Thinking about classroom inclusivity

In the shadow of the protests last semester regarding campus climate issues, I've been thinking about ways that I could deepen my practice around inclusivity in my classrooms. For a number of years I've included an "Open Door Policy" statement on my syllabi, encouraging students to speak to me if issues come up in the classroom, particularly if those issues are the result of something that I've said or done.

Given all the media coverage of student demands coupled with stories I've heard of student experiences in classrooms, I expanded the statement this semester and re-titled it "Open Door Policy & Shared Responsibility." The additions I've made ask students to engage in conversations with each other if something occurs that upsets them, and I continue to encourage students to speak to me if something happens that has upset them. I'm also explaining in my first class meetings that I believe that there's a difference between an unsafe and an uncomfortable classroom environment. I often feel uncomfortable when I'm in a learning situation because I'm being challenged to consider new ideas, new perspectives, new ways of doing things. In my mind uncomfortable does not equal unsafe. It could be argued that this distinction is based on a person's perspective, and I certainly agree with that. However, if a person doesn't communicate their perspective, we have no way of knowing that there's an issue. By including this statement, I'm trying to create space where students feel comfortable sharing their perspectives.

The revised statement also acknowledges that mistakes, misunderstandings, and miscommunications occur, which gets at something a colleague of mine brought up when I asked him to review this statement: the difference between intention and impact. My intention might not have been to offend anyone with my comment, but the impact of my comment may be entirely different from my intent. Again, partially related to the idea that a classroom contains a spectrum of experiences that I don't always have knowledge of as a teacher. I try to stay open and aware to as much as possible, but I'm not infallible. I have to take responsibility for that, but I also hope that students and colleagues can accept that infallibility with some sense of critical generosity.

Below is the statement that appears in my syllabi this semester. If you have thoughts about ways to improve it or have questions about it, please reach out to me. I'm open to continued dialogue about how to strengthen the statement in subsequent semesters. Also, if it resonates for you, please feel free to adopt it or adapt it to fit your needs.

Open Door Policy & Shared Responsibility
As the instructor for this course, it is my intention through my words and actions to create an inclusive learning community for everyone in the class. I encourage all students in the course to work for inclusivity as well, with the understanding that none of us are perfect and sometimes mistakes, misunderstandings, and/or miscommunications can occur. If at any time you have questions or concerns about the classroom environment, please feel free to address these issues with me. I would suggest setting up a time to speak with me during my office hours, and if my available times conflict with your other obligations, please email me with other possible times that might work for you. In the spirit of shared responsibility for our learning environment, I would also encourage you to help each other toward being more inclusive by remaining open to sharing and receiving feedback with peers in this area.

At Capacity--Scene 8: Exposed

(Lights up on Mark’s hotel room. There are clothes all over the floor, as if two people were quick to get into bed.  Mark is bare-assed across the bed, checking his phone. Someone is in the bathroom, and there’s the sound of water running.)

MARK (yelling towards the bathroom)
You have no idea what you’re talking about. I mean what do you have to worry about? No one will know. Plus I’m sure it happens all the time.

(Cassie comes out of the room, wearing the hotel robe. She’s carrying a tooth brush in a case and a little travel sized toothpaste, which she puts back into her handbag that was on the floor next to her panties. She dresses through the next section of the conversation.)

CASSIE
It doesn’t happen to me all the time. I do not sleep with customers. (She struggles to get her panties on, almost falling over.)

MARK
Why are you wearing my robe?

CASSIE
Because I’m cold.

MARK
You weren’t cold awhile ago.

CASSIE
I know.

MARK
You don’t need the robe.

CASSIE
Why don’t you put some clothes on?

MARK (rolling over and facing her)
Why don’t you relax and come back to bed?

CASSIE
It’s 3:00am. I’m supposed to work lunch today, ugh, and I need to get some sleep.

MARK (standing up, very confident in his nakedness, pointing to the bed)
You can sleep here.

CASSIE
Would you just put some clothes on, please?

MARK
Why are you being so uptight all the sudden?

CASSIE
It’s not all the sudden.

MARK
Well, 20 minutes ago you weren’t acting like this.

CASSIE
20 minutes ago I wasn’t thinking straight.

MARK
Exactly!

CASSIE (turning away from him to put her bra on and pull on her jeans)
I know better than to do things like this.

MARK
Did you not enjoy it?

CASSIE
Yes, I enjoyed it. I told you. I haven’t had sex in a long time. And certainly not with anyone who looks like you.

MARK
Uh huh.

CASSIE
Big deal. I enjoyed it. I enjoy a lot of things but that doesn't mean I need to do them.

MARK
Like what?

CASSIE
None of your business.

MARK
Oh c’mon Cassie. We just had sex. We have shared bodily fluids and now—

CASSIE
Safely! With barrier protections!

MARK
OK! With barrier protections. Why are you being all private about stuff now? There’s not much else to hide.

CASSIE
Having sex doesn’t mean that people suddenly share things. Everything. (buttoning up her blouse) Is that what you think?

(Mark just looks at her. Cassie laughs to herself.)

MARK
What?

CASSIE
You really think that?

MARK
What’s wrong with thinking that?

CASSIE
God, you're such a boy.

MARK
That’s what I think, that’s what Sarah feels and—

CASSIE
Don’t say her name.

MARK
Cassie, what—

CASSIE
And don’t say mine either.

(Cassie is searching for her jeans. Mark sees them and gets up to get them for her.)

CASSIE
I should have never come here with you. I should not do things like this. I know better than this.

MARK (holding out her jeans)
Here.

CASSIE (going to him to get her jeans)
I read somewhere that no matter how much we know things are right or wrong, no matter how much we're warned, as soon as we start to feel passionate—

MARK
Like sexual?

CASSIE
Yes, as soon as we start to get aroused, our bodies shoot out these chemicals that disrupt our ability to think rationally. Our brains lose the ability to make rational decisions, even when we know what’s right.

MARK
There’s nothing wrong about what we just did.

CASSIE
Number one, you're engaged. Number two, I should not sleep with customers. It’s not allowed.

MARK
I made the decision with my fiancé about how this works. That's not your responsibility.

CASSIE
I'm a good human being! I do not have sex with other people’s partners! I do not have sex with people I serve at work.

MARK
Well, you just did. And you’re still a fine human being.

CASSIE
No I’m not.

(Cassie sits down on the bed and starts to cry. This makes Mark very uncomfortable. It’s the first time that he reaches for his underwear. He doesn’t put it on, but he holds it in his hand.)

MARK
Oh no. No, no, no. Please don’t do that. I can’t do that. I’m awful with this. Please don’t cry. (Mark is pacing around the room now, naked, holding the underwear in his hand.) This is what Claire did the other night.

(Cassie cries harder at the mention of Claire.)

MARK
I finished up the little show she wanted, and then she started crying. We didn’t even get very far into “it” because she wouldn’t stop crying. Every time I tried to get her to stop, she kept going on and on about her parents and them dying and her sister this and her brother that.

(Cassie is still crying. Mark goes and sits next to her. He puts his underwear over his crotch. Then awkwardly tries to touch her. He does not know what to do.)

MARK
Cassie. Cassie, it’s ok. C’mon. It’s not a big deal. (He finally figures out how to hold her, and she lets him.)  Shh. Shh. (He strokes her hair.) It’s ok. Stop crying. (He just holds her, as she calms down.) You're not a bad person.

CASSIE
You don’t know anything about me.

MARK
I know some things about you.

CASSIE
You know carnal things about me.

MARK
Cassie. You keep making it sound like I’ve deflowered a nun or something. What's the big deal?

CASSIE
You wouldn’t understand.

MARK
You keep making assumptions about me, and I keep proving you wrong. So why don’t you try me?

(Cassie looks up at him, realizes that he’s still naked except for the underwear strategically draped, and then she starts laughing.)

MARK
What? (Cassie continues to laugh.) What are you laughing at? I’m trying to be nice to you, and you’re on some emotional zig zagor something. Why are you laughing now? Are you on medication or something? Not a big deal if you are, but if you need to take it, let’s get to it. (He gets up, looking for a glass, and he’s naked again. As he’s looking…)

CASSIE (regaining control, slowly)
I’m sorry. It’s just that you look so funny, trying to console me, completely naked. It’s hysterical actually. (She starts laughing again.) It’s impossible to take you seriously.

MARK
Nice. Very nice. That’s just great. You laugh at me being naked when I’m trying to help you. I forego clothing to help you, and you laugh at me. (Turning away from her.) Fine. Just fine.

CASSIE
You’re not foregoing clothing to help me. You are a gigantic exhibitionist. You are enjoying all of this.

MARK
And?

CASSIE
I’m just stating a fact.

MARK
That's right. I wear clothes as little as possible, and I’m completely at ease with that.

CASSIE
I see that.

MARK
Are you judging me about that now?

CASSIE
Judgment-free zone here. Remember?

MARK
Right. That zone doesn’t seem to work so well for you personally.

CASSIE (shifting in tone a bit)
That’s different. Different rules for me.

MARK
Not fair.

CASSIE
Not your call.

MARK
My hotel room.

CASSIE
My hometown.

MARK
Huh.

(There is a silence between them. Mark looks at her with some questions in his eyes. Cassie looks at him with some softening. Mark sees it in her.)

MARK
Aha. That’s where we were about 25 minutes ago. Is that Cassie coming back?

CASSIE
That Cassie is not going to play another round with you. But that Cassie is not so upset anymore. Guilty, but not so upset.

MARK
You shouldn't feel guilty.

CASSIE
There’s a lot of history you don’t know.

MARK
So tell me about it.

CASSIE
I think it’s better left unsaid.

MARK
If you tell it, it might go away.

CASSIE
Nope. It’s never going away.

(Mark’s cell phone goes off. It’s the sound of text message. He goes to the phone and reads the message.)

MARK
What? “On my way up. Let’s try again.” Who is this?

CASSIE
You’ve been busy this week.

MARK
Cut it out. I have no idea who this is.

CASSIE
Well, you seem to be very popular in these parts.

(Mark picks up his underwear again. Suddenly there’s a knock on the door. Both Cassie and Mark look at the door. Another knock. Across the stage, a light finds Claire, outside a door, knocking. She pulls a bottle of brandy out of her purse and takes a swig. Her voice reflects that swig.)

CLAIRE (way too loud whisper)
Mark! Mark! Did you get my text? It’s Claire! I wanna try again. I’ve got your key right here (fishing it out of her purse), and I’m going to come in. But I’m going to count back from 20 so you have time to get that speedo back on. That’s where we need to start. Ready? Here we go. 20, 19, 18…

(As Claire counts back slowly, Cassie and Mark are left standing there staring at each other and at the door wondering what to do as the lights fade to black before Claire hits 5. End of scene.)

Artists I admire: Jess Honovich

This week I'm highlighting a former student, Jess Honovich. Jess studied Educational Theatre at NYU, got her bachelors degree, then entered the work force for two years. I had Jess in a number of classes at NYU, and then last year she acted in my site-specific project at Red Bank Battlefield. Her Irish indentured servant was a highlight for audiences, and she was a pleasure to work with on that project.

While all of this was happening, Jess was quietly working away at her writing, creating short plays, working on full length plays, and taking writing workshops. Last year, she applied to MFA writhing programs, got herself multiple offers, and decided to head to Carnegie Mellon's program in Pittsburgh. I saw Jess in October for coffee, and she was doing great! Exhausted from navigating graduate school, but completely energized and excited about writing. Our coffee on a bench in Washington Square Park, chatting away about writing, was a highlight of my fall semester. I loved learning from her that afternoon. One of the best things about being a teacher is when a student, current or former, teaches me something. It's the best way for me to stay current. Otherwise, I risk becoming stale.

Much to my delight, Jess posted on Facebook that her first full-length play Suicide Dogs opened last night in Palm Springs, California. She had told me about this back in October, but I didn't make the connection that it was happening so soon. I'm thrilled for Jess, and I can't wait to see what comes next for her! I have a feeling it will be a string of very good things.

For her quiet perseverance, her humility, her sense of humor, her steady growth as an artist, and her generous attitude as a collaborator, Jess Honovich is the artist I admire for this week.

#newyorkvalues: Are we wasting our energy?

Last week during the most recent Republican presidential debate, Ted Cruz made some comment about Donald Trump's "New York values," insinuating something negative about New York City and its general support of things like socially progressive ideas, consumerism and big business, and whatever else Cruz was lumping under his vague description. He said the following: “Everybody understands that the values in New York City are socially liberal and pro-abortion and pro-gay marriage and focus on money and the media.” Of course, politicians with New York connections came out swinging, including Trump and Clinton, and actual NYers started a hashtag (#newyorkvalues) and let their NYC flags fly in a storm of social media responses.

Maybe interesting to read and potentially amusing, but overall, a gigantic waste of energy.

All of this hoopla just kept Ted Cruz in the spotlight for more time than he deserved. First Amendment: Ted Cruz can say whatever he wants to say about New York City and its values. Thankfully, he doesn't live here. Just like I don't live in Texas. (No offense to my Texas friends, it's just where Cruz has done a lot of his work.) I have all sorts of thoughts about the values held in other places, and I've often voiced them. So be it. I choose not to live in those places.

We have to get smarter about how we respond to comments that these politicians make right now, as they're working very hard to get and keep our attention. If we buy into it and waste our time responding, we may be making a big mistake. There are far bigger problems and actual threats to address than how Ted Cruz feels about so-called "New York values." Cruz knew exactly what he was doing, as that comment kept his name flying around the media for two or three days after the debate. We should not give him the satisfaction or the benefit of our attention.

When I first started teaching at NYU, I team taught an integrated arts course for childhood education majors with some colleagues in the Department of Teaching and Learning. One of them introduced me to a small booklet called Winning Children Over by Francis X. Walton and Robert L. Powers. The pamphlet dates back to the 1970s (I think), but I found its message particularly useful, as it identifies four common goals for students to misbehave in class.

1. Attention
2. Power
3. Revenge
4. Inadequacy

If we really consider what politicians are saying right now and analyze their actions, can't we apply some of the above goals of misbehavior to explain some of the reasons for their statements and actions? I mean, really. Some of them are behaving like the child who continually acts out in a 4th grade classroom. They resort to tactics that garner them attention and thankfully for us, also point to their inadequacies.

Rather than resorting to the same tactics every time one of these politicians says or does something inane, which at this point is like every day, multiple times a day, maybe we would gain some power by IGNORING a lot of what they're saying. They say offensive things about people, communities, ideas that I care about, but if I write a response to every single one on Facebook, I'm wasting my time and I'm just drawing more attention to them. Not productive.

Two key points:

1. Notice I say "politicians." This is happening with Republican and Democratic candidates
right now, and it's embarrassing. No one is above it, and it's sad that they're modeling this kind of behavior for anyone who aspires to be a leader, especially a young person.

2. I'm not advocating that we ignore all statements and actions. There are some truly disturbing proposals flying around right now, and that's where we should be focusing our efforts. That's where we need to exercise our agency, not in #newyorkvalues.

The moment we get embroiled in the inanity of something like a pot shot at "New York values," we're losing the fight. And we risk democracy slipping further and further away from us.

At Capacity--Scene 7: How it's always been?

(Claire is in the dining room of her parents’ house. The caroling figures are still in the same place, but the stacks of boxes are starting to get smaller. There are a few boxes that are unmarked, then there are three distinct boxes: one labeled “CLAIRE,” one “JULIA,” and one “STEVE.” Claire is sitting at the dining room table, wine glass half empty, and she is on the phone. The snowflake is on the table near her wine glass.)

CLAIRE
I can’t believe you, Patrick! Why would you think that I have time to pick up Jack after his scrimmage? We are desperately trying to get this house packed up before the closing on Tuesday. . . . Yes. TUESDAY. I told you that last night. . . . Patrick, I did so! . . . I can’t help it if you were paying attention to something else. I told you— . . . Look. You need to go get him. . . . I don’t care what’s on going on at work. I have to do this last sort with Julia and Steve. . . . She’s better. . . . She’s starting to accept it all. . . . I told her that. . . . .I don’t think she really cares about it. . . . . I just know. Jesus Christ, she’s my sister! I know what she’s thinking about all of this! . . . I’ll stop yelling if you stop asking me so many damned questions about all of it. . . . . Yes, I promise I will call you if we need help. . . . . No, Steve is not going to—. . . . (She takes a drink of her wine.) Oh, for the love of God just go get Jack, and I’ll be home in a couple of hours. . . . Don’t worry about dinner for me. I’ll find something here or on the way home. . . . Yes. That would be nice. He likes that Italian place. Now just go FIND HIM!

(She hangs up the phone and finishes the end of the wine in her glass. She picks up a bottle from the table and fills her glass. Drinks again. Sets it down. Goes to one of the boxes and starts rummaging through it. Three more photo albums come out of the box. Steve and Claire are heard offstage coming in the front door of the house. They are arguing as they enter, Julia leading a bag of groceries and Steve following with the purchase from the last scene.)

STEVE
I told you that we didn’t need any more wine, but you insist on spending more money.

JULIA
I’m not going to go through all of this stuff without some liquid lubrication. I can’t deal with all of it.

STEVE
You shouldn’t be self-medicating that way. It’s not healthy.

JULIA
Would you cut the crap about self-medicating and wellness and blah, blah, blah. You’re making me sick with all of this kumbaya bang the tambourine bullshit therapy stuff. I don’t want to hear anymore about what your shrink says or what your meditation instructor says or any of it. It’s all bullshit that you keep spending all your money on, so stop saying you’re so poor. Maybe if you stopped paying other people to tell you how to feel about everything, you’d have some money to yourself.

STEVE
I’m making an investment in my health, Julia.

JULIA (unpacking four bottles of wine from the grocery bag)
Yeah, so am I.

CLAIRE
Good thinking, Julia. I think this is the last bottle. What do I owe you?

JULIA
Nothing. It’s fine.

CLAIRE
But—

JULIA
Just get the next batch when we need it.

STEVE
You’re going to need more before Tuesday?

JULIA
Five days is a long time.

CLAIRE
Definitely.

STEVE
You two are a mess.

(Julia has found a wine glass and emptied the contents of the wine bottle into her glass.)

JULIA (holding up the bottle)
Kicked. (to her sister, holding out her glass) To being a mess.

CLAIRE (holding out her glass)
To messiness.

(The two sisters clink glasses and drink. Steven tries to ignore them and looks at the snowflake. He takes his container out of the bag, sets it down on the table, takes off the lid, picks up the snowflake gingerly and places it into the container. It fits.)

STEVE
It fits!

CLAIRE
What fits?

JULIA
Whoopee… (she drinks again)

STEVE
I wanted to protect the snowflake from getting lost again, so I got a container for it.

JULIA
We looked at every possibility at the store. That’s why we were gone so long.

STEVE
It took so long because Julia just kept fighting with me about it.

JULIA
You looked at every size three times!

STEVE
It’s an important piece of our family history!

JULIA
IT’S A CHEAP PIECE OF GLASS!

STEVE
THAT IS NOT TRUE!

(Steve slams his hand down on the table. The snowflake container jumps. The three carolers start to glow again.)

CLAIRE
THAT’S ENOUGH! My God, it sounds like we’re in this dining room 30 years ago. Why are you two always, for all eternity, fighting about stupid stuff?

STEVE
It’s not stupid.

JULIA
It is stupid. She’s right. You know how much I hate saying that, but she’s totally right. That stupid snowflake and your stupid container are—

CLAIRE
It doesn’t help that you’re such a bitch to him all the time.

JULIA
Excuse me?

CLAIRE
It doesn’t help that you’re such a bitch to him all the time.

(Julia just looks at her.)

CLAIRE
It’s true. You are always at him. Just leave him alone.

JULIA
My God, you sound like Mom.

CLAIRE
Well, she was right. You should leave him alone.

STEVE
Claire, I don’t need your help with Julia.

CLAIRE
Sounds you like you do.

STEVE
She’s just a better arguer than I am. Doesn’t mean she’s right.

CLAIRE
She always wins when you two fight.

STEVE
And?

CLAIRE
Maybe you should try a little harder?

STEVE
I don’t really care about winning an argument with her. She’s never going to change.

CLAIRE
That’s the truth.

JULIA
Uh, hello? I’m right here, so don’t talk about me like I’m not.

CLAIRE
Just keep drinking the wine, Julia. It makes it all better.

JULIA
Great advice from the numbed out big sister.

CLAIRE (lifting her glass)
If the shoe fits.

JULIA
Oh, it fits alright.

(Julia and Claire both drink their wine.)

STEVE
When is the closing?

CLAIRE
It’s Tuesday. That’s why we need to finish sorting these things. It’s got to be empty.

STEVE (looking around)
I can’t believe we’re selling this house.

CLAIRE
What do you mean?

STEVE
I just feel like we should have kept it.

JULIA
Why would we keep this house?

STEVE
There’re so many good memories in this house.

JULIA (drinking again)
My God…

STEVE
What?

JULIA
You are so sentimental about everything.

STEVE
And what’s wrong with that? Why are you so cold-hearted about everything?

JULIA
I am not cold-hearted.

STEVE
You are. About everything having to do with Mom and Dad.

JULIA
You know what? Maybe there’s a reason for me to be cold-hearted about Mom and Dad. Did you ever think of that?

STEVE
I can’t believe you.

JULIA
You said that already. Back at the store.

STEVE
Why do you have such a chip on your shoulder? What did they ever do to you but love you?

CLAIRE
Steve, I think—

JULIA
I’m not going to—

STEVE
No. NO! I’m sick and tired of you raking our dead parents over the coals. You’ve been doing it since you got here, and I’m tired of putting up with it. You come back here with your big city attitude and—

JULIA
Omigod, don’t start with this crap about my “big city attitude.” It’s not my problem that you stayed here. It was your choice to stay here, Steve. Not mine. I left when I could, and I had good reasons to go, so shut the fuck up and don’t say another word about my attitude.

STEVE
What good reason? You know all they ever wanted was for us to all be together again. That’s all they wanted, and you could never help that along. You always found a reason not to be here, not to participate. “Too busy with work.” “Have to travel that same time for your job.”

JULIA
I travel a lot for my job, Steve! I can’t help that. What is it that you want me to say? It’s not my problem that your stuck here. You’ll never leave. You’d have stayed in this house forever if we didn’t have to sell it. You don’t remember anything about what it was really like here. You just play pretend, like it was some kind of 1960s television show. Well, I don’t pretend like that. Not anymore.

(As Julia says this last speech, the carolers begin to glow. There’s silence after this exchange. Steve is not sure how to respond.)

STEVE
What happened to you?

(Julia cringes here and takes another gulp of wine. Claire looks at her.)

STEVE
What happened to you when you left here? What has that place done to you?

CLAIRE
Steve, just cool it. OK? Just cut it out. Leave her alone.

STEVE
Why are you siding with her?

CLAIRE
I’m not siding with her. I just think you should leave her alone.

(Steve is completely confused by this.)

CLAIRE (lifting up the albums she pulled from the box at the top of the scene)
Who wants to go through these?

JULIA
What are they?

CLAIRE (reading each label)

“Grand Canyon—1984”, “Maine—1982”, (she pauses before this last one) “Uncle John’s Birthday—1987”

(Julia hears the last title and starts to choke a bit on her wine. The carolers get brighter yet.)

STEVE
Julia?

(She continues to choke.)

CLAIRE
Must have gone down the wrong pipe.

(Julia is heaving a bit, still coughing.)

STEVE
Do you want some water or something?

(Julia shakes her head “no.” She starts to settle down.)

CLAIRE
Are you OK?

(Julia still sputtering nods her head “yes.”  She finally calms down.)

JULIA (out of breath)
I think I need to go to bed.

CLAIRE
OK.

STEVE
But I thought we had all of this to do.

CLAIRE
We’ll keep going.

STEVE
Why are you babying her? She’s fine.

CLAIRE
Steve, just let her go to bed.

(Julia exits without saying another word.)

STEVE
Fine. “Whatever Julia wants to do.” That’s how it’s always been.

CLAIRE (looking at Steve)
You have no idea what you’re talking about.

(Steve looks at Claire, completely confused. The carolers glow even more, as the rest of the lights fade on the scene.  End of scene.)