Opening Sessions Fall 2022
Thank you for joining us!
Over the past two plus years, life as we know it has been turned upside down. The pandemic, a racial reckoning, a rise in violent crime, and record-high inflation have contributed to an enrollment decline and high levels of disengagement among enrolled students. It has also led to the disconnection, isolation, and fatigue of faculty and staff. Rather than waiting for a return to “normalcy”, let us consider re-thinking our approach to students, and to each other.
As LaGuardia Community College staff, faculty, and students slowly emerge from and navigate these extraordinarily challenging times, the Fall 2022 Opening Sessions aims to serve as a “re-start” and an opportunity to come together as a community to dialogue on how to develop a college-wide ethos of care and compassion. In fostering a culture of kindness, both inside and outside of the classroom, faculty and staff can strengthen our day-to-day experiences and ensure that more LaGuardians thrive.
To help facilitate this work, Dr. Cate Denial, author of the forthcoming book, “ A Pedagogy of Kindness” will join us throughout the day. Drawing from her own teaching experiences, Dr. Denial believes that adopting a pedagogy of kindness has helped simplify her teaching. However, she is careful to make a distinction between “kindness” and “niceness”, noting that the challenge of direct and honest dialogue offers opportunities for growth to all involved. Finally, Dr. Denial proposes that kindness as a (pedagogical) practice is based on two things: “believing people and believing in people”.