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Guest Speakers in the Classroom

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During the last few years, I’ve invited advanced graduate students, former students, and colleagues to give presentations in my classes. And, for the most part this has worked well. It’s good to give the graduate students an opportunity to present their research in a relatively small, safe space. They get a line on their CV and I can write a letter of support. Having community members come in is also instructive, since most students become insulated in the campus community and at times forget about the vibrant larger community that the campus is only one part of.

Having colleagues in the classroom is also useful to demonstrate to the students that there is a community of scholars on campus or in the region. This might widen their understanding of the materials or at the very least impart this sense that the instructor is part of a community. The other reason to invite a guest is to have someone else come in and speak to their particular areas of interest and expertise that are usually different from you own. The students get a different perspective on course material. Now, I’m venturing into a different point, but it does fit.

On a related note, I explain to the students that there are approximately one dozen Political Scientists outside of the Political Science department at #UVIC. The only way they might know this is by this announcement. They might realize that they will find other Political Scientists in Women’s Studies, Environmental Studies, Education, and Indigenous Governance to name a few at #UVIC. Likewise, I will announce these colleagues upcoming courses, so that students in the department can take more upper division courses outside of the department. They need to take the courses anyway–so why not share information? Why not make suggestions?

The guest speaker can also pique students’ curiosity to learn more about the information. Maybe this is a form of intellectual networking for the speaker, but for the student it is an educational moment for them to learn more.

Managing the Classroom: Teaching Race and Gender

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It is a constant struggle to teach diversity in the classroom. I am finding that as soon as I think that the rules of engagement are understood, I get reminded that they are not. In a perfect situation the classroom environment will include trust, respect, and an understanding that knee jerk opinions are not part of intellectual discussion. However, I find that occasionally I get “schooled” by some comments that give me pause.

This term I am teaching a Youth Politics seminar with less than two dozen third through fifth years and Gender and International Relations with less than sixty students. I am also managing and co-teaching a course with 225 students and will speak to situations that I have encountered. To protect my students and myself, these scenarios will be reflective of the last year and not necessarily this particular term.

When I am teaching touchy subjects like gender and race, I find that I have to be ready for different types of reactions. There are the students who feel validated by the reading and other students who feel challenged, sceptical or even angry. I lead my classes in a lecture and discussion format, so I engage with the students and their comments lots. I am a strong believer that they are part of the learning team in the classroom: texts, lectures, current events, and student discussion. There are costs to not lecturing and leaving the classroom. I engage the students more and because of this—they have more opportunity to participate. I will not change this, as I find that this is how I teach.

Lately, I have been most challenged with the responses to students’ reaction and use of language. I strongly adhere to the idea that language is powerful and certain words are “loaded” in the same way that certain topics are value-laden. This is not a shared sentiment by all students. I need to check myself and remember that I am also there to facilitate discussion, engage student interest, and, oh yes, teach materials. There is usually a student or two has an “anything” goes sort of attitude and I have to balance all the students’ needs and my own politics. This presents a challenge.

I find that the one thing that I have no patience for is overt racism. Even typing up this sentence reminds me that I have issues with covert racism, too. Oh, choosing our battles in the classroom is tricky. I can easily engage with discussions of gender, but race. I find that the overt racism can make my heart skip a beat. I cannot explain if this is because of the fact that I am a Latina teaching a mostly homogenous student population or if it’s more. Whatever it is, it is compounded by the fact that so many of the Canadian students seem to think that racism is a thing of the past or something that only Americans are guilty of—and in the South, for that matter. And, my friends, these are statements and beliefs that I have heard in my classroom.

Some days it is quite easy, I am at the front of the class walking back and forth juggling ideas, course material, student comments, and student reaction. My love of teaching  keeps me in check and I enjoy seeing the ways in which some students are really excited about the materials. Then, there are other days when one student is out of line or that presents me with a teachable moment. It might be that I need to remind the student about decorum, collegiality, or boundaries. Occasionally I have been known to call a student out and just say, “What you just said was offensive.” Of course, the next thing I do is contextualize the statement and then move on to the next point in the lesson plan or lecture.

It’s these occasional moments, though, that I reply over and over in my mind for the next few hours. I am thinking aloud here and being ever so careful—since this is the blogosphere and any one of my students could google me and find this post. I welcome other educators to give advice about those thorny moments in the classroom.

This post was originally posted on Equality 101, which is now defunct.

Fri Facts

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This list of tid-bits is about convocation/graduation.

1. I enjoy attending to celebrate the students’ success

2. It’s nice to meet siblings, parents, and other loved ones

3. It’s also great to get that last photo of the grad

4. I’ve teared up at the last two ceremonies

5. As the student walks by I remember her/his work in the class and wish the student luck (silently)

6. Attending the ceremony is one of the best parts of my job each year

7. Did I mention that I also love my University of California regalia? The robes are beautiful

8. Two days a year (Nov and June) #UVIC looks like Hogwarts

9. This year I brought my phone and took some photos

10. I also tweeted from the ceremony, but only a few times

For Profit Education

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This post was posted originally on Equality 101, which is now defunct. My thoughts have not changed much on the topic of for profit education institutions.

I was catching up on the  Los Angeles Times and came across an article about higher education in the Business section. Reporter Michael Hiltzik’s article covers the intersection between education and profit. Essentially, neoliberalization’s claws have grabbed further into higher education. The article discusses how the state governments are outsourcing services in order to save money. However, the costs are going to be placed squarely on the shoulders of the students and their parents. This situation is not unique to California, as one can pore through The Chronicle of Higher Education to read about similar situations in other states.

What is California doing? The state of California is in financial straits and the higher education sector is feeling the pinch. The community college system is now going to outsource college courses to Kaplan University, who offers their courses online. Kaplan’s courses will be convenient, as they are online. However, even with a 42% discount for the community college student, the Kaplan course will be almost $600 more than a commensurate course at the community college.  One Kaplan course can cost almost as a year’s worth of courses at a California community college! I guess that one can argue that the market (students/learners) are willing to pay for this service (education).

Students will be hard pressed to find another option, yet if they are under pressure to enter a four year university for the next term, they will have few options. Who benefits? Kaplan. And, if we look at the high cost of education across the United States, we also will see that the majority of students at the community college are students who are trying to save money during those first few years at university. The most vulnerable are going to be charged these extra fees, when they have no other options. I don’t like this one bit, as I think it is a marked difference for a student to attempt to pick up other credits.  But, having the community college outsource to Kaplan for services (courses) that they should be providing really makes my blood boil.

Certainly, California can do better for the less than two million students enrolled in the system. With the four-year university tuitions going up 10-30% across the state, more students will enroll in the community college system. It is no surprise that this decision was just announced during the time when most students are working, so that they cannot mobilize a mass protest. With these sorts of neoliberal policies, the states’ responsibility and investment in higher education shrinks. But, lower middle-class families, and working class families will pay for this. In my opinion it is shameful to make higher education harder for more students to pursue.

This also means that the student will have to enroll in an online course and this will not work for all students. Some students need the face-to-face experience in order to get as much out of the class and interact with an instructor and classmates. I am an undergraduate advisor at my institution, and I have found that more than 50% of the students in my office state that their online course experience was dreadful. The very motivated student will usually find that an online course worked for them. This is from their anecdotal comments, but worth noting.

Another related issue is that this agreement makes it easier to layoff faculty at the community colleges, as well. This issue includes more than the students and money. It includes faculty and pedagogy. To be sure, I do not have a problem with a student opting to take an occasional online course in order to graduate on time or a blended-learning class, but this current arrangement does not sound like it is really for the students’ benefit.

Some Career Advice~ From the Undergrad Advisor

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You’re in your last year of university and getting nervous as the school year starts, hits the half way point or is ending. But, for the sake of ease, let’s pretend it’s mid-way through your last year of university. I’m going to make some suggestions for you. And, these are my opinions alone and not endorsed by my employer. This advice comes from my own university experience, 14 years of teaching, and years of advising unofficially and officially.
1. Get yourself to the Career Center or the Career offices. Your campus should have an office with extremely competent staff who are there to help you. But, understand that they aren’t there to help you get a job, rather they are there to give you the skills so that you get yourself that job. They will empower you, but it’s all about your own skills and your own file.

2. Speak with your departments Undergraduate Advisor. Believe it or not, s/he might have some good advice to give you. The advisor might know of additional job boards in your area of interest.

3. Speak to trusted peers who are in your situation or who have recently graduated. Your peers are a useful resource, too.

4. Confer with other faculty or mentors that you have in the campus community or community at large. Now is not the time to feel shy. You have to reach out and make some effort.

5. If it works for your field (and which fields does it not work for?) get on social media. Yes, join Linked in and establish your profile there and meet others on the platform. Ask people questions—especially those in the industry that you’re interested in.

6. Are you blogging or on Twitter? Will these platforms be useful for you? If so, then do it. But, always be very careful with your digital footprint. Google yourself and see what is out there. That photo of you in residence engaging in naked beer sliding—might need to be deleted! OK, you really don’t have compromising photos, but do take a look and see what photos and status updates you’ve had so that you won’t have a future employer “creep” and find something that they don’t like.

Particular to Victoria, I suggest to students that they not only look at the local job boards (BC Public Service, municipality job boards, and UVIC’s U-Hire, but also VIATEC’s. You never know what you might find in many of these. I also explain to students that they most likely won’t get hired right out of their undergrad as a senior policy analyst. The truth is that you’re going to have to work your way up and this might mean that you’re working in a position that requires data entry, filing, and “gofer” work. You have to cut your teeth in a job and be prepared for this.

If you’re interested in working in Victoria, I suggest that you keep abreast of when there are Chamber of Commerce events (Victoria or Westshore) and attend some of the events to network and meet local members. Note that members of this organization aren’t only local business owners, but government types, elected officials, and just regular people who are interested in the community. Also, attend other local events and get to know the community. This might mean registering with Meet Up and looking for events that will allow you to meet other like minded people. The thought of doing this might make you feel uncomfortable, but you need to get out and meet more people and realize that the limited discomfort can pay off with a mentor, community building, contacts, and possibly a job connection.

I have seen students take 4-8 months to find work after they graduate and this is pretty common. The students who are willing to take risks or start at the entry level position are the ones who have been the most successful. What are you doing to do?

Response to Pushing Back on Mediocre College Professors: Revisit

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After chatting with some other academics, I felt it was worth revisiting this post from 2010. Seth Godin posted a blog post http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/10/pushing-back-on-professors.html about how students need to push back-perhaps expect more from their mediocre college professors. I didn’t really take offense at the blog post. I don’t think Godin is speaking to me. My favorite part of my job, as a college professor, is the classroom–lecturing and engaging with students. I’m good with people–well, most people. Don’t believe the lies on RMP. The haters are gonna hate and motivate, and potatoes are going to potate. (OK, inside joke and perhaps a bad one).

I get what Godin is saying, but he’s making a big assumption about students. We get lots of unmotivated and perhaps barely mediocre students in our classroom. But, I do want to respond to parts of his blog. I really want to push back on the mediocre or barely mediocre students who come to class unprepared or only wanting to offer knee jerk commentary and not real engagement with the course materials. I wish that all of the students in my class came to class prepared and ready to discuss the readings, but this is not the case. It might be the time of day or the time of the term and the students just cannot give 70% to the class.

I have countless students who don’t bother to even come to class, pick up their work or attend their tutorials. Students need to remember that they are also responsible for engaging in their education. Professors are only part of the equation. A good class really includes good students or students who are there to learn. Students are responsible to and for a good class. If they give very little, they are going to get very little out of the class. I don’t have a wand to dispense information.  Continue reading →

Grad School Applications: Redux

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It is that time of year, when professors are writing students letters of reference for graduate school. Just a few words of advice to students: Be organized and patient.

1. Ask professors weeks before the letters are due.

2. Provide us all the information we need.

This includes~ Who, What, Where, and When, Fill out all necessary forms. Really organized students provide me a Word or Excel file with the schools, deadlines, and any additional information.

I ask for a copy of your letter of intent and cv/resume. I might even meet with you and ask what your motivation is for continuing your education.

3. Remind us. Send an email a few days before a due date. Do not feel like you are pestering–these email reminders are great.

4. Thank us. This can be an email or a note. It’s not necessary to do more. Remember that your tenure line faculty actually get paid to mentor and do things like write letters. Keep in mind that part-time faculty do not get compensated for this extra work. Remember to thank them profusely–a card, bottle of wine or a face to face thank you is nice.

Good luck with this process!