Community Care on the first day of classes
From: Learning and Teaching Commons
Date: Friday, January 5, 2024 at 1:08 PM
To: All Faculty <allfaculty@evergreen.edu>
Cc: Inside Evergreen <inside@evergreen.edu>
Subject: Community Care on the first day of classes
Dear colleagues,
We’ve just finished the second of two community care forums designed to help you support students as they return to campus Monday after the tragic death of Jonathan Rodriguez and the hospitalization of two students and a police officer.
At each forum, we shared eight principles of trauma-informed pedagogy that offer flexible methods for facilitating safe learning environments and meeting student needs. In addition, the Learning and Teaching Commons Newsletter offered suggestions for holding a moment of silence with your students. We invite you to refer to the handout or slideshow from the forum. Please reach out to learningandteaching@evergreen.edu and/or your Academic Dean for additional resources and support.
Advice for the first day of class
- Plan to authentically acknowledge that a crisis has occurred. You may wish to lead students through a mindfulness exercise followed by a moment of silence. If the class wants to spend time further discussing, you might consider a talking circle to give each student a moment to express their feelings uninterrupted. Put a clear time limit on the class time you will devote to this discussion.
- Offer students what information you know. Be honest and direct about what you don’t know. Direct students to the Campus Tragedy website for additional information. Let them know that they can ask questions and share information at community-response@evergreen.edu.
- Express concern for students’ wellbeing and let them know that the following resources are available to them:
- Student Wellness Services offers individual counseling appointments and a weekly grief support meeting on Mondays 3-4pm during winter quarter.
- Impacted students who are struggling to process the experience or access class can connect with Access Services.
- Let students know ahead of time what you’ll be doing and give them the choice to participate or opt-out.
We recognize that as educators, you too may need support. Remember, the best way to support others is to take care of yourself. If you are rested and regulated, you will be much better positioned to respond with care. The Employee Assistance Program offers 24/7 support via phone at 1-877-313-4455. Additionally, the Learning and Teaching Commons is hosting drop-in sessions Friday, January 12th between 10am and 3pm in SEM II E3123.
In community,
JuliA Metzker, Director for the Washington Center for Improving Undergraduate Education
John Caraher, Dean for Faculty Hiring and Development
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Learning and Teaching Commons @ The Washington Center
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EMAIL: learningandteaching@evergreen.edu
WEB: sites.evergreen.edu/ltc/
TEL: 360-867-6611
OFFICE: SEM II E3123
Our Guiding Purpose
Evergreen’s Learning & Teaching Commons promotes a generative culture of interdisciplinary teaching and learning that is student-centered, equity-minded, inquiry-oriented, and committed to access and excellence. We aim to promote better classroom experiences that lead to increased student learning and retention. The Commons is conceived as an institutional space where faculty can cultivate practices and develop tools that will give all students the chance to excel and to meet the Six Expectations of an Evergreen graduate.
