Everything's Fine - The Story of Ahmad Reflections by Aris Winger

ariswinger — 2024-10-28 17:42:26 UTC

Lack of follow up

2024-10-28 21:38:58 UTC

I'm amazed at the lack of followup questions posed by this faculty member. It's clear as a BIPOC woman that the conversation was had just to check the boxes. It blows my mind that there was no follow up on the most basic question: the moment with the greyhound bus was a clear place to follow up (and demonstrate caring), same with catching up on grading.

What is a mentor?

2024-10-28 21:43:03 UTC

Melissa's questions make it clear that she's not really building a relationship with Ahmed and her interactions with him could have just as easily have been a questionnaire that he was asked to fill out. A mentorship is a relationship.

How does a faculty not know what their students are making as a TA?

2024-10-28 21:45:35 UTC

Minoritized students often have higher financial needs than their peers since they can not ask for money from home and even sometimes need to send money home. But even the base TA salary is rarely high enough to take a flight home for holidays.

Exceptionalism, don't forget individuals

2024-10-28 21:45:36 UTC

Has anyone opened up to Ahmad?

Structured supports

2024-10-28 21:45:53 UTC

More structured professional development for new graduate student teachers

Observations of new graduate student teachers

More regular check-ins (not just mid-semester)

conversation felt very forced from the perspective of the advisor

2024-10-28 21:46:11 UTC

like she was just checking boxes

Story of Ahmad:

2024-10-28 21:46:22 UTC

Issues seen: (1) Ahmad is not going home for break; (2) Dr. Watkins class is not going so well at first; (3) Mid-semester TA evals showed some concerns from students

Issues right below surface: (1) Ahmad does not have enough money to meet his needs,let alone travel (2) Ahmad made initial attempts to get help in Dr Watkins class but she made him feel unprepared and inadequate and he stayed isolated from other students because of this (3) Students haven't been respectful to Ahmad and the program did not provide sufficient training.

Below surface was also some suspicions and implicit biases held by both Ahmad and Melissa. Ahmad had trust issues with white women and Melissa was all too willing to blame Ahmad's outcome on his (lack of) efforts

To be a better mentor: Melissa could have been more curious, asked deeper questions (follow-up)

advisor had a narrow worldview

2024-10-28 21:47:22 UTC

"where are you going for fall break" instead of "what are your plans for fall break" e.g.

"your students find you unapproachable" with no awareness of the bias inherent in student evaluations

"you should think about flying" with no understanding that it's expensive?

Building Relationships is Key

2024-10-28 21:47:54 UTC

If you want people to seek out help and be honest about issues they're dealing with, you need to first build personal relationships.

Relationship building

2024-10-28 21:48:24 UTC

We talked about the importance of building a relationship with the student and facilitating relationship building between students by e.g. a dinner get-together with minority students and minority alum. Also the importance of connecting with professors and students. Opening up means sharing something about yourself too, expressing an interest in getting to know the other person.

Building trust does not come for free

2024-10-28 21:48:29 UTC

Even if the student has issues trusting white women, there should be work done precisely because of this to gain the trust of your students...

Lacking basic awareness of race and class

2024-10-28 21:48:47 UTC

If someone says "the bus is expensive", then why do you suggest taking a plane? Clearly never met poor people or considered how this affects one's life as a graduate student. Need to show some awareness or no one will open up.

You are okay...

2024-10-28 21:52:26 UTC

Does low evaluations mean that you are not supposed to teach? How does he teach? What makes him passionate about teaching? Let Ahmad demonstrate his strengths...

Worldview based on institutional structures rather than care

2024-10-28 21:54:07 UTC

Advisor organizes questions based on academic calendar, grades, work assessment, etc. She is uncomfortable with asking questions outside the academic structure, feeling like it protects her somehow. But the structure is oppressive and threatening to Ahmad.

Why is community service not valuable?

2024-10-28 22:19:43 UTC

Plane vs. baggage who wants baggage and miss there plan?