[I think we could all use some reminders these days of the best of our communities and conversations. So for this year’s Fall Semester reflections series, I wanted to share one moment from each of my classes that embodied those collective goals. I’d love to hear about your Falls in comments!]
I’m going
to start this series by breaking my own stated rules slightly, but I think you’ll
agree that this counts as an inspiring moment, if one that we had to pay off
every day thereafter. At the first class meeting of my 20th Century
African American Literature course, I made a request for the first and so far
only time in my career: I asked them to stay off of their phones as much as
possible (recognizing that life happens and it’s sometimes necessary) in the
course of our semester and discussions. We were gonna be talking about some consistently
challenging and often fraught and painful texts and topics, and I wanted us to be
in it together as much as we could. I was so proud of how much we honored that
request, and how fully we did stay in our collective space and conversations,
leading to some of my favorite discussions and days in any class in my 20 years
at FSU. I won’t make this request too often, I don’t imagine, but I’ll know
that I can if and when it feels right, and as with everything I know our FSU
students will rise to the challenge.
Next
reflection tomorrow,
Ben
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