Respect in the classroom...
In order to establish a common understanding for respect in the classroom, some of crafted some language we could use on our canvas sites or in conjunction with the syllabus. Feel free to borrow or adapt this as you find useful:
Hi,
I am your instructor in this course. I am not a doctor or professor, so please reserve that for the people who’ve earned it. However, I do have the necessary qualifications to teach this class. I hope you have a positive and even fun experience in WR 121, but please remember to be respectful toward me as your instructor and toward your fellow students. The classroom is a space where we should feel challenged intellectually, and perhaps even emotionally, in a productive manner. But no member of this community should ever feel that their right to participate is threatened because of any aspects of their social, cultural, physical, or personal identities, whether that threat is explicitly stated or implicitly conveyed through disrespectful tone, body language, etc. For example, questions or comments about an instructor’s age, body type, gender, etc. are inappropriate; use of personal devices should be learning oriented and not a distraction; and remember that learning requires listening to diverse ideas, perspectives, and experiences.
Thanks so much for your consideration of our learning space! I’m looking forward to a great term.
Cheers,
Samara
If you have had any issues arise in the classroom that you suspect may be do to your embodiment or identity (age, gender, race, orientation, body type, etc...) please reach out! Tim can help guide you through potentially sticky situations. And, as a reminder, there is a GTA led group for “Navigating Embodiment and Identity in the Classroom” (NEIC) that I would be happy to talk with you about.
