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Reflecting on my pedagogy : an accidental story Buchanan, Gina

Abstract

This dissertation is a narrative autobiographical story of my lived experience as an educator, and the ideas that have emerged to inform my pedagogical passions, philosophy, and practice. Beginning with the early years of my life, and moving through to the present day, I have attempted to uncover how it is I came to be the educator I am, or perhaps, aspire to be. This dissertation is a weaving of poetry, prose, artwork, short stories, and acknowledgments of others whose ideas have enriched my teaching. It is organized into six parts. Part One, The Foreward, provides an overview, and explores the writing of this dissertation, my methodology, and authors of significance to my inquiry. Part Two, Family and Schooling: In Search of Belonging briefly describes the story of my childhood, and segues to stories of my elementary and high-school experiences. Part Three, The Later Years: Education, offers select recollections, and reflections from my post-secondary education, and illuminates connections to my current educational philosophy, and practice. Part Four, Just One Day, is a detailed narration of one day in my life as an educator, and highlights the influence of other educators, scholars, and writers on my practice. Part Five, A Legacy of Love: Foundations of Instruction, contains the curriculum that was developed for a faculty workshop in hopes of inspiring faculty to create welcoming, respectful, inclusive, caring spaces of possibility for learning. Part Six: Pausing includes reflections on the journey of writing this dissertation, thoughts for others considering a similar methodology, and finally, considerations for future inquiries. Evident from narrating my personal journey of family, schooling, higher education, and my varied roles as an educator, are sensitivities, and sensibilities of significance to me, and my teaching, including creating welcoming, inclusive, and caring classrooms. It is my hope that sharing this work will serve to encourage others in their journey to understanding themselves as educators and that this body of work joins and strengthens the voices of all educators seeking to focus on the humanity, care and love involved in the sacred profession of teaching.

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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International