Centering Joy in the Classroom w/Liz Norell

I just decided then that I was going to be that kind of teacher that students could count on to be an advocate in their corner—believing them, trusting them, and fighting for them.

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Liz Norell is passionate about great teaching and student success. As a political scientist (well, really, a political psychologist), she's motivated to understand how/why we develop the political beliefs we do...and how to have more productive dialogue across differences. As a faculty member and mentor, she loves brainstorming ways to make classrooms more inclusive, engaging, exciting, relevant, and welcoming spaces for learning. She embraces pedagogies of equity and care, including the full spectrum of ungrading. She loves to talk with other teachers about teaching. You can follow her musings at her blog, www.liznorell.com, and on Twitter @liznorell.

Other resources

• Why I think grades are stupid (video)

• 95 days to fall: Incomplete grades (blog post): Why are incomplete grades seen as inherently bad?

• Grade reflection form example (PDF)

• University of Michigan’s Social Identity Wheel activity and Personal Identity Wheel activity

Recommended reading

• Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain by Zaretta Hammond

• Inclusive Teaching by Kelly Hogan and Viji Sathy

• Teaching About Race and Racism in the College Classroom by Cyndi Kernahan

• Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides by Geoffrey Cohen

• Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life by Susan David

• So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

The Twitter thread…

Last night, a professor walked into a night class for the first time since 2016. Here's what happened:

— Dr. Liz Norell (@liznorell) January 12, 2023