Performitivity: we arent just talking about what we are saying we are thinking about the actual words spoken, the tone of delivery.
Eventedness: Creating an event by personal adding touches.
Who gets to embody the institution?
Do institutional demands mitigate against open reflection?
Max was opinionated in his views and lacked balance. He was openly critical of other people’s views.This attitude has the potential to undermine the evidential research driven approach prioritised in a university setting.
Does Max position himself deliberately outside/inside in order to be political?
Is charisma gendered? Would a woman communicate in the way Max does? If she did would she be seen in the same light?
S. is a well regarded academic, her ego demands respect to her own methods, how could she manage this?
Her approach is disparaged by the students due to the way the materials are presented, what could she do about this?
Are these two different ways of being an ego driven teacher?
Stephanie is dismissive of the small number of students who claim not to understand the assessment process, what could she do?
How to balance student-centered learning against teachers centering themselves in the learning?
Does neutrality exist? (Empirical evidence finding also constitutes a discourse) Implicit bias, positionality statements in research, Race and Class.
Do the feedback tools available influence what it is possible to say?
Stephanie embodies the institution via conferences, academic papers – she operates within that field of research work and this is where she feels valued, her self interests. Her teaching isn’t actually what she sees as a priority. She values the affirmation of the institution provides her as her position, knowledge, and accolades. She is not investing in the dramatic friendship the same way as Max.
Do the ways in which Stephanie embodies the institution serve her? She is not getting the respect she perhaps thinks she should get. Her positionality determines where her age and gender are not rewarded the same way by the institution, as Max might be able to use his positionality to confront the institution or gov policy.
Stephanie’s approach might be collapsing into sectarian self interest (Paulo Friere)?
Hey Alaa
It was lovely to meet you a few times during this first unit on the PgCert course and I enjoyed discussing ideas about the case studies with you. The way you engaged with the blog task is very informative and relates well to the way you approach teaching and delivery.
I was particularly interested in your analysis of Stephanie here. I liked how you wrote: “Is charisma gendered? Would a woman communicate in the way Max does? If she did would she be seen in the same light? S. is a well regarded academic, her ego demands respect to her own methods, how could she manage this?”. I think ego is so centred to this case study and obviously a lot of her self doubts and wish for respect come from that. So many times I stop to think if my interpretation of a situation comes from my ego? it is good to pause. It can be very humbling to receive feedback from students but at time it triggers emotional responses linked to our own perceptions and self value. It is really important to remember that right teaching is not about the vast knowledge/experience a teacher has, but the way they approach and deliver/how they read students’ needs and custom the delivery or their language accordingly. There is a sentence in a R.E.M song ‘Don’t you know that change will save you?’. It makes me smile, but I guess it’s not always so easy.
I think Charisma comes from a deeper place, it doesn’t have to relate to gender but obviously we often see that men have agency and confidence that women don’t but I think that is rooted in culture, stigmas and education.
Check these resources, perhaps you’ll find them interesting?
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/82121993.pdf
https://arro.anglia.ac.uk/id/eprint/700932/1/Charismatic%20Leadership%20and%20Art%20School%20Education%207.8.14.pdf
See you later in the year, I hope
Keren