02.781, Innovative Pedagogies in Education

Residual effects of road construction often go unseen until the roar of progress is silent. Balancing community and environmental needs with construction and “progress” demands time and space that are often measured by monetary values. In August, I attended Ninette’s Town Wide Yard sale. This generates heart-warming excitement as people move around town – visiting as much as buying! This year, however, construction started on the main street of Ninette on the same day as the yard sale. it was part of the highway construction project my son worked on and literally divided the town into two halves with only two points at which you could cross the construction. They had removed old asphalt which left a 10 inch step down on either side of the road. Darn inconvenient – especially for older people and baby strollers. Yet, the community seemed to see this as a mild obstacle and the yard sale continued as ever. Strangers offered assistance as needed and people continued to buzz around town regardless of the torn up street. The year of the “main street construction” yard sale has become another story to tell.

This course was constructed to introduce alternative ways of presenting and considering learning. There were strong connections made with culture, environment, alternative perspectives and social/emotional topics. These connections were made through a storytelling pedagogy – and I would expand on that to include “storylistening”. There were several tearful, jaw-dropping moments as fellow peers reflected and shared their connections with the assigned content.

My story response to reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmer (2013) was difficult for me as I found the reading so powerful – I was without words. I constructed my story – using my talents, which is one concept touched on in the book. I was frustrated because my “talents” were not living up to my vision – I could not create something that was as powerful as the impression this writing made on me. Through trying and failing and trying and failing …. I realized I made and impression. One that was reflected in the book – that we are all “unfinished”, and I found comfort and a voice in this…