Healing Centered Pedagogy in Social Justice-Based University Classrooms
Abstract
In classrooms where social justice work is prioritized, it is likely that current or past trauma will be evoked, especially for minoritized students. These students “bring to the classroom the social traumas they have collectively survived,” Thompson, 2017, p. 11). While this is a necessary risk in order to confront oppression, neoliberalism, and colonialism, it can leave students with feelings of discomfort and stress, and decrease their engagement in the course material, discussions, and collaborations. Educators and facilitators have a responsibility to provide the classroom space “as a possible location of healing” (Thompson, 2017, p.90), where self-care and contemplative practices are offered as tools to disrupt oppression and trauma, and help students deeply and productively engage their mind/body/spirit for collective healing and to promote hope for liberation. The presenter proposes a framework for healing centered engagement that incites a sense of belonging and collective well-being in social justice classrooms.
Presentation Description
In classrooms where social justice work is prioritized, it is likely that current or past trauma will be evoked, especially for minoritized students. These students “bring to the classroom the social traumas they have collectively survived,” Thompson, 2017, p. 11). While this is a necessary risk in order to confront oppression, neoliberalism, and colonialism, it can leave students with feelings of discomfort and stress, and decrease their engagement in the course material, discussions, and collaborations. Educators and facilitators have a responsibility to provide the classroom space “as a possible location of healing” (Thompson, 2017, p.90), where self-care and contemplative practices are offered as tools to disrupt oppression and trauma, and help students deeply and productively engage their mind/body/spirit for collective healing and to promote hope for liberation. The presenter proposes a framework for healing centered engagement that incites a sense of belonging and collective well-being in social justice classrooms.
Location
Stream C: Curriculum Dialogues
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Stachowiak, Dana M., "Healing Centered Pedagogy in Social Justice-Based University Classrooms" (2020). Curriculum Studies Summer Collaborative. 36.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cssc/2020/2020/36
Healing Centered Pedagogy in Social Justice-Based University Classrooms
Stream C: Curriculum Dialogues
In classrooms where social justice work is prioritized, it is likely that current or past trauma will be evoked, especially for minoritized students. These students “bring to the classroom the social traumas they have collectively survived,” Thompson, 2017, p. 11). While this is a necessary risk in order to confront oppression, neoliberalism, and colonialism, it can leave students with feelings of discomfort and stress, and decrease their engagement in the course material, discussions, and collaborations. Educators and facilitators have a responsibility to provide the classroom space “as a possible location of healing” (Thompson, 2017, p.90), where self-care and contemplative practices are offered as tools to disrupt oppression and trauma, and help students deeply and productively engage their mind/body/spirit for collective healing and to promote hope for liberation. The presenter proposes a framework for healing centered engagement that incites a sense of belonging and collective well-being in social justice classrooms.
