Pedagogical Energy

Another shortish post from me this week, for as the title suggests I am reflecting on pedagogical energy. This week I had the pleasure of co-facilitating a 3-day summer camp for instructors that I had been planning for about 2 months. I really wanted it to be meaningful in the topics it addressed, the connection opportunities it afforded, and the reflection spaces it would provide. It allowed me to put a lot of pedagogical energy into the planning, as well as the pedagogical energy of my colleagues who co-facilitated sections of the 3 days. That was sort of an energy-in situation. 

The energy-out was the amazing reflection pieces and discussion that happened over the 3 days. Seeing connections from both instructors who had been to previous iterations of the camp and new instructors, was a great thing. You could see the energy folk were putting into the sessions and that energy-out was also meaningful to them, as they had taken the time and the space to be in community with others.

There were also opportunities after to meet with instructors and have conversations about their own tensions between that energy-in and energy-out. How awareness of boundaries is so important, and that instructors wanting to really support their students also need to be aware of the need to support themselves in what they can and cannot do within a particular time frame. 

I found myself this evening wishing there was some sort of equation to help balance that pedagogical energy-in and pedagogical energy-out. Those who have experience teaching K-12 or HigherEd regardless of modality, know this energy-in and energy-out tension. Facilitating anything requires energy-in that becomes energy-out when the participants, learners, and co-facilitators are engaging in ways that are really meaningful to them, asking questions, making connections, sharing resources, sharing stories and examples to help others. That collaborative, constructivist, community building is foundational to an inclusive pedagogy. It allows others to be acknowledged for their experience and insight, it allows others to grow and learn in community. 

There are a lot of things that can affect the energy-in, energy-out equation. Workload, lived experiences that require immediate attention, the weather (like how we have been hovering around 40C/104F with the humidex all week here). Energy fluctuates and it is also important to recognize that. The pedagogical energy you may have at the beginning of term is definitely not going to be the same pedagogical energy you have at the end of term. And every person's energy ebb and flow will be different as well. Some may have more pedagogical energy around exam time, where they put in new activities to help support learning before final assessments. 

This week I am going to spend more time thinking about my own pedagogical energy fluctuations. I know September is usually a high energy time for me, where all the ideas spark, and yet I think that may have changed in the pandemic and that the summer is more of a pedagogical energy time for me. What about you? Have you reflected on your pedagogical energy and where it goes? Are there times or things you are putting a lot of pedagogical energy-in for not a lot of pedagogical energy-out? Let us know here or on Twitter!