A Variety of Student Experiences

An image of Lone Star College - North Harris

We are hitting a tough time of year in the college semester, for various reasons.  It is post-Spring Break, which often includes a drop in energy levels for faculty, staff, and students.  It is also a time for students to reflect on their academic progress - will they be able to make their desired grade?  Do they have time to finish this project or that paper?  There are additional concerns that plague students regarding finances, job security, the care for or loss of loved ones, transportation difficulties, and more.

One situation that does not receive enough attention throughout each semester is student homelessness.  Several professors in the English Department alone have spoken with individuals in their classes who struggle to find a stable home environment.  Some students have lost their jobs, while others have been kicked out of their homes by family.

It is remarkable that these students carry on and come to school, ready for class and willing to focus on that day's work.  It also takes incredible courage for them to share their circumstances with professors and staff.  Thankfully, we have resources available for those who are struggling, but too often these students suffer in silence because of shame, guilt, and the threat of judgment by others.

The experiences of our students here at North Harris are so varied - we have veterans, single parents, first generation folks, those with jobs (sometimes more than one), those who are unemployed, students who come to school hungry, and those who do not have a place to call home. 

The image above is of our campus.  In some ways it is an accurate portrayal of the campus - it's a relaxed space with good hangout areas where people congregate and come to learn.  This is a typical photo of a college environment, revealing what is shiny and not what may need extra care or consideration. 

Though some students may move through campus, experiencing the shiny version above with thoughts of future jobs and endeavors, far too many are facing extreme life experiences where "success" is measured on a daily basis and "home" is a temporary, rather than long-term space.

Campus Words Events

Spread the word!  This event provides a space for students to share their original work and the productions of other artists (poets, authors, rappers, etc.) in a free speech zone.  Tweet @EngageOrRage to sign up in advance, or arrive early to sign up at the door.

Always Learning

Teachers and professors know all they need to know.  That's an idea I often hear from students, and more than a few educators.  It is an unfortunate assumption - and incorrect.

One way to disrupt this misunderstanding is for all those folks in education to admit when they don't know something - inevitably, there are moments in my classes when a student asks a question to which I do not have an answer.  There is now a part of me that really enjoys saying, "I don't know."  Though some students may initially react with confusion - you are the teacher of the class and you don't know? - incredible conversations can develop in those moments when students see their instructors as learners, too.

Educators know specific content, yet too many people standing in front of a classroom feel the pressure to 'know it all.'  If we believe that learning is an ongoing process, it should not be difficult to say, "I don't know, but what do you think?" or "I don't know, but how about you look into it and teach us what you discovered next time?"

A group of instructors at my college take part in a bi-monthly conversation related to composition.  Not only is this an opportunity to touch base and exchange ideas, but we also use the meeting as an opportunity to discuss new research in the expansive and innovative field of Rhetoric and Composition.  These dedicated professors are committed to learning from one another and from the texts we examine.

This group, and others like it, develop from the notion that we cannot and should not know it all.  Additionally, these groups recognize the importance of examining new approaches and strategies in various fields.  It is a disservice to students to believe that not only do we know it all, but that what we have always done in the classroom works perfectly.  Like our students, we are always learning.

The Numbers

Enrollment percentages based on racial identity and ethnicity for the Lone Star College System (Fall 2014)

Recently, I have been thinking about numbers.  Well, more precisely, my thoughts on quantitative information, statistics, percentages, and other data are a direct result of the continued work that Professor Howard Rambsy II does at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.  Prof. Rambsy always has a range of quantitative data in mind, for he is committed to thinking about students and their experiences inside and outside of the classroom.

As a professor whose teaching and research interests are deeply rooted in African American Literature and Black Studies, his attention to numerical information and percentages concentrate on student enrollment, classes offered in African American Literature, and opportunities available for Black students at SIUE.

Now, this is a very beneficial and strategic approach - a quantitative approach is meaningful in a college environment.  Department chairs, deans, provosts, and presidents can more easily respond to and reflect on concrete quantities rather than abstract information.  We need to think about statistical details more in order to be proactive and conscious of our student populations.

My thinking about numbers right now relates mostly to composition courses.  Now, what would it mean if more folks were teaching composition with quantitative data in mind?  Rather than approaching composition from the age-old, mode-driven mentality, what if we looked at our student populations and made efforts to ensure that students were offered a writing space where their identities were reflected?  Many are doing this work at different colleges, including at my school.

Their classes, comprised largely of Latino and Black students, include readings that focus on the intersections of language, culture, racial, and gender identities and how those identities impact writing.  In these classes, you'll hear names such as Geneva Smitherman, Gloria Anzaldúa, and bell hooks alongside names such as Peter Elbow, Janet Emig, and David Bartholomae.

At a school with large numbers or percentages of Black and Latino students, as shown above (North Harris campus), including research, narratives, and testimonios from scholars and community members who discuss the impact and implications of writing, language, and identities should not be unique - it should be the norm.  Let's do the numbers.

African American Read-In

Texts by Aaron McGruder, Natasha Trethewey, Dudley Randall, Octavia Butler, and Nikki Giovanni

Recently, Professor Martin and I worked with a local high school instructor to plan an African American Read-In as part of Black History Month.  The National Council of Teachers of English encouraged people (teachers, community members, church goers, anybody) to host events where those in attendance could engage with and discuss African American literary productions.  It is exciting to consider that, throughout Black History Month, there are groups across the country who are taking time to think about Black literature in meaningful ways (of course, what would be more exciting is if people were always thinking about and reading Black literature, but that's a topic for another time).

This event at Nimitz High School was pretty incredible for various reasons.  The teacher, Jill Aufill, gathered her high school AP English class in the library where we could spread out a bit and have a computer and projector available.  Additionally, Professor Martin asked his college students to meet us at the high school (nearly 20 students from his Resistance Literature course).  So, it was a great mix of college and high school students, sitting and talking through their ideas related to African American Poetry.  We worked in groups to examine various selections by poets such as Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka, Nikki Giovanni, and Tracie Morris.  We listened to audio files of several poets reading their works.  Additionally, the students and attendees watched and commented on a performance of "Hair" by Zai Sadler and Tova Charles, two African American women who were recently in Houston as part of Write About Now, a weekly poetry hour.

We ended the African American Read-In with a book raffle - our librarians at North Harris were able to utilize funding to purchase a handful of texts by Black authors that we gave to the high school students (see the books above).

We were thrilled to see so many folks from high school and college spaces coming together to think about African American poetry in productive and thought-provoking ways.  It was something to see 50 people intently reading through poetry packets, reading the poems out loud, and thinking through content, form, language, sound, identities, and more.

Student Poetry

Host LaVondra Ray introducing Professor Martin

Not long ago, I attended a poetry slam hour on campus, the result of Professor Bruce Martin's efforts to provide spaces for students to speak freely, be creative, and engage with one another.  It was something to see groups of students come together to share their work or admire the work of others.

Young poets shared pieces on their experiences, on gender and culture, and so much more.  Students in many schools, here in Houston and everywhere, are required to write about specific topics - whether for class subjects such as History, English, and Psychology, among others - but there is something remarkable about students sharing their original work that was not part of a requirement.  Student voices matter, in any form.

We have so many students on campus at a given time, but a majority of them are headed directly to class and then home, or to work, or to their first job before going to their second job.  It is not often that students are able, or willing, to commit their time to something like a poetry hour, but with student, staff, and faculty efforts, we hope that changes.