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Heather Mitchell-Buck

teaching, technology, & medieval stuff

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March 17, 2021 by Heather Mitchell-Buck Leave a Comment

a dubious anniversary

photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

There are many days that we could claim as a milestone to acknowledge the change that COVID has brought to our lives and to our world. But today, March 17, is the one that’s most meaningful to me. On this day a year ago, I worked my last full day on campus, running workshops for my Hood colleagues as we all worked like mad trying to move our courses online. When we first started planning those workshops a week beforehand, we thought, “oh, we’ll order lunch for everyone – surely most folx will want to meet in-person.” We reconsidered and rethought that decision (and dozens, hundreds more in both the short- and long-term) and in the end, I saw only a small handful of my fellow teachers on campus that day.

When I came home to get dinner before my evening workshop, there was a flyer in our mail slot from the local Irish pub just a couple of blocks from our house, advertising a special takeout menu for St Pat’s in lieu of the usual wall-to-wall celebration that usually happens there every year. We called in an order that was the first of many takeout meals over the past year (and many more to come as we continue to support our favorite local restaurants in downtown Frederick!).

The scale of grief and loss over the past year is hard to process. None of us would have ever, ever wanted this to happen. There’s precious little to celebrate about this pandemic.

But to all of my fellow educators who are still working like mad trying to give your students the best possible education in spite of everything, I see you. I thank you. I celebrate you.

To all of the students out there doing your best to learn and grow and be stronger than this pandemic, I see you. I thank you. I celebrate you.

To everyone out there who’s still struggling to navigate everything that COVID has brought into your life, I see you. I thank you. I celebrate you.

Keep wearing your masks and washing your hands. Find a few minutes today and every day to care for others and for yourself. Get vaccinated when you can. Do all you can do so that we can all gather safely again together SOON: to be in classrooms where we can learn and laugh and move the desks around to do some group work; to have that lunch meeting that has been on hold for the past year; to hug our friends and family both near and far.

Hang in there, friends. We can do this.

Filed Under: more than just an academic, teaching Tagged With: encouragement, learning, online teaching, teaching

July 1, 2020 by Heather Mitchell-Buck Leave a Comment

continued adventures in ungrading

The past academic year has been a challenge for all of us!

COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on our world and on our learning communities, which is not something ANY of us would have wanted. But as it has forced us to rethink the ways that we teach and learn, I’ve been getting more questions from colleagues and friends about my ungrading process. So I thought I would share this video of a talk I gave on my home campus, Hood College, last fall (back when we could all safely get together for an in-person conversation, which now seems like another lifetime, doesn’t it?).

And yes, I am still happily ungrading!

Adventures in Ungrading

Why do we grade? Why shouldn’t we rethink this whole system and make it better for students AND teachers?

Slides

Filed Under: teaching, videos Tagged With: learning, teaching, ungrading

August 8, 2019 by Heather Mitchell-Buck Leave a Comment

learning, teaching, living

What I believe learning and teaching are – and ought to be

an incomplete, hastily-composed, and perpetually-under-consideration set of thoughts
inspired by Rajiv Jhangiani’s 5R’s for Open Pedagogy

image by Mediamodifier from Pixabay

ACTIVE…

Learning is not about absorbing something, letting something wash over you. It is about participating. For students, I want them to understand that they have agency, that they feel brave enough to take the lead and let their voices be heard (not all of the time, but at least some of the time). For me and for my fellow teachers, that means we can’t just let inertia get to us. We have to keep revising, reimagining what education is and what it should be.

HUMAN…

We are not brains in jars. We are whole people. This means we have good days and bad days. We have things outside the space of the classroom that cannot and should not be put aside when we enter. Each perspective, each voice is valuable – and for that to be fully true, we have to acknowledge and sit with each other’s humanity. Even and especially when it makes us uncomfortable or takes us and our ways of thinking out of the center of things.

COLLABORATIVE…

You can’t sit inside your bubble and not interact with others if you want to learn. You just can’t. You need other voices and other truths. You need to embrace the messiness of group work. You need to make space for others in your learning and you need to feel that others are making space for you. We should see ourselves as co-learners. Who’s a “teacher” and who’s a “student” can and should shift. These are not fixed roles, no matter what an institution or a contract may say.

INCLUSIVE…

Real life shit shouldn’t get in the way of anyone’s education. No voices or experiences should be excluded because of a lack of accessibility or inclusivity. If you are able-bodied, white, cis, straight, tenured (fill in the blank that puts you in a position of privilege) this means you have to do more work to make it possible or easier for others to learn. Suck it up. Your extra time is well-worth it and usually not much effort when compared to the barriers that your co-learners may be facing just to be there. Get over yourself.

EQUITABLE…

Meet everyone where they are at. Don’t make assumptions. Don’t roll your eyes about things that “aren’t the way they used to be” from your perspective. Embrace the broad range of learning styles and experiences that greets you when you step foot in a classroom. That diversity enriches our learning spaces and makes them stronger and more meaningful.

KIND…

In the Middle English sense, but also in the modern sense. Be true and real to yourself. Be naturally you. Treat others (and yourself) with grace and gentleness. This doesn’t always mean “being nice” or that people shouldn’t argue and butt heads and disagree. There’s nothing “kynde” about false smiles. Be genuine. Be sincere.

BRAVE…

This isn’t easy. It shouldn’t be.

Learning is about leaving your comfort zone. It should be a bit risky, like you’re standing at the edge of something. If it doesn’t feel that way, you’re doing it wrong.

This harder for some folks than others – and that shouldn’t be, either.

Filed Under: teaching Tagged With: DPL2019, teaching

April 25, 2016 by Heather Mitchell-Buck Leave a Comment

iPad outreach!

I was honored to have the opportunity last week to speak to faculty at Jacksonville University about how the iPad has transformed learning in my classroom. Thanks to the faculty at JU for your kind welcome and to Apple for arranging my visit!

I believe that the iPad can help to make college students more accountable for and engaged in their education – and that it can help educators create a more equitable environment where all students are able to learn together.

If you’d like to know more, you can check out the video of the talk and the great discussion session that followed.

Filed Under: teaching, videos Tagged With: iPad, learning, teaching

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Heather is…

…an Associate Professor of English at Hood College

…an Apple Distinguished Educator

…a humanities advocate

…a taiko player

…a tea drinker

…a fan.

Recent Posts

  • a dubious anniversary
  • using self-graded tests & homework
  • organizing online content
  • continued adventures in ungrading
  • adventures in ungrading

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