Pedagogy Speaker Series: 'Teaching and Talking About Race,' with Joey Oteng
- Shared screen with speaker view

27:09
Hello all!

27:31
Hello! It's wonderful to see everyone!

29:19
Hi folks! Welcome!

29:50
Hi!

34:03
Awesome!

34:09
Great!

34:11
Surviving, which feels pretty good!

38:05
I love that story about Serena Williams!

39:57
Karen

40:06
She,her, hers

40:19
World Religion in Undergrad changed me

40:26
Brennan

40:34
Deb. She/her/hers. Psychology of women in undergrad

40:36
Kelly, He/Him, favorite class Phenomenology and Existentialism.

40:39
Jess, she/her, American Minimal Music (first semester of grad work)

40:41
Helen, She/Her, Process Engineering

40:42
Jill, she/her, Micro Sociological Theory

40:42
Lisa, She Her, Children's Literature

40:45
She/her Best class ever: 3rd year Arabic in Cairo

40:45
Mary, she/her/ fForm and analysis, junior year of college at BW. Changed my life as a musician.

40:45
Lewis he/him best class taken: church history

40:45
Annette, she/hers, Biogeochemistry

40:45
Shakespeare!

40:46
Matt He/his/him J-term class on Jorge Luis Borges.

40:48
Julie, she/her/hers, Calculus II

40:49
Jim McCargar (he/him), Associate Dean and Professor of Chemistry, I teach physical chemistry and general chemistry! From Potsdam NY and I too am a Kent State alumnus (PhD)

40:51
Laurie she/her Women's U.S History undergrad

41:00
he/him Calculus

41:00
Sakespeare at CWRU

41:03
Molly, she/her, postmodern phl

41:04
Denise Kohn, she/her/, 19th century American Women Writers

41:06
Jason, He/Him, Philosophy of Science

41:06
Literature of Desire

41:07
Kent; he/him; Media in Literature

41:07
The Meaning of Absolute Music

41:08
Lalene

41:08
Rachel. she/hers. Shakespeare.

41:12
She her hers

41:15
Alejandra (she/her) Interventions for social justice

41:17
Colleen, she/her/hers; research design

41:22
Kristen Catrina She, her, hers,

41:25
Art for Elementary Teachers

41:28
Andi she/her, Non-Verbal Communication

41:35
Christie Needham, she/her, intro to communication disorders, clinical practicum

41:40
Tony He/Him Malcolm & Martin: A Comparative Study

42:10
Chisomo Selemani, she/her, Counseling in Communication Sciences and Disorders

42:11
Erica (she/her/hers), Advanced Typography

42:15
Sungeun, She/her, Ethics&religion in middle school

42:42
Terry Martin, he/him, The Landmark Forum (although it does have a cult-like quality)

43:06
Les (he, his, him): Sovereignty, Violence, and State

52:11
if you want me to be real...RE: American dreamAgent: kindergarten teacherInstitution: elementary school in one of the most racist places in America, home of the modern white power movement (1488, The Order)Messages Received: you don't belong here (she refused to teach me how to write on principle)Impact: I don't write like a normal person. Can't hold a pen right.

53:55
American dream is first for men. Women are meant to support the men's dreams.

54:24
Thank you so much for sharing - appreciate these responses!

54:26
White middle class - higher ed - parents - will go on to higher ed; knew how to help me navigate - small schools. As a female - used to messages to downplay smartness so contradicting message

54:29
I forgot to mention that this was during the 1988 Presidential primary, and I thought that Jesse Jackson's loss meant that I was going to lose in the race war that was my kindergarten.

55:04
Higher Education is not for someone from a poor, working class background. Guidance counselor told me if I studied hard, I'd graduate from high school.

56:29
Incarceration: I worked for five years with teens being released from Ohio Dept. of Youth Services, and with ex-offenders who served as their mentors. This deeply affected my perspective on the courts system, its biases, and the power of redemption and second chances. I've been suspicious about and wary of the courts ever since.

58:00
Grew up on military bases and went to schools that served a very diverse body of students. That was a great thing. But the teachers were almost all white, and diversity, racism and so on virtually NEVER came up as a theme in classes--U.S. history, etc.

59:16
love the music selections

59:45
Thank you - 80s & 90s music is what I study to. Lionel Richie and Diana Ross always get me!

01:00:59
World CIV 1500-present syllabus: The canon of subjects taught in this class tends to be Eurocentric and male oriented. I've been unhappy with it for a long time but feel hemmed in by the textbooks available and the fact that I have to train high school teachers who will be tested on that canon to get their licenses. I want to teach canon AND the marginal voices.

01:01:42
Started in kindergarten in Washington DC in 1955.

01:02:07
I should ask my students for their feedback on my syllabus.

01:02:24
Our current curriculum breaks literature in Spanish into a Latin America track and a Spain track (as in many departments). We are working to break down this organization.

01:02:25
My field is social studies education and has traditionally centered white males and I'm trying to incorporate more women and Black and Brown people.

01:02:30
I should have Zoom guest speakers—help to show multiple perspectives

01:02:31
What would they add? Remove?

01:02:32
I have made substantial changes to reading lists in my courses this semester. (Pretty late to do this but never too late?) The Existentialism reading list is dramatically different from former years, with Wright, Baldwin, Fanon, A. Davis and other writers of color featured prominently--not just at the margins. International Ethics gives more attention to the histories of racism and colonialism. Environmental Ethics spends more time on environmental and climate justice issues.

01:02:49
Example: who first circumnavigated the globe? Not Magellan, but his body slave from Malacca named "Black Henry."

01:03:33
The Survey of American Lit emphasizes diversity, and I have also taught African American Lit. But I have traditionally taught Lit Theory as a Historical Survey, and so the diversity comes only in the latter half, but one African American student expressed discontent with regard to the selection, and his words have remained with me. I think I'm going to revise that syllabus as well.

01:07:45
Michelle Obama

01:07:47
Obama

01:07:49
Obama

01:08:00
The Dalai Lama

01:08:05
Elizabeth Warren

01:08:12
Trump

01:08:13
AOC

01:08:15
Trump (negatively speaking)

01:08:17
Trump

01:08:19
Donald Trump

01:08:24
LeBron

01:08:27
Kamala Harris

01:08:34
Unfortunately, I agree that it’s Trump.

01:08:36
an anonymous Twitter egg, a bot Insta account

01:08:59
Unfortunately, Trump

01:09:01
determination

01:09:02
Empathy

01:09:03
I hope empathy

01:09:09
empathy

01:09:09
Rage

01:09:09
Love

01:09:11
anxiety

01:09:13
Hope

01:09:16
empathy

01:09:16
enthusiasm

01:09:17
Solidarity (aspirationally)

01:09:20
Joy

01:09:23
Desire for justice

01:09:23
Fear is most powerful; love motivating

01:09:25
hope interwoven with cynicism . . ..

01:09:27
hope

01:09:32
Awesome word Kelly....not used enough!

01:09:40
Wish it was love, but it is fear.

01:09:58
weariness

01:10:02
Joy

01:10:04
uncertainty

01:10:05
a newborn

01:10:06
burn-out

01:10:08
tired

01:10:08
sclerotic

01:10:09
jaded

01:10:10
caution

01:10:12
anxious

01:10:13
spent

01:10:14
Stuck

01:10:14
relevent

01:10:15
complacent

01:10:15
On the back 9

01:10:15
Decline in relevance!

01:10:15
cynical

01:10:16
uncertain

01:10:18
resigned

01:10:18
tired

01:10:18
burnt out, I agree

01:10:18
weary or anxious

01:10:19
shortchanged

01:10:21
tentative

01:10:23
overlooked

01:10:26
Conceited

01:10:30
self indulgent

01:10:31
Anxious

01:10:33
worried

01:10:34
overwhelmed

01:10:36
depleted

01:10:36
exhausted

01:10:47
lavender

01:10:49
blue

01:10:50
Deep blue

01:10:51
yellow

01:10:51
blue

01:10:51
Sage Green

01:10:52
Rainbow

01:10:53
rainbow

01:10:55
black

01:10:56
red

01:10:57
The brown of my wife's eyes

01:10:57
purple

01:10:58
red

01:10:58
Grass green

01:10:58
purple

01:11:00
light blue

01:11:04
transparent

01:11:05
blue

01:11:10
love has no color

01:11:14
no color

01:11:15
Labatt's Blue

01:11:27
nice Indira

01:11:28
lol

01:11:28
Irridescent and shiny

01:11:36
My newborn child

01:11:37
a newborn

01:11:39
my three baby daughters

01:11:39
my wife

01:11:39
Rob (1st born)

01:11:40
birth of my children

01:11:40
The alps

01:11:41
rainbow

01:11:41
my children

01:11:42
a baby

01:11:43
The birth of my children

01:11:43
my daughter

01:11:44
Grand Canyon made me cry

01:11:45
my son

01:11:47
Daughter

01:11:52
beetle

01:11:53
two people connecting and sparks flying

01:11:57
kids

01:11:58
The birth of my children, and the Tetons!

01:12:00
trees

01:12:11
An aiport reunion between loved one

01:12:14
I am crying! this is amzing

01:12:16
The view of the Bay area from Mount Tam

01:12:16
eyes of my newborn

01:12:18
love and patience expressed even through conflict

01:12:21
Watching my nieces learn to walk with the help of my dog

01:12:36
Caring for those in need

01:12:40
my child's laughter

01:13:29
What would you say if you DID know?

01:14:23
I like that, Joey, since as a professor my habit is to speak with authority, and this isn't always constructive for real discussion.

01:16:04
One great part of complete remote is that more students participate with each other, rather than through my mediation. Not sure where that fits…

01:17:12
Any thoughts, anybody, about group discussions in a physically distanced classroom? I am looking for solutions.

01:17:43
I just tell them to talk without raising hands

01:17:45
Ask "What is fair?" about the course processes, etc.

01:18:27
Ask students what type of classroom environment they want

01:18:34
my own pronoun honoring approach (had students transitioning who find the mandatory pronoun introduction incredibly upsetting)

01:18:34
I have a split class (half F2F, half remote), and create groups involving both (2-4 students), and have them connect for discussion and to answer questions for class

01:18:35
Thanks!

01:18:48
Students working in teams outside of class seems to work better than working together during class.

01:18:50
Focus on our own learning (not policing others)

01:19:06
Good idea, Tom, though I don't have that format right now. Still, thanks.

01:19:14
What can we (teachers and students) say or to encourage you to take risks and develop your ideas?

01:19:20
providing equal time for all students in a discussion. this means cutting off long talkers (usually white males) and giving space and time to think for less talkers (usually minorities)

01:19:57
In the age of COVID, I'm using open communication (e-mail, text, GroupMe, polling on well-being)

01:21:08
I agree with Gene about white males taking much of our discussion time. We have to bring this out in the open.

01:22:33
This is a wonderful session, but I have to leave to teach. Thank you, Joey!

01:22:53
Thank you Andrea!

01:22:54
Thanks for being part of this, Andrea!

01:30:16
How can we bring our most authentic self while masked? I feel like the classroom has become an emotional dead space because it's so hard to read masked faces.

01:31:45
Now we arrive at music of my era

01:31:50
beginner b/c things change quickly

01:32:02
Beginner

01:32:10
What do you mean exactly by "self-defeating introspection" in your infographic?

01:32:10
Intermediate

01:32:11
Intermediate

01:32:20
M. Are there books YOU recommend to increase our racial literacy?

01:32:34
Beginner

01:32:42
Intermediate

01:32:45
Beginner. I think a few years ago I would have thought myself far more racially literate than I now recognize myself as being--lot's of self-deception encouraged, I think, by the cultural mainstream. I am at least literate enough to know I am a beginner, which is a philosopher's way of bragging (Socrates).

01:32:46
beginner

01:32:49
between intermediate and literate

01:32:52
Beginner

01:35:25
I think the fact that most of my colleagues and neighbors are white speaks for itself.

01:36:06
Thanks for sharing these experiences, Joey! White faculty need to be aware of these subtle and not-so-subtle pressures put on our own students of color.

01:36:11
It's interesting to be confronted with so many questions that I don't know how to answer.

01:36:19
I live in a community deeply shaped by structural racism.

01:36:29
Guilt can be motivating

01:36:29
Thanks Indira...exactly where I'm at.

01:37:01
my community is diverse; i'm aware of my white privilege. my child is Asian; I feel their pain

01:37:07
imagine if the effort and resources BW put into preparing to open the campus in the COVID-19 environment were also committed to expanding the diversity of our faculty.

01:37:15
Feel like there is more for me to do yet feeling paralyzed by my privilege.

01:37:17
Race obviously affects me in profound ways as a white person, but I also experience privilege not to be aware or not to consider it

01:38:05
I find my privilege sneaks up on me sometimes in ways I don't anticipate.

01:38:57
Same Jim, i often fel paralyzed by my own privilege, the only why i know how todeal with this is to listen and not talk. but always feel like i should be saying more…

01:39:14
Tom, that’s a really interesting comment!

01:40:30
While I have become more and more aware of the opportunities that may have come my way because of my race or social class, at times I find it frustrating that some of my accomplishments have been discounted as a result of this too.

01:41:16
Tom, yes! I want to imagine that scenario, and then move toward reality.

01:43:14
I'm starting to realize that I have a HUGE bias...that this is not the realm of the sciences...but I know that cannot be true.

01:43:22
I think I know the trends but need to do better to impact the reality

01:43:34
Absolutely Tony - yes, how can we separate out our experiences with racial privilege versus ability, socioeconomic status, etc.

01:43:36
Within computing, we struggle mightily with attracting and supporting BIPOC as well as women students

01:44:05
Philosophy is a problem because the reading materials tend to have a huge white male and European bias, but equally the texts require a lot of "literacy" and this becomes an inclusiveness problem if many students just haven't been exposed to "readings" like this.

01:44:24
The quantitatively prepared do best. I wonder how our socializations create racial & gender gaps here.

01:44:25
Spanish programs have always had a problematic (but improving) relationship with heritage speakers. Many heritage speakers feel ashamed to be in low level spanish classes. Mocked by family members

01:44:42
and presumed to have proficiency because of their surname

01:45:34
I appreciate that comment about inclusivity and preparation Kelly.

01:46:45
During COVID, it seems that African American students are struggling to cope more than other students. Besides expressing care and encouraging them to seek counseling, I'm not sure what else to do.

01:46:55
Acknowledge I know it exists and offer support

01:48:23
Agreed! Students often believe that they have to go it alone.

01:48:52
Encourage all students to reach out to me if circumstances outside of class are affecting their ability to perform. Share stories of how other students struggled and how I responded, so they know it's not just talk.

01:49:07
Sahre your narrative

01:49:10
Share

01:49:16
Good idea, Indira--and James.

01:50:01
great approach, Indira - helps establish authentic empathy and opens the door to possible helping relationships

01:54:05
The Reed quote is helpful. Racism should probably not be approached by whites as an opportunity for spiritual soul-searching and cleansing. Racism is not an occasion for redemption for white people, but greater empathy for black people.

01:57:23
What is the one thing you most wish white professors had done or not done in your classes?

01:57:36
Intense, Joey! So much to think about

01:58:06
Thank you for your labor in cultivating all of these resources

01:58:48
Thanks for a whole lot to think about, Joey.

01:58:50
I look forward to digging into these resources. Thank you for sharing.

01:59:08
Thanks for putting all of this together and your energy!

01:59:16
Joey, this just feels like it was one of the most essential workshops I have attended in a long time, and I have attended lots of great ones. Thanks for the clarity, candor, and empathy. Outstanding.

01:59:25
I really appreciate your positive energy and your helpful resources!

01:59:28
Agreed, Kelly.

01:59:33
Thank you, Joey!

02:00:06
Thank you so much—I feel like each infographic could be another workshop!

02:00:20
at the beginning of a journey

02:00:24
More courage about being vulnerable in the classroom.

02:00:42
Agreed, Joey. It is amazing to share the power of forgiveness - forgiving and being forgiven - with one another. Thank you for a wonderful session. I learned so much and look forward to learning more!

02:00:52
Inspired and overwhelmed - so much to think about and act on. It helps me feel better prepared for conversations.

02:01:00
I feel like I really need to sit with this and really digest it. I so appreciate all of the details within this conversation/presentation. You provided words for responses and conversational starters for situations I've found challenging before. Thank you so much for all of this information and presenting in the manner in which you did! It was honest and extremely applicable for where I'm at with my journey with this! THANK YOU!!!

02:01:17
Thank you!

02:01:30
Thank you

02:01:31
Looking forward to taking some of these resources into my FYE sessions. Thanks!!

02:01:33
Thank you!

02:01:40
thank you!

02:02:08
THANK YOU!!! Just outstanding work. You are a gift, Joey.

02:02:10
Thanks, Joey. Impactful session

02:03:14
Thanks, everyone, for engaging in this experience!

02:03:22
You're so welcome!

02:04:40
Wow, that's a lot of info. I look forward to examining your slides and sitting with some of those questions. Thank you!

02:04:45
I wonder if people need on going support going forward. Do you have suggestions on how to move collectively forward?

02:09:28
Thank you! I need to run.

02:10:16
May I share your Common Racist Attitudes with my students?

02:10:21
yes, I think impact comes from the number of folks who are acting.

02:10:54
Yes! Jill feel free!

02:10:54
I have suggested before that maybe our campus common readings could be books that help us identify and counter racism. I'm not sure what the readings are for this year. Lisa?

02:10:59
Any resources here for you to use!

02:11:09
If students can have at least one faculty (or one more) who interacts this way, we can move the needle.

02:11:17
Joey - if you were applying for a teaching position at a university like BW, what would be the most important element of the place for you to say yes or no to an offer?

02:11:23
Thanks, Joey for a wealth of resources and an energetic and sincere session. We remain appreciative of our faculty like Chisomo and Tom who help us to keep these important and critical conversations on the front-burner. We recognize the learning curve, but many of us are determined to strive to make a difference. This work is important not just in our professional day to day experiences, but in our place in this world.

02:11:32
Yes! I am telling you the faculty who have shown up in this way have been transformative for me

02:13:19
Need to sign off. Thanks, Joey. Great to see my BW colleague again.

02:14:45
Indira, I sent an email about the common reading today. We are reading Trevor Noah's book this year.

02:15:06
Thanks, Lisa.

02:16:16
My courses will be positively impacted by this session. Thank you Joey.

02:16:29
Thanks, again. Off to the next meeting!

02:17:03
Thank you Lisa!!!

02:17:29
THanks, Lisa!

02:17:41
This has been a motivating and energizing 90 minutes. Deep appreciation…

02:18:31
Thank you Lisa

02:19:23
Thanks, I've just been hanging out to catch wisdom offered in response to others' questions. Time to feed my kids.

02:19:23
THanks, Joey!

02:20:36
Thank you Indira!