indigenous and non-Western authors and voices. I believe that the visibilization of feminist intersectional issues and frameworks enriched my learning experience by addressing the complexity of overlapping identities and systems of oppression.

1. Power Dynamics

2. Reflexivity

3. Diversity

4. Social Implication

5. Agency

Personal experience with feminist pedagogies:

• When I started this module, I was sure that I must have experienced feminist pedagogies at some point in my 8 years of medical studies. As a resident in obstetrics and gynecology, I thought for sure that there must have been feminist pedagogies involved at some point in my education as a professional preoccupied solely with women's wellbeing...

• As I made my way through the readings, I realized this was in fact not the case! Learning in medical school is very traditional. Though we sometimes had "inversed classrooms", the teacher was always the supreme authority in groups, and there was little discussion and sharing of lived experiences. At all times (be it pre-med, pre-clinical, clinical or post-graduate), we simply learn from the teacher.

• I have plenty of examples of feminist pedagogies being used in the Master's of Education that I am currently undertaking, however! Right now, I am enrolled in the Synthesis Seminar class required at the end of the Master's. It is extremely collaborative. We work on a personal research project and submit different milestones to a group of 2-3 peers through Brightspace. Afterwards, our peers give us feedback and advice on how to improve our writing, and vice versa.

• I think this class has been the best example of decentralizing power in the classroom and acknowledging students as creators of knowledge.

B) This week was an interesting read as I wasn't aware of certain aspects of feminist pedagogy, especially in terms of what it means in the classroom. I grew up in a small town, so it is of no surprise most of my school experience lacked feminist pedagogy. It is interesting to look back and realize that some aspects such as group learning/discussions are part of feminist pedagogy. There was one teacher in particular that i have noticed after this weeks readings, did teach her class using feminist pedagogies. Instruction included hearing lived experiences from students as well as guests who entered the class, round tables and open group discussions. She tried extra hard to create a safe space for all students and in turn I believe this had a very positive effect on my learning.