Teach for the love of teaching!
“Children make the best theorists since they have not yet been educated into accepting our routine social practices as normal.” -Terry Eagleton
Breaking power dynamics can be very tricky. Power dynamics in its own is a mess, especially when put in a working place. The only way to overcome such dynamics is to cross these boundaries and find common ground.
Intersectionality in the academic setting can be seen in many different forms…
Bell Hooks is an African American female professor who is challenged with such barriers on a daily basis… in her own work profession. In her articles, she introduces the challenges she is faced with and how she comes about overcoming these barriers. She touches on pedagogy and practice going hang in hand with one another. That the actions and practices should be one in the same.
As a professor, there almost seems to be a pedestal (or podium, in this case) in which separates the teacher from their students. Which we can call the “student teacher dynamic.” Teachers must act a certain way to uphold their “professional” image, while students are expected to regurgitate the information they are being taught. In a sense, its almost like the teacher is only there to recite their material to students without truly engaging with the students, creating this barrier between the two.
Bell Hooks believes that as a professor, you must “offer yourselves to the students.” As a professor, she puts her practices into action. She believes as though students should be allowed to speak what they feel, allowing interrogation into the academic setting as opposed to this authoritative teaching style were usually used to. She aims to create an environment in which her students feel free to engage and challenge the subject matter, promoting new perspectives. This is a perfect way in which one is itching towards dismantling patriarchy. With her believing in one thing and putting into action shows steps to crossing these barriers, or “power dynamics.”
Going back to Terry Eagleton’s quote, “children make the best theorists” Bell Hooks agrees with this statement and almost puts it into practice. She wants her students to in a sense, become these children that haven’t been educated, that haven’t been routined into these social practices. She urges her students (hell, even all students) to use education, their academic setting as a stepping stone. She urges students to question what’s being told to them. To create their own voice. Use the information they learn and feel their own way about it. In her own practice, she urges her children to not feel as if there is this barrier between her and her students. She urges this change in the academic setting, in which most other teachers are afraid of. Teachers should be open to hearing other points of views and work alongside their students, teaching the material that needs to be but also allowing this communal space. And in doing so, talking about their own personal narratives and experiences that link real life with the academic material is a good way to start.
