News
Contextualizing Classroom Interactions: A Veteran’s Perspective
HigherEdMilitary
RDNE Stock project/Pexels
Many veterans enjoy sharing with each other their experiences while serving in uniform. Reticence does not come to mind when a certain trip word comes up in conversations between veterans. It could be a passing mention of Baghdad, Afghanistan, "DFACs" (a dining hall under deployed conditions), firing ranges, or care packages. For example, I have met many fellow veterans, including one who served during World War II, who were assigned to the island of Guam. Since I also was there from 2001-2003, any mention of that remote territory from an acquaintance, even in passing, could not keep me from offering that we share that bond. Similarly, the same goes for mentioning a notorious assignment in places such as Germany or Alaska, although I've only passed through those places. I can easily recall that in the last 25 years, any conversation with a veteran about shared experiences resulted in similar or dissimilar perspectives about the same topic or a telling, maybe even funny vignette. Even better, a game of six degrees of separation reliably ensued with either mixed or, rarely, rewarding results.
Invariably, in the classroom, veterans will identify themselves as such, usually during class introductions. My experience is that these veterans will range from offering their military service in passing to being sure it comes up at every opportunity. I have also seen these varied passive-to-boastful approaches among veterans while holding jobs in the corporate world.
And why shouldn't veterans be proud to offer in such settings wisdom and insight from their distinct experiences? With, admittedly, the threat of appearing unpatriotic, veterans should strive to contextualize these experiences toward their setting, surroundings, and their particular audience.
With mixed results, I have mentioned this thesis of mine during transition seminars and when consulting with companies about how best to acclimate veterans in the civilian workplace. I have told recently separated veterans to "Just, shhh, please" and "Honestly, no one wants to hear again and again about those experiences" if they are immaterial, wholly tangential, or not constructive toward the conversation. Is that too hard a pill to swallow for some? Maybe. Yet, I would also caution these same veterans that there are certain validated stereotypes about veterans in the civilian workplace, including that they are seen as overly assertive and overly sensitive. Calling a veteran overly boastful could seem antagonizing, so I found that saying they may seem as being too "performative" is more constructive, thus less offending.
An Instructor's Role
In previous writings, I've mentioned that I gained from some pedagogical studies I have read and favored, that instructors should strive to be a cheerleader to their students. They should also strive to be a coach when required. As most instructors arrive on day one with a vast amount of experience and ensuing wisdom, they also should know they are considered by many admiring students as useful mentors.
Instructors, even in online environments, cannot escape their moderating role in the classroom. They should encourage conversations from all involved that are both intriguing and verdant. These conversations should challenge students; hopefully, they will grow personally or professionally from their role in the pedagogical experience.
For instructors who have veterans among their students, I hope they may take a moment and appreciate that certain sociological research on veterans considers military service as a life-altering experience that influences veterans' entire lives. These military experiences may shape their physical health or mental health, ambitions, feelings of self-worth, ability to interact socially, and family relationships. It is not just previous military experiences that may have such a role. My last column noted that certain triggering events (such as the recent fall of Kabul) could rip open old wounds which, otherwise, to a veteran might have been innocuous or left settled.
An Engaging Approach
I recently attended a workshop on contextualization in the classroom. This, I highly recommend. I was struck by how many of the methods offered asked instructors to knowingly, yet diplomatically, probe and question students. What struck me was how these methods mirrored the Dale Carnegie approach to engaging audiences and stakeholders.
In simple terms, this approach demands that you know your role in a conversation, ask thoughtful, probing, and engaging questions, and be judicious when interrupting or redirecting the conversation. I would add that countering a personal vignette, however immaterial, with a related personal experience could be beneficial for all involved. Adding how that experience changed or challenged a certain perspective may expand the reach of a discussion while also setting an example for effective contextualizing. Such sharing and candor should only beget more sharing and candor.
Being a coach and a cheerleader was mentioned as roles an instructor should consider in the classroom. I would add that being the play-by-play announcer or color commentator in the classroom is equally important. This involves setting expectations early regarding classroom discussions and then guiding the conversation. This may involve pausing to remind students of the discussion's intent when points offered seem muddled, extraneous, or excessively anecdotal. Needless to say, instructors will have to police conversations when they seem tit-for-tat and appear to be crude, cruel, or ad hominem in their intent.
In a word or two, the instructors who are best prepared to ensure all students (veterans and civilians) may participate in a verdant and rewarding classroom environment are prescient and prepared. Prescient as in anticipatory and prepared as in being flexible enough to know that no two discussions are the same or mean the same to those involved.
Article Topics
