The Glass Apple

Ep. 3 Kirby Brown: I Change You, You Change Me: Leaving the Classroom Different

Episode Summary

Lee and Troy are joined by Kirby Brown, an Associate Professor of Native American and Indigenous Literary and Cultural Production and an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation.

Episode Notes

In this episode:

• Kirby discusses what inclusive teaching means to him (1:20)
• Setting expectations during the first week of class (3:26)
• Kirby’s journey and why inclusive teaching matters to him (7:50)
• The open-mindedness of students (10:55)
• Inclusive teaching assignments and coursework (22:27)
• Defining cultural production and the role of non-indigenous students in this area (31:30)
• What constitutes an authentic native experience (37:30)
• Creating a class environment where students are comfortable with being unsettled and inspired to ask questions (39:45)
• Personal or professional experiences in educational settings that have shaped Kirby’s approach to teaching as a white-presenting Native American (49:20)
• Scalable and adoptable inclusive teaching practices (1:00:00)
• Skepticism toward inclusive teaching practices (1:05:00)
• Advice for colleagues seeking professional joy in teaching (1:11:00)