Introduction to the Teaching Schema
What course is possible this semester that has not been possible before?
Teaching this year is going to be unlike any other semester that we have taught before.We are living in the midst of a global pandemic that is particularly devastating in the US. Our country is being forced to reckon with racism and anti-blackness, and we will teach in the midst of an election that will undoubtedly have incredible ramifications.In addition to all of this, many faculty are planning to teach, and students will be asked to learn, using modalities that are unfamiliar. For many of us, planning for this semester feels like a weighty task.Teaching this year is indeed of great importance, and it has the potential to be hopeful, generative, and freeing.What do you hate about teaching? This is the semester to let that go. Are you overwhelmed by all the tech tools and options for teaching online? We recommend that you use the easiest, simplest option that allows your students to achieve your course learning goals. What would make your teaching, your students' learning, and your course really matter? Focus on that. To do this we can examine our roles as educators, the relevance of our field of discipline in this moment – including the limitations of our fields – and how knowledge and actions can be improved through dialogue and/or engagement with our communities.