Not Going Back
Thank you for coming on this journey with us, friends. As you have gleaned from all the materials, this journey never ends and it will be different for each of us. One experience we will all have in common, though, is that along the way you can’t help but be changed. Maybe you consider something differently — you spend more time worrying about the unintended consequences of your design decision, your policies, your words, your critiques. Or maybe you spend more time with your family, asking them about humanizing learning. In both cases, you’re doing the “work” of being tuned in and being aware of everything around you. And so, changed people — we are never going back to the ways things used to be — we can’t unsee the opportunities for us all when we embrace our common humanity and lead with compassion, wonder, and curiosity.
We are all a part of this journey, and no, we will not go back to the way things used to be. We can’t. We’ve changed and we vow to continue to do so.
The Things We Found Poignant
Community, community, community. Find support, find common ground, and then also find the tough aspects of communities: How do they grow? How do they remain inclusive? How do they remain democratic? Community for whom? How can we disagree productively? Hw can we nurture a culture where we can disagree and be respectful?
A core part of humanizing learning is a mindset (or mindsets). There are foundations and there are methods, but mindset is core. Part of that mindset is being open to learning something new, to unlearning something old, and to embracing uncertainty.
Importance of Meaningful listening. Listening to those with lived experience, listening to those with different opinions, listening to the quiet voices, listening so we hear the voices that usually don’t say a word — this is humanizing learning.
Moving beyond a “seat at the table” to “co-creating the table” — it might be the only way we impact and change systemic barriers in Education.
Going through this process — meaningful humanizing — changes people. We all will need time to process and absorb and practice these new revelations we have about ourselves and others.
Reflection Opportunity: What Did We Learn? How Can We Prepare for Change?
There is no simple “how-to” list and there never will be. There is no end, no completion, no final_final_final_exam/paper/assessment.doc
Importance of slowing down. And by slowing down we don’t mean do less with more time; quite the opposite, we mean make time for reflection, thinking, pondering, making interesting connections — doing more with time.
Importance of relationships — relationships that are non-hierarchical and genuine, that carry a foundation of curiosity and learning.
Importance of connections. Importance of breaking down silos (all silos).
Returning to “normal” — we should ask, “Normal for whom?” and “Who benefited from that ‘normal’?” Please do not uncritically go back to “normal.”
Did COVID Kill the Traditional Lecture, or