Do you cringe at the thought of “returning to normal” this year? Even if not, is it surprising to learn that several students are bracing themselves for, or currently struggling with, what it means to “return to normal?” Let’s dig deeper into this phenomenon unearthed by the ongoing pandemic; flexibility and accessibility allowed for a more inclusive learning environment, yet now these privileges may be disappearing. This session in the Diverse Classroom Series asks participants to reflect on the ways the “normal” college classroom in 2019 may have oppressed our diverse student body. Participants will gain perspective on how the sudden universal need for remote learning “evened the playing field” for some learners, especially those with intersectional identities. Finally, this session will encourage participants to be cognizant of how they can challenge the meaning of returning to normal, for their classroom(s).

Prior to attending, please explore one or more of these resources:

• Read this opinion piece by an instructor, this article about college students, or this scholarly article about vaccine hesitancy, or...
• Watch this opinion piece by working adults, or...
• Listen to this podcast by Marketplace.