Description:

Despite having earned requisite degrees and professional credentials, we may sometimes feel as if we are essentially “unschooled” in the process of being a thriving educator working within the ever-evolving university classroom. We strive to create a culture of safety within our classrooms. We engage in our own “work,” moving toward greater self-awareness. We pay attention. We care. We keep learning. We do. And yet, sometimes we mess up. How do we respond when we fail to live up to our own expectations? What happens when we misspeak or misstep in the classroom? Andragogical mishaps, especially when linked to cultural “blind spots,” may leave educators feeling inept. When such classroom catastrophes spark shame, faculty members may feel very much alone, afraid to speak about their gaffes to anyone, especially to other faculty members. And these shame responses do nothing to prompt corrective action; instead, they paralyze us, and sadly, they may also polarize us. On top of the very human experience of not being the “Perfectly Professional Sage on the Stage,” imposter syndrome, academic “code switching,” and painfully personal student feedback may cause unexpected stress responses for faculty. And let us not forget about the very real and often long-lasting toll on our physical and mental health from our own educational trauma (“PhDtsd”). In this presentation, Sara Bailey is ready to spill the beans on some of her own experiences as a mid-life early-career faculty member, and in this interactive presentation, she is going to get real, and invites you to do the same. Let us share lived experiences as educators in the classroom. Let us talk about how radical honesty and real connection with our students can work to support a culturally sensitive classroom. Let us talk about the importance of “soul care” and mental health in building a whole-person approach to education for both educators and students. Let us reflect on how showing up as authentic, empathetic colleagues can support a collaborative and fully human faculty network. Prepare to hear some humorous, some mortifying, all very real stories, and come prepared to share your own. Together we will connect with one another as we explore ways to transform our gaffes into growth, reframe our failures into fearlessness, and expand our awareness into more culturally-responsive andragogy with our students and collegiality with one another.

Objectives:

1. Participants will identify and reflect on their own ""disorienting dilemmas"" in the classroom.

2. Participants will experiment with ""restorying"" their own moments of andragogical angst as opportunities for growth and course-correction.

3. Participants will build community with fellow participants through collaborative storytelling and connection.