Narrative
My goal as an instructor is to help students become more comfortable with the uncomfortable. When teaching a class like Death and Dying, where a variety of topics are covered that may make students uncomfortable to think about, it is important to effectively practice this philosophy to reach my goal. I practice this philosophy through inclusion and diversity, student empowerment, and experiential learning. The following sections provide detailed explanations of each practice including opportunities for further navigation to examples throughout.
Inclusion and Diversity
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Course Content: One way to create an inclusive environment that welcome diverse beliefs and practices is by teaching students about the various perspectives people have about death and dying. Cultural differences are a main topic emphasized in class PowerPoints that we review and discuss. An example from part of a PowerPoint can be found here. During these discussions, I invite students to share any knowledge they have about a culture’s beliefs on death. This allows us to learn from each other about the diverse beliefs we hold in a respectful, educational environment.
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Advance Care Planning (ACP) Process Writing: The practice of inclusion and acknowledgement of diversity and cultural differences are highlighted in the ACP Process Writing assignments. These assignments consist of a discussion with their assigned collaborative groups about assignment topics, an outline, a peer review, a draft for instructor feedback, and a final paper. A major topic of this assignment is how aspects of diversity impact whether someone completes an ACP. It also challenges students to think about ethical considerations with ACP, which often results in a discussion on cultural preferences and beliefs about medical care and end of life. In addition, students are encouraged to reflect on how their perspectives changed from discussing this topic with their collaborative groups. These assignments allow students to share their thoughts and beliefs while also learning from others to gain new perspectives. A copy of the rubric for this assignment can be found here.
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Group Oral Presentations: A major assignment in this course is to create and present an oral presentation with collaborative groups about funeral practices and the funeral home industry. For this presentation, each group chooses a culture or country they wish to further investigate. They then share that culture’s funeral practices and overall beliefs about death with the class. In the past, students have chosen their own culture or country, such as in the Philippines, and added a personal component to the presentation. Giving students this choice of which culture they wish to inform us about allows them to explore new beliefs or share parts of their own.
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Student Empowerment
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Clear Syllabus: A clear and detailed syllabus is essential for students to know what is expected of them and to determine if they need further assistance understanding course requirements. Throughout the course, I emphasize the importance of students communicating their individual needs to me. Students will receive the help that is right for them when they reach out with questions. Click here for an example of an online class syllabus and here for an in-person class syllabus. You will see essential information for each student is clearly presented, such as student learning outcomes, descriptions for each assignment, student expectations, and a course outline with details for each week.
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Timely Response Policy: Instructors must be available to students to practice empowerment and ensure students receive the help they need. I inform my students that I will respond to their emails within 24 hours during the week and within 48 hours on the weekend. Quick responses to student inquiries or comments helps them feel prioritized and heard. It also respects their time and encourages them to reach out again if needed. Below are a few comments by students on their appreciation of timely responses.
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"Ms. Vogel was excellent at communicating exactly what she wanted out of an assignment as well as responding in a timely manner to all of her emails."
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"She promptly responds to emails and was always very helpful/accommodating if I had a problem."
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"She is very respectful and will reply to emails in a timely manner."
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Letters of Recommendation: Student empowerment does not end with the semester. It is my responsibility as an instructor to continue to support my current and previous students. A powerful way to practice this is through writing letters of recommendation (LOR). Numerous students have reached out to me during and after having my class to request a LOR to join a university organization or for graduate school. This gives me an opportunity to continue my support of students and to empower them to pursue their goals and continue growing beyond my class.
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Experiential Learning
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Personal Death Awareness (PDA): One assignment to start the semester strong with an introduction to the idea of becoming more comfortable with the uncomfortable is the Personal Death Awareness, or PDA. The PDA is a set of questions and exercises to help students begin their reflection on how aware they are of death and their various experiences with it. This reflective assignment allows students to begin learning in class through their own experiences. This also sets the stage for students to recall and reflect upon their personal lives and thoughts when learning new topics in class. Sample questions from the PDA can be found here.
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Funeral Home and Cemetery Visit: The visit to a funeral home and cemetery, either in person or virtually, is a powerful way for students to learn about funeral practices and the industry. Many students have not been to a funeral home or walked through a cemetery. This experience offers a closer look into what we discuss in class and allows them to see course topics in the real world. Below are a few comments from students on this experiential learning activity.
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"The funeral home visit was my favorite activity ever!"
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"Based on the discussion from class and the funeral and cemetery virtual visit, my understanding of the issues surrounding funeral practices has changed immensely. In all honesty, I always perceived funeral homes as creepy and I could never imagine why someone would want to do that as a profession. Although, I have learned that there is so much beauty involved in preparing the body for death. It is an honor to be able to provide and prepare a ceremony for a family to say their last goodbyes."
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"This has deepened my scope of understanding and respect for the undertakings of funeral proceedings and surrounding processes."
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Pop Culture Discussions: Popular, or Pop, Culture Discussions are assignments that challenge students to brainstorm aspects of our culture and society that relate to course content. This allows students to explore various pop culture platforms, such as movies, books, music, celebrities, products, etc., and share the impact they have on one’s perspectives of death and dying. Topics for the Pop Culture Discussions include children’s perspectives of death, ethical considerations at the end of life, the impact of COVID-19, and loss in the lives of adults. Click here to see a Pop Culture Discussion prompt along with a few students’ responses.
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Guest Speakers: The incorporation of outside professionals into course learning is important to provide students with new references, perspectives, and experiences to learn from. I have had two guest speakers join my class: one to discuss end-of-life, or hospice, care and another to discuss physician assisted suicide. These topics can be particularly uncomfortable to discuss. The presence of two experts in these areas enhances students’ opportunities to ask important questions and learn from those who are regularly engaged in discussions about these topics.
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Conclusion
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Through these practices, I am constantly engaged in achieving my goal. The thought of my course having a positive impact on students’ personal and professional growth motivates me to continuously improve my teaching and practices. The examples presented throughout this narrative provide a glimpse into my classroom and what it is like to take Death and Dying. Together they create an optimal environment and various opportunities to become comfortable with the uncomfortable.