11 OBB Pedagogy: A Brief Overview
We want to build a learning community in the classroom. In most classes, this translates to a hands-on, dialogic model where the instructor works as the facilitator of the class, helping students to build upon each others’ learning through discussion and peer-based activities. We do not endorse a lecture model where the instructor serves as “expert.” This hands-on, dialogic model requires students to be active participants in their education, and it is imperative to make this foundation clear for students, as it is often dramatically different from their previous education experiences.
In addition to creating community in our classes, we aim to grow students’ sense of voice and their confidence in sharing that voice as writers, thinkers, and citizens. While the humanities are an easy fit with this model, we believe that this approach can translate across all disciplines and empowers students to see themselves as lifelong learners.
We encourage you to design your classes with a focus on discussion, peer review (if it is a writing course or incorporates writing projects), and activities that develop students’ skills and knowledge of the course material, while also allowing them to make connections—whether publicly or privately—to their own lived experiences. The number of students in each class is typically small (not more than fifteen), so an OBB class should look more like a discussion session or seminar, rather than a lecture. This means that you may need to adapt your class materials to align with this format.
Race, Gender, Class and Ethnicity
Circle Seating
When possible, we arrange class seating in a circle, so students can see other’s expressions and body language and are more likely to engage in discussion with one another. If seats need to be rearranged to make a circle, ask DOC education staff if this is possible and explain the reason for your request. In some cases, rearrangement might not be possible.
Instructors might need to depart from circle-seating in certain situations to reinforce the instructor’s authority in the classroom, and instructors should use their intuition to determine when and whether this is necessary. For example, OBB instructor Jen Fandel arranges student desks in a circle with a desk available for herself in the circle, but she typically sits in the circle only during two specific times—when doing in-class writing with the students and during discussions. Otherwise, she teaches while standing inside or outside the circle.
Dialogue
We encourage instructors to engage students as much as possible in respectful dialogue with one another in order to make connections and come to fuller understanding of the subject matter and each other. Dialogue can be tricky in the carceral environment for a number of reasons. Some students may be desperate to talk–about the course as well as about things happening within the prison–and they may take over the discussion. Students may also have preconceived notions about one another and may not want to interact. We suggest that instructors work with the class in establishing guidelines for respectful dialogue early in the class. The guidelines should be referred to regularly, and the instructor should also model good dialogue practices. Fundamentals include mutual respect, equity, being aware of our own “lenses” that we interpret the world through, and valuing each person’s voice equally.
Race, Gender, Class, and Sexuality
Race, gender, class, and sexuality are often areas of tension that are amplified in the prison environment. You may want to bring this up early in the class as part of the guidelines for dialogue. Female instructors in male institutions, for example, might need to do some level-setting to ensure comfort. Often, this entails making clear statements of identity and asking students to interact with you in ways that respect your identity as an instructor. Framing it as an issue of personal awareness and empathy for others is often an effective approach.
In Jen’s poetry writing class, she began by stating what seemed to be obvious–that she was the only woman in the room. She made clear that nothing in the human experience is off-limits in class, and she said that love and sex are things that people care about and want to write about. And while she explained that she would never ask people to censor their writing, she did ask them to use care in sharing work that could make a lone woman in the room uncomfortable. The students acknowledged this request with head nods, and students later on in the course either asked for permission to read something or gave a preface before reading to make sure that what they were sharing would not cause discomfort.
Sometimes a lighter approach can help. In one of Jen Fandel’s classes, an older student had on occasion used the word “broad” to refer to a woman. The first time Jen heard this, she wondered if she had heard him wrong. But when he did it later on in the semester, she said–fairly lightly, but pointedly, with a smile–“I think you mean ‘woman’, right?” He said that he thought it could be used generically to mean ‘woman’, and Jen indicated that she had rarely heard it used without the word ‘dumb’ before it. Jen never heard him use the word ‘broad’ again.
Hands-on Activities
Hands-on activities involve students in their learning and often provide opportunities for different learning styles. Because classes meet just once a week for 2 to 2.5 hours, activities also break up class time into smaller, more manageable segments. You may want to consider any of the following:
- in-class writing (or an activity, like drawing, that involves the hands)
- games to demonstrate a specific concept or idea
- group discussions where students play a defined role (recorder, presenter, moderator)
- peer review (see more information below)
- presentations
Peer Review
Students in writing courses often report that peer review is one of the most valuable experiences of all class activities. It gives students a chance to see what peers are doing in their own work and helps put their struggles into context. Additionally, providing feedback can be a great way for students to internalize what they are learning. We suggest using guidelines for peer review to help students make the most of this experience. We also suggest that students get the opportunity to work with a variety of fellow students, so it is wise for the instructor to form the groups. Peer review guidelines can be found in the English 100 course documents.
Self-reflection
While self-reflection is often used in writing courses, it could easily be used in a variety of courses to help students process their learning. Self-reflection typically involves the student providing analysis of what they have learned; they could simply share this in a discussion, or they could write about it. Typically, this processing is forward-thinking, even though it asks the student to wrap up the assignment or activity. In writing classes, self-reflection gives students a chance to point out their successes as well as indicate areas where they still want to improve. In writing courses that emphasize process, self-reflections can be a helpful tool for grading progress.
Self-advocacy
We want students to become comfortable stating what they need as learners and to understand that there is no shame in asking questions or needing help. It is up to us as instructors to model this for our students. This will be an automatic process for some, but you will see that it is harder for others, depending on personality and educational background. Students typically have little in the way of choice in prison and expect that they will be told “what to do.” For those who have done little schooling or haven’t done schooling for a while, there may be stigma around asking for help. You may also encounter the misconception in the prison setting that ‘asking for help’ is a sign of weakness. Self-reflection can help you get a sense of how students are processing their learning if they are reticent about reaching out for help. Our tutoring sessions are built upon self-advocacy; we encourage students to come into tutoring ready to talk about issues that they are having. The use of small groups for tutoring makes self-advocacy easier for a number of our students.