MSU Denver Spring Open House 2022

MSU Denver Spring Open House 2022

MSU Denver Spring Open House 2022

Feelings of shame impact students’ ability to learn and connect with their Metropolitan State University of Denver community. Imagine a well-meaning faculty member writing sentences or reading exam sections pulled from student work on the board and then talking about what’s wrong with each one.  

While this process is anonymous (no names or identifying information was used), the student who was being used as a “don’t do this” example knew it was their work and turned visibly red, shifted in their seat and withdrew from the conversation. Though the instructor did not mean to harm or shame the student, they did, and the student was mortified. Shame can be defined as feelings and/or emotions caused by a self-perception of failure, lack of belonging, not measuring up, compromised integrity, wrongdoing, negative self-evaluation and/or inferiority. Or as Brene Brown states, shame is an “intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging” (Brown, 2015). 

Shame often results when we violate social norms or values to which we, our families and our communities ascribe, even if these norms maintain oppressive or harmful practices. So it is no surprise that women, 1st generation students, young adults, and people in marginalized groups (including those with mental health struggles and lower economic status) demonstrate frequent feelings of shame within higher education (Burke, 2017; Loveday, 2016). Shame also disproportionally impacts those who have experienced trauma and unhealthy attachments to their significant care takers. But regardless of identity or trauma history, shame is a feeling everyone can have, and it impacts the learning and connection of all.  

Take a SIP of: Building Shame Resilience in Your Classrooms 

Shame impacts student learning in many ways including wanting to or actually withdrawing from classroom interactions; dropping classes; avoiding instructor contact; ignoring faculty and peer outreach; uncomfortable physiological responses; and cognitive functioning (Johnson, 2012; Turner & Huson, 2008). In addition to these above-stated impacts, shame can get in the way of students’ enjoyment of learning, particularly in writing math. Many students have stories about “being bad in math or writing” because of classroom and instructor interactions resulting in feeling ashamed. Shame also limits students’ ability and potential to take risks, try out something new, and to make and learn from mistakes –all of which (as opposed to perfection) are desired for students to achieve significant learning.  

Faculty have no way of knowing a student’s history or current mental health regarding their relationship with shame or specifically academic shame. Like the example at the beginning of this SIP, the instructor did not consider that a student may have had similar situations of being publicly called out for their grammar during K-6 as they were learning English, making them feel like they didn’t belong, embarrassed, or that they were the only ones struggling.  So, having the same thing happen in higher education can bring back those feelings of shame. Similarly, to trauma-informed care and UDL (Universal Design for Learning) principles, it is good to assume that all people may respond with feelings of shame when corrected, reprimanded, provided feedback, blamed, or called out. These suggestions will help you build shame resilience by increasing your awareness of shame in higher education and providing small things with a big impact that you can do to lessen the potential for students to feel ashamed.  

If you have 30 minutes:  

  • Get student input about what makes them feel ashamed regarding their education (I.e., not knowing what they want to do, writing, math, economic challenges, mental health, 1st Gen, competing care taking roles, etc.) and then what could be changed in the class to avoid these instances or to recover without negatively impacting the students’ success, learning, and relationship with instructor or peers.  
  • For example, being called out in class vs pulled aside later; having students raise their hand for certain identities or when they can’t afford something in class; using student examples as “what not to do” vs “what to do”; avoiding words and jargon that students have to ask you to clarify; referring to things about higher education in ways like, “this is probably obvious”, when it isn’t for 1st Gen students;  and having conversations with students about having to “choose” their priorities, making school their first priority, when they are caretakers and supporting themselves and families.  
  • Empower students to take control of their learning by allowing students to resubmit work that integrates feedback, choice in assignment type, choice in dropping a lowest grade, self-assessment and more. Giving students control can combat the powerlessness from shame.   
  • Create a Feedback & Grading Philosophy Statement: Create a statement in your syllabus, Canvas template, or verbally in your course that discusses the potential for students to feel shame or bad about themselves when receiving feedback, grades, or correction in class. Then discuss what your philosophy around feedback is, what it means to you, why you give it, what your feedback style is, what students should do with feedback, and how to communicate with you if a student has questions.  

For example: 

I want to share with you my philosophy on feedback and grading. Many students are anxious about the grading process and often after receiving feedback or a grade that was not what they expected, students can feel upset, embarrassed, and even ashamed; this is totally normal. Though it is normal to feel upset or disappointed initially, it is my hope that you will not feel embarrassed or ashamed as these feelings can get in the way of your learning and connecting with me and your peers. I hope that you will move through this initial disappointment into action by applying what you have learned and feeling a sense of accomplishment in your ability to apply feedback and the resulting learning that occurs.  

I give lots of feedback. I try to provide compliments on what you are doing well and areas for improvement. I am direct in my feedback which means, if you did something wrong or something is missing, I will state just that. This does not mean that I didn’t see your hard work and effort, it just simply means you didn’t get it right or forgot to complete a required part. If my tone feels harsh, this is not my intent and please ask me “what I mean” rather than worrying about what I mean. Sometimes after grading a bunch of assignments, I can become more direct, but my intent is never to be mean, snarky, demeaning, or condescending. Which brings me to my second point of asking for clarification. I am open to meeting with you to discuss your feedback and grades. We can meet before or after class, via Zoom, or even talk over email. If you don’t understand your feedback, want to discuss how to apply it, or are upset, connect with me. Feedback and learning are a two-way street and I appreciate your input in this process.  

  • Use correct pronouns, model using your own pronouns, pronounce students’ names correctly, learn students’ names, use names in providing feedback, and responding promptly to student emails all help in increasing students’ sense of belonging which can decrease students’ feelings of shame and/or make them less likely to withdraw and more likely to reach out to the instructor to connect and clarify.  
  • Investigate your feedback practices and consider:  
  • Are you being specific and providing examples or making generalized and reductionist statements? For example, “make sure you are starting each paragraph with a topic sentence and ending each paragraph with a transition sentence” vs “I have no idea where you are going with this paper”.  Or on a math exam, “I can see where you have steps 1 and 3 but I do not see evidence of how you went from step 1 to 3, make sure to show all your work” vs “this is not right”.  
  • How do you markup assignments when grading and providing feedback? Is it intentional? Is it clear? Consider limiting the use of red pens and strike outs, “the murder scene approach”.  
  • Providing feedback directly related to the assignment purpose, prioritizing what you really want them to learn vs commenting on every error (unless necessary).  
  • Students tune out after 3: try to limit your comments to the three most important things you want students to learn and always sandwich it with positive comments.   
  • Have a conversation with students about what they “read” regarding their grading and feedback in Canvas or on physical paper. In Canvas, students report reading the “comment” box only in the grade post first or only verses the numerous comments instructors can make in the text of their paper. This awareness can change your practice on “how” and “where” you provide feedback in Canvas or other modalities. Make sure if you do both to tell your students in the “comment box” that they have more extensive feedback in line within their text.  

If you have 60 minutes:  

  • Consciously add “shame resilience” tactics to your class: meaning-making, collaboration, collegial relationships, smiles, laughter, games, play, cooperation, compassion, and love (Brown, 2017; Keltner, 2009).  
  • Provide full class feedback for common issues on assignments: By providing a class summary for common mistakes, it can normalize mistakes and what people know. This can help students when they are feeling like the “only one” and connects learners to each other.  
  • Consider normalizing tutoring services and the writing center by building it into assignments. Making it something everyone can benefit from vs just those who are “bad” at math or are English language learners.  
  • Read one of these two articles about how faculty contribute to shame in our students through our communication and interactions with students and our conversations with each other as faculty. Go out to lunch with a colleague, discuss the article, and if you agree with the arguments given.  
  • Student Shaming and the Need for Academic Empathy by Leslie Bayers & Eileen Camfield 
  • A Pedagogy of Mentorship: Removing Academic Shame by Helping Students Reach Their Goals, Not Ours by Timothy Ponce 

Still thirsty? Take another SIP:  

References:  

Burke, P.J. (2017). Difference in higher education pedagogies: gender, emotion and shame. Gender and Education, 29:4, 430-444, DOI: 10.1080/09540253.2017.1308471 

Brown, A.M. (2017). Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds. AK Press 

Brown, B (2015). Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution. Random House. 

Johnson, D (March 2012). Considering Shame and Its Implications for Student Learning. College Student Journal, 46(1).  

Keltner, D. (2009). Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life. W. W. Norton & Company, 2009 

Probyn, E. (2005). Blush: Faces of shame. U of Minnesota Press. 

Tangney, J. P., & Dearing, R. L. (2003). Shame and guilt. Guilford Press. 

Turner, J. E., & Husman, J. (2008). Emotional and cognitive self-regulation following academic shame. Journal of Advanced Academics, 20(1), 138-173.