COVID Pedagogies: Tools, Content & Strategies

This book written by architect Michael Braungart and architect William McDonough exploring the concept of "cradle to cradle". They challenge one-size-fits-all approaches to sustainability like "reduce, reuse, recycle" which only aim to minimize negative effects on the environment. They create a manifesto instead of thinking about sustainability as cyclical, encouraging readers to imagine new production systems that are restorative and create positive, lasting impact. This resource is useful as an introductory text to reflect on sustainability, the life cycles of objects and ethics of consumption.

Keywords: sustainability, cradle to cradle, Anthropocene
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Brené Brown is a researcher on shame and mental health. In this book, she explores the idea of whole hearted living, to embrace our imperfections and activate courage, compassion and connection within ourselves and our lives. This is a useful resource for educators for strategies on self-care and mindfulness, especially during this time when teachers are expected to be pillars of support for students. This book serves as an inspiring reminder for educators to extend this support to themselves when faced with the new challenges and uncertainty of the pandemic.

Keywords: teacher well-being
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This book is a collection of essays and writings around the Black Lives Matter movement. This is recommended for all educators and students as an introductory text to learn about the history and injustices faced by Black communities within a Canadian context.

Keywords: critical race pedagogy
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“Engaged pedagogy is a teaching strategy that aims to restore students’ will to think, and their will to be fully self-actualized” (8). This resource discusses strategies for engaged pedagogy especially in the transition to online learning, students can be subject to passive learning in isolation without the support of face to face learning. In this book Hooks suggests teachers create a learning environment focused on self-directed learning so that critical thinking grows and continues outside of class. Other strategies are shared here about difficult knowledges, race and location that may arise (including a chapter on how to handle tears in the classroom) and move through these discussions using humor, collaboration and empathy.

Keywords: anti-racism, democratic pedagogy, critical thinking
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In this book written by Ivan Illich from the 1970's, he challenges the need for schools in society. He criticizes public education institutions as oppressive structures that create subservient learners adept for capitalist society. The writing in this book is radical and thought-provoking, suggesting many alternative models to learning that happen outside classroom walls. In the wake of Covid, standardized curriculum and testing fails to prevail. Illich's writing can open new perspectives on new learning arrangements that are personalized and based on lived experiences.

Keywords: radical pedagogy
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In this book, Natalie Loveless explores the idea of “research-creation” and art practice as scholarly research. She draws from a myriad of perspectives from pedagogy to feminism and ecology in a collection of her creative research. This resource is a great example for art educators on self-directed research for university students, and how research-creation can be gathered, experienced and embodied through a creative practice. She discusses how we are not living at ‘the end of the world,’ but at the end of a world at large, under petro cultural colonial capitalism and anthropocentric humanism (99). Art education is suggested as a way to challenge and question what we considered “normal” prior the pandemic.

Keywords: research-creation, art education
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In this book by Vivek H Murthy, a 19th surgeon general health practitioner in the US, he shares his groundbreaking research about loneliness as the root cause connected to major health concerns such as addiction, violence, depression and anxiety. As well the effects on loneliness socially and on a societal scale. He shares in this book inspirational stories of how human connection and a sense of community has greatly impacted his patients in their healing. At a time of lockdown and isolation, the need for connection is vital. As educators, this resource highlights the importance of community and connection essential to student and teacher well-being. Keywords: teacher and student well-being, community education.