Recognizing the many hats we wear

Humanizing Education

1. About the Teaching and Learning Symposium (TLS)
2. The Importance of Humanizing Education
3. Simple Strategies for Humanizing Online Education
   1. Check in before/during/after class
   2. Pre-class music/video/activity
   3. Intentionally have short stretch/movement breaks
   4. "Show-and-Tell"
   5. Rebranding "Office Hours" to "Student Hours"
4. Key Takeaways

About the Teaching and Learning Symposium (TLS)

The annual Teaching and Learning Symposium is the University of Toronto’s flagship teaching showcase bringing faculty and students together from all three campuses. This year’s symposium focused on the theme “Teacher-as-Learner, Learner-as-Teacher” and was held entirely online featuring both synchronous and asynchronous content over three days – May 12, 13 and 14. As a signature event hosted by the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation (CTSI), the symposium is an excellent way to connect with the UofT community to learn from and develop innovative teaching practices. We would like to send a huge thank you and congratulations to the event organizers! You can read more about the Teaching and Learning Symposium by visiting the TLS website.

Closing Session Details: Pandemic Snapshots -- Learning & Looking Forward

The final session of the 2021 Teaching and Learning Symposium sparked dialogue between panelists and attendees in highlighting experiences and lessons learned throughout a year of remote teaching and learning. Some key takeaways and strategies will be outlined in this blog post. You can visit the TLS website to read more about the session, moderators, and panelists. 

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The Importance of Humanizing Education

“We are humans first and students second; normalize the challenge of learning” – this message was popped into the Zoom session chat by a faculty member and met with overwhelming agreement in underscoring the importance of humanizing the learning process.

Over the course of the pandemic, students and faculty alike have been given a peek into each other’s lives beyond the premises of the university. As we navigate virtual lectures, meetings, and other activities, we  learn that we are among parents, pet owners, musicians, home chefs, LEGO set engineers, the list goes on.

Recognizing and acknowledging what makes us human can have a great impact on our educational experience and performance. In the closing session of the Symposium, faculty and students came together to share anecdotes and simple strategies for connecting with students beyond their one-dimensional “student” title and allowing them to connect with their instructors in the same way. Some of these strategies are listed below:

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Simple Strategies for Humanizing Online Education

1. Check-in before/during/after class

This can be as simple as sharing how your day has been and asking students to do the same. You can even ask a fun question or put up a poll. This simple activity conveys a message of acknowledgment and support for your students.

2. Pre-class music/video/activity

Using the first 10 minutes before beginning a class to play some music, a funny video, or perhaps even a short game (collaborative maze or colouring activity on a shared screen) is a fun way of engaging your students. Students will be excited to show up early and get to hear their instructor’s favourite songs or have the chance to clear their minds with a small activity.

3. Intentionally have short stretch/movement breaks

By now we are all too familiar with constant desk and screen fatigue. A short break to get up and stretch in the middle of an online class is an excellent way of supporting physical and mental health for you and your students.

4. “Show-and-Tell”

The excitement of show-and-tell day in grade school comes from every individual’s eagerness to share their love for something. For you and your students, this can mean showing your pets on camera, or playing an instrument for the class during a short break. Acknowledging your students’ passions and sharing your own is anecdotally one of the most effective ways of creating an environment that is encouraging and conductive for learning.

5. Rebranding “Office Hours” to “Student Hours”

One faculty member shared this simple tip of rebranding “office hours” to “student hours”. Having done this themselves, they recounted how the simple change in language encouraged more students to approach them for questions or just friendly conversation.

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Key Takeaways

Remembering that both you and your students wear many more hats beyond your education-related roles is key in humanizing the education process. One of the greatest lessons learned from the pandemic (besides hygiene) is empathy and acknowledging our humanity as a whole is a perfect way of showing it. As an instructor, consider implementing these simple strategies in your virtual or in-person classroom because they can make a monumental difference for you and your students as you navigate the challenges of learning together.

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