When I say this has been a semester….whew. I am not exaggerating. I have missed writing but in the great scheme of survival, writing has taken a back seat. (I have big wrting plans for the summer. We will see if they come to fruition.) Today I have my last final session of Spring 2024,Continue reading “Speaking life”
Tag Archives: social work education
Synchronicity in classroom and community
This semester I am teaching in an interdisciplinary learning community (ILC), which is part of our university’s general education curriculum. The ILC is called “Introduction to Trauma Studies” and the two courses are the human behavior across the lifespan course that I teach and a literature/writing course which is taught by a colleague in the EnglishContinue reading “Synchronicity in classroom and community”
Creatively applied learning
Every fall semester for the past 10 years I have taught a social welfare policy course. This is a course where social work majors and occasionally some social justice minors take a dive into a broad array of policy topics. This is a class where we discuss so many policy topics (child welfare, housing, food andContinue reading “Creatively applied learning”
Preventative Maintenance: Tangible self-care
Last semester felt very long, as I discussed in my last post. I have friends who teach in various institutions across the country and so many of them expressed these same feelings about last semester. Whew. One day in a particular class, when I could tell that people were stressed, I shifted gears early on intoContinue reading “Preventative Maintenance: Tangible self-care”
Difficult conversations in the classroom
In social work education, we often have difficult conversations in the classroom as we grapple with teaching and learning about systemic racism, other forms of discrimination, and oppression. These discussions are relevant to the course and student learning, so I can’t “duck” them, but even though I have been in the classroom for 20 years,Continue reading “Difficult conversations in the classroom”
The Call: Podcasts in Teaching
Just as I dropped my daughter off at dance class this morning, I heard the beginning of This American Life. I rarely feel compelled to listen to an entire podcast episode, (of any podcast), often listening a bit and then reading the transcript if I want to finish the story. It is more efficient andContinue reading “The Call: Podcasts in Teaching”
My 20th year of teaching: Embracing my anti-hero’s journey
Last night I was trying to settle down for sleep, which is always challenging the night before the semester starts. I was tossing and turning, and then it hit me: I was about to embark on my 20th year of full- time teaching. Earlier yesterday I read a post by my friend David Hutchens, whoContinue reading “My 20th year of teaching: Embracing my anti-hero’s journey”
Resources for teaching about poverty (part 2)
A couple of weeks ago I shared some of the resources I use when teaching my class on Poverty in the US. You can access part one here. I finished the course outline for the class earlier this evening and am ready to share the rest of my resources! If you are interested in seeingContinue reading “Resources for teaching about poverty (part 2)”
ICWA upheld!
Last fall semester, students and I tracked the Haaland v. Brackeen case being heard by the Supreme Court. We discussed the atrocities of the “boarding school” era, and the history of the Indian Child Welfare Act, as well as some of the challenges the law has faced in previous years. One of the things we readContinue reading “ICWA upheld!”
Resources for understanding and teaching about poverty (part 1)
The anniversary of Robert Kennedy’s death was yesterday (June 6). He said “as long as there is plenty, poverty is evil”. He was assassinated in 1968, just two months and two days after the assassination of Dr. King. Both of these men at their death were committed to eradicating poverty in the US, and partContinue reading “Resources for understanding and teaching about poverty (part 1)”
Teaching (toward) the Beloved Community 