Resistance is futile!

Apparently not, according to Brookfield, multiple chapters are dedicated to the issue of students resistance to learning, assisting faculty is building a deeper understanding to why the resistance exists, and looking a fair methods for handling this phenomenon.

Brookefield wisely identifies traps faculty (both new and old) can fall into, such as blaming themselves, or correlating all core reasons for resistance witling down to something that specific faculty member has done.

Such is not the case. Brookfield points out many pre-existing factors, past experiences with the topic, or learning in general, are some. He also urges reader to connect to an experience where THEY were resistant to learning.

Grade 10 math. No question.

While I loved my enriched English, History, I was admittedly the most delinquent of learners in that Math class. Numbers did not come easy, they never had. I experienced success elsewhere (like a book report on MacBeth in Grade 8 for a 6/5 thanks very much), so it MUST be the math, not me. I’d already decided before arriving in that class, the material was dumb, and it was a waste of my time.

The irony of looking back, as an instructor now, I feel so much empathy for that instructor. Back then it was simply scorn.

While he may or may not have been a good instructor – frankly I don’t remember much about his teaching style, such the occasion sigh that would escape from him when he came to check my work. I know I was not a good student for him. That was completely outside his realm. Not his responsibility. And wow, I bet it would have been hard to overcome the resistance in that class.

Can you think of a time when you were resistant in a class?

What was at the heart of your feelings? Was it a fear of changing long harbored views? Was confusion over a topic? Was it a lack of understanding of where this material fit in the larger scheme of things?

I’m dating myself, but waaaay back, I remember a “Family Ties” episode where Michael J Fox tried to tutor his show sister Justine Bateman how to do math. He tapped into her value of retail, relating the problem to a shirt at 35% off. She had it in a heartbeat.

From this, I think we all have the ability to go back to a tie when WE felt justified in our resistance in order to gain some empathy, and also remember, students have the right to be resistant.

From there, we can brainstorm on how we build worth (from the students perspective) into the material we are delivering.