Reflections

Where I was.

Prior to embarking on this course, I carried with me a multitude of traumas and hardships stemming from my own undergraduate STEM journey. However, I lacked a profound understanding of the underlying causes behind why I found undergraduate STEM courses to be so distressing. It wasn't solely the complexity of the course content that posed difficulties for me; rather, it was the sense of being overlooked and reduced to a mere identification number on my student card. I felt as though I was perceived as a financial asset to the department rather than a valued individual. Interestingly, I found a striking contrast between my experiences in humanities courses and those in STEM. The humanities courses were delivered in a manner that humanized the learning experience, providing the crucial support necessary for me to persist in my pursuit of STEM aspirations. In my own pedagogical approach, I have endeavored to shield my students from feelings of isolation, aiming instead to foster an environment where they feel genuinely supported. This endeavor was not guided by a predetermined formula but rather by a reflection on the kind of supportive structure I wished for during my own academic journey. Participating in this professional development workshop has been immensely enlightening. Not only have I gained insights into how to effectively support my students, but I have also attained a deeper understanding of the challenges I faced during my undergraduate studies.

Where I am.

Having completed this workshop, I've gained a deeper insight into myself and identified areas for enhancing my own courses. An intriguing revelation I made about myself pertains to the challenges I faced during my undergraduate years, particularly the cultural disparity between a low-context and high-context culture. This workshop has heightened my awareness of my high-context cultural values and emphasized the importance of balancing my teaching approach within a low-context cultural setting. Furthermore, I've come to recognize through this course that I grapple with imposter syndrome. Now equipped with a term for this phenomenon, I am better equipped to assist my students in navigating similar feelings. Most significantly, the workshop underscored the significance of developing a humanizing course that prioritizes trust, presence, awareness, and empathy. These attributes create an environment where instructors can expect high-quality work while ensuring that students feel supported. Such an environment fosters growth in students' metacognitive awareness and understanding of the material. Referred to as warm demander pedagogy, I am committed to embodying this teaching style in my ongoing efforts as an educator.

Where I am going.

In many regards, I've constrained myself to conform to what I perceived as the classic figure of a professor, holding back my true nature. However, I now possess a deeper comprehension of the significance of emotions in the learning process. My intention is to introduce a welcoming atmosphere in my face-to-face classes by incorporating gentle music from diverse sources and initiating discussions with students about their week. For my online courses, I aim to prioritize instructor presence and demonstrate vulnerability through empathy and storytelling. These approaches can foster a sense of trust among students, creating a safe environment where they feel comfortable making mistakes and engaging in class activities. When students feel valued, their capacity for learning is enhanced. I intend to clearly communicate in my syllabus and assignments that students are encouraged to embrace growth and learn from their mistakes. Additionally, I will actively encourage students to seek assistance from both myself and their peers. I firmly believe that employing these humanizing pedagogical strategies will enable me to embody a warm, yet demanding, approach and facilitate the production of high-quality work by my students.