In prior teaching experiences, I have done my best to make students feel welcomed in the classroom. However, this only extended to being interpersonal with students in a laboratory setting. When it comes to teaching material, however, I stuck purely to the concepts, with no mention to inclusivity. As outlined in Brookfield’s Hegemonic Assumptions on Teaching, I figured that my charisma and personality would be the determining factors of student learning. I am learning to challenge that assumption in the classroom. To do so, I am looking to incorporate strategies that have been shown to make students feel more welcomed, such as outlining my office hours policy and setting guidelines for respectful discussion. Project Group Meeting discussions aided in this as well, helping me outline ways I can improve in the classroom.
I value ensuring that students feel welcome in the classroom, as this is crucial for student learning. In prior teaching experiences, I have tried to be intentional in making students feel as though they can ask me for help. If an instructor is not approachable, it can inhibit student learning. My role as an instructor is to ensure that students have the opportunity to understand the material. In my Diversity and Inclusion Syllabus statement, I convey this partly by setting a clear office hours policy. Office hours can be intimidating for some students, so I seek to resolve this by ensuring they know that I am here to help.
In my Diversity and Inclusion Syllabus Statement, I want to convey that students are welcome in my class, and set expectations for how topics will be discussed. I am intentional in outlining the expectations for discussion in the classroom, as much of science relies heavily on discussion of data and ideas. To this end, students must feel that they are able to participate in such discussions. The ideas outlined here were influenced by the Inclusive Strategies Design list – my Office Hours statement was developed using what I learned from that assignment. I am choosing to showcase this in my ePortfolio because it will be a core element in future syllabi, so I will want those who view my portfolio to understand why it matters.
Northwestern University and myself are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all students on campus. In this classroom, we will achieve inclusion in this course by building mutual respect between one another during deep and engaging scientific discussions. This includes discussing and dissecting ideas from the field without attacking the individual voicing the ideas. We should also note that in the field of genetics, a direct link to diversity and equity may not be obvious at first glance. However, it is important to remember that science is done by people, and, in recent years, the population of scientists has become more diverse. It is important to highlight the individuals making these contributions. As your instructor, it is my responsibility to create an environment where you are all in a position to fully engage with the material and gain a deeper understanding of scientific concepts. This will be done in part through bi-weekly surveys in which students can give feedback on how they are receiving the material, and how comfortable they feel in the classroom. If you should have questions about the material or the course in general, I can be reached by email or during office hours. Please know that you don’t need to have a specific question in order to come to office hours - I am here to help! If you need other resources in regards to your general well-being and campus experience, feel free to seek assistance from CAPS (https://www.northwestern.edu/counseling/) , the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (https://www.northwestern.edu/diversity/), and AccessibleNU (https://www.northwestern.edu/accessiblenu/).