Normalize. Telling. Students. That. It's. Okay. To. Do. A. Mediocre. Job. If. It. Protects. Their. Physical. And. Mental. Health.

Me on paper: I teach intro to world music.
Me in reality: Welcome to class buckle up it's time to discuss the Zimbabwean economic crisis and its impact on disabled people.

The best thing I did for my teaching this quarter is figure out how to make custom Word templates. Game changer. Why wasn't I taught this in college?

"So where do you want to travel?"
"Anywhere."
"Here are three options, pick one."
"Sure!"
"No, like... Vienna or Berlin?"
"Okay!"
"Ugh! What do you want to see?"
"Stuff!"
"Have an opinion!"
"My opinion is 'Yay travel!'"
- a conversation with my brain while staring at Google Flights

A lesson I am learning is that I cannot be a perfect professor. However, I can also recognize that, when I was a student, I didn't need perfect professors - I needed kind professors, passionate professors, curious professors, listening professors, encouraging professors, informed professors...

Teaching about world cultures in this moment is hard. Teaching that we should be kind, thoughtful, and recognize that we are talking about real people, not just ideas, should not feel like a political act. Emphasizing kindness and respect toward all should not be revolutionary. I will teach boldly.

Am I actually going to be active on here? I have no idea. Anyway, enjoy a video of my friend Amelia and I playing "Hawk as a Mule". www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_J1...