Being open to considering alternative pedagogy, even if you ultimately continue to use many of your same practices, will allow you to analyze why you do what you and how (or whether) it promotes the type of learning you’re hoping to achieve so that you can further refine it for all learners.

I certainly have my blind spots. I try to be inclusive of students with disabilities, but long covid humbled me. Being unable to make my brain ignore other noises, process information quickly, etc. made me thankful I am on this side of the classroom, where I control the pace.

Ignoring so called “jargon” to rely instead on vibes of what feels preferred to you will differently impact students in the class. Experts in pedagogy can help you analyze your teaching to fill in blind spots.

Whether or not individual papers replicate, there is clear evidence that students come to our classes with different levels of preparation, with different disabilities that may impact processing time, and different gendered or racialized experiences of being dismissed.

Students differ from one another and our job is to teach all of them. What worked well for faculty when we were students often doesn’t work as well for other students. And I don’t mean learning styles. It’s telling that he reminisces of the days when he went to an older male colleague for advice.

This article was, um, interesting. Something that stood out to me, as a researcher who systematically examines higher ed, is his lack of ability to see that what worked for him is not inherently the gold standard.

And yes, I do live extremely far north and it snowed on Sunday and we still have no leaves on trees. Being from the South I don’t think I’ll ever get used to waiting until May for spring flowers and blossoms. But I do love the months of snow and winter wonderland.

Chipmunk in a wooden feeder eating corn mix

Two cats stare at back porch with chipmunk in background behind the feeder

Squirrel about to enter feeder while cat watches

Two cats watch a squirrel eating food out of feeder

I needed to add some levity to my life with all the stressful current events, so I got my cats a present: a chipmunk/squirrel feeder!

In the first 48 hours we have seen 2 chipmunks and 3 squirrels. Some birds have thought about joining the fun too.

Now, you might say, "What about all the knowledge we'd lose if we push all the abusive geniuses out of academia?!"

But I'd counter and say, "Well, what about the knowledge we've already lost from the budding scholars whose careers they've derailed with their abuse?"

College campus with trees with no leaves and a light dusting of snow on the ground

As an added bonus for me to be excited, it snowed yet again this morning. I love the snow in the winter but I’m so ready for some warm temperatures and sunshine ☀️

Picture of Mayo Clinic signs with palm trees in background

So excited for SSS later this week in Jacksonville, FL!

It feels full circle: 2 years ago I made many trips to Mayo Clinic to get complicated diagnoses and treatment plans. Now I’m stable and going to conferences again!

I still have some free time Thursday if anyone wants to meet up.

I have many thoughts on this documents. First, the language - it is written like a transphobe's wet dream. It makes up a definition of "biological sex", which excludes all intersex people. It then suggests this cannot be changed (lol). So, not written by anyone with any understanding of science. /1

And this goes far beyond sports. It’s a useful first step because they can convince everyday people that biology matters in sports. But it will be used to further justify that trans women aren’t *really* women to invalidate their identity and further segregate them from society.

There were predictions this might happen but it’s still devastating.

As a cis woman when I compete in women’s sports, I want to compete against all women. I don’t care about your genes, if you live life as a woman you are a woman. Period.

In my career I have oscillated between:
1) feeling the crushing weight of the pressure, hyper aware of the stakes and possible inequalities, making me procrastinate
2) creating an emotional disconnect and trying to convince myself the grades are not attached to real human experiences

I hate both.

I really enjoy giving students feedback on their work, but I loathe attaching grades to it. Every time I give a student a grade, I feel the emotional weight of how that grade can impact access to resources like scholarships, grad school, academic standing, and more.

Screenshot of email signature: Alanna Gillis, PhD Associate Professor of Sociology  St Lawrence University  Pronouns: she/her 

Two years ago on medical leave, too disabled from long covid to live independently, sitting in my parents' house thinking I wouldn't be able to work again, I gave up on this dream.

But today I'm updating my email signature because the Board made it official: I am now an Associate Professor!!!

Jonathan I’m so sorry to hear that! I’ve had long covid for a few years now and definitely have memory loss from the worst months of it (two years ago). To me the worst part is the disorientation of never being sure if I am supposed to know something or someone.

So glad to hear it’s improving!

My students LOVED learning about the specific examples Jen found during class today about school choice. It was a nice concrete way to show how privatizing education results in financial mismanagement (charter schools) and ridiculous spending (ESAs). They were outraged at the audacity.

I’m teaching about vouchers and ESAs in my Soc of Ed class today and I’m totally going to share some of your terrible examples you’ve been finding!

Frantically finalizing my ASA submission today. It is absolutely not polished, has holes that need to be filled, but I’m so excited about how it’s coming together.

Here’s to hoping “Nonbinary/Trans on Greek Row: What is the Future of Gendered Boundaries in Greek Organizations?” finds its home 🤞

So true! I have another question that asks them to analyze current structures that impact racial inequality and the distinction between current and historical is definitely a social construct, haha

Nothing to make me feel old like 25% of my intro students choosing to write about the 2020 killing of George Floyd as their answer to this question: "Explain a HISTORICAL event or structure whose legacy contributes to present day racial inequality."

It’s important to realize that this only refers to rescinding the Dear Colleague letter. Many other anti DEI bans are in place at the national and state level.

But this shows why it is important to not comply as if it is inevitable. We must resist, organize, and support lawsuits.

Any sociologist have inside scoop about when the SSS preliminary schedule will be released? Don’t want to book travel until I know when some key to me things will be.

Knowledge is power. When the state acts to prevent its people from gaining knowledge, it is an act designed to keep them submissive and subordinate to maintain the current power structure.

Great article!

Fancy looking wood tables, two story wooden adornments and a large stain glass window with the university logo SLU

Red stone building with surrounding area covered in white snow

This semester my book proposal and sample chapter are a priority. Joined a small writing group with a few other women faculty, 3/4 of us working on our first books. Picked the fanciest space on campus to signal this is protected writing time and we can do it.

***Piloting New Component in This Course*** Part 3: Determining The Weights of Your Participation Grade There are 8 components of your participation assessment. Please decide what percentage you want each component to count toward your final participation grade. Each component must be a minimum of 5%, but otherwise the weighting is up to you. • Attendance/Tardiness: ___% • Preparation for Class: ___% • Participation in Small Group Discussions: ___% • Participation in Full Class Discussions: ___% • Appropriate Use of Technology: ___% • Participation in CBL Placement: ___% • Participation in Other Ways: ___% Your weights must add up to 100%.

A lot of people use my participation system, and the most ?'s I get are around determining the grade. I love tweaking things in my teaching to see if I can improve them. Grade will still be proposed by student but trying to create a more structured way for them to calculate it.