Faculty Identity

Under the Influence of Whiteness

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Professionalism,

Power,

Privilege, and

Presence

Use the Jamboard to answer two questions

The first two Jamboard frames ask about your reasons for attending (you can use the sticky notes on either)

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The next two frames ask for your definition of 'professional'

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Jamboard Link:

https://jamboard.google.com/d/1rwuHYnxgOHNiMLfT9ZpXUFkLE9LycW7VmDMyPCuASC4/edit?usp=sharing

Welcome and session overview

Today we will:

• Review our reasons for being here
• Set the context for this discussion based on the history of higher education in the United States and our own professional identities, power and privilege
• Name the characteristics of Whiteness/White Supremacy Culture
• Explore how Whiteness can be present, though not immediately obvious, in us and our classes
• Investigate, and even devise, practices for being present in our work as professional educators without defaulting to Whiteness

Let's look at the Jamboard–

• Martha's story behind proposing this session, leading to the question "What was my professional training for being an instructor?"
• Participants' reasons for attending from the Jamboard
• Participants' definitions of 'professional'
• Any additional thoughts as we get started?

A Very Brief History of Higher Education

• Roots in ancient Greece
• The medieval university
• The university comes to the Western hemisphere
• The German research university model
• Women begin to enter; higher education diversifies, some
• The GI Bill expands access

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But who gets to be the professors?

Who were your college instructors?

Characteristics of Whiteness

• Perfectionism
• Sense of urgency
• Defensiveness
• Quantity over quality
• Worship of the written word
• Only one right way
• Paternalism
• Either/or thinking
• Power hoarding
• Fear of open conflict
• Individualism
• Progress is bigger, more
• Objectivity
• Right to comfort

From: https://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/white-supremacy-culture-characteristics.html

Which of these were most evident when you were a student?

Which do you see at PCC today? Where?

Thinking further: where is whiteness hiding?

This is the hard step.

• Where is whiteness hiding in our assumptions about ourselves and our role as instructors?
• In our assumptions about students and their behavior?
• In our course content and design?
• In our interactions inside and outside of the classroom?

We are going to take a short time for individual reflection, and then you are invited to share your thoughts.

So, now what?

First, give yourself grace and acceptance.

Next, be open to lifelong (and career-long) learning

What are resources that can help us recognize when whiteness shows up?

What resources can help us move toward being more fully student-centered as instructors?

What challenges does this kind of work bring? How do we support each other in handling them? How do we invite other faculty in?

Final thoughts

Thank you for attending: it takes courage to have these conversations. I welcome further interaction, if you want to work more on reducing the impact of whiteness. My best contact is by email: mbailey@pcc.edu.

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Please complete the session evaluation before you go into your weekend–which is supposed to be dry and sunny.

Image: rajiv-bajaj-i4QlqfcTkN8-unsplash

Thank you for your participation.

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Please complete the session evaluation by using the link.