Fall 2024 - EDUC 843 G031
Embodiment and Curriculum Inquiry (5)
Class Number: 5562
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Location: TBA
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Instructor:
Celeste Snowber
celeste@sfu.ca
1 778 782-4453
Office: SRYC Room 5206
Office Hours: By appointment in person or on Zoom
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
The scholarship on embodiment and its implications for the body as a site for knowledge and its relationship to contemporary curriculum inquiry will be studied with specific emphasis on the area of performative and narrative inquiry and arts education. Central to this course will be the investigation of embodiment from both a philosophical perspective and a literary/poetic perspective. Equivalent Courses: EDUC712
COURSE DETAILS:
Meeting Dates/Times:
Fridays 5:00- 9:00 pm
Saturdays 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Fri., September 14 |
SFU Surrey and walk to Holland Park before sunset |
Sat., September 15 |
SFU Surrey & Green Timbers Urban Forest for walking/writing Meet at Surrey Nature Centre entrance 14225 Green Timbers Way https://www.surrey.ca/parks-recreation/surrey-parks/surrey-nature-centre |
Fri., October 4 |
SFU Surrey |
Sat., October 5 |
UBC Botanical Garden https://botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/ 6804 SW Marine Dr, Vancouver Morning and afternoon will be in the garden |
Fri., October 18 |
Attending group performance in Vancouver (TBD) |
Sat., October 19 |
SFU Surrey and Surrey Art Gallery https://www.surrey.ca/arts-culture/surrey-art-gallery 3750 88 Ave., Surrey. Surrey Art Gallery from 1-3 pm |
Fri., November 8 |
SFU Surrey |
Sat., November 9 |
SFU Surrey |
Fri., November 22 |
SFU Surrey |
Sat., November 23 |
SFU Surrey |
Additional Details
You will be invited to take a designated physical/somatic practice outside of class and writing times to cultivate embodied ways of knowing, learning, and listening. Please build this time into your schedule for the fall. We will also have a zoom link to meet online if there is a disruption in terms of weather. Please note that there could be an unexpected change in times/dates for field trips if there is a change from the organization.
COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:
This course will examine the scholarship on embodiment and its implications for the body as a site for knowledge and its relationship to contemplative education, specifically in the area of embodied ways of inquiry. Central to this course will be to look at embodiment from a philosophical perspective, a literary/poetic perspective and a visceral perspective rooted in movement, dance, walking and physicality in a variety of forms, and even our limitations. Particular attention will be given to the relationship between philosophies of the body and their relevance to us as researchers, educators, artists, and human beings. The mind-body dualism will be examined and its impact on how research is enacted, and how we enter the practice of teaching and reflect on our practice. The notion of "bodily attending" will be developed both for reflexivity, moving, writing, and pedagogy. A major emphasis will concern how an informed understanding of embodiment can have pragmatic influence on the way we experience knowledge and articulate knowledge and its importance for bodily mindfulness. The student will have opportunity to relate the notion of embodiment to his/her/their research and integrate performative, narrative and poetic writing to articulate knowledge, which is situated in bodily experience. Each class will integrate movement and somatic/dance practices and writing from the body which will facilitate embodied connections to learning.
Grading
- Body Narrative - Due Oct. 11 20%
- Presentation on Chapters - Due throughout semester 20%
- Bodygraphy Project - Final piece Due last class, Nov 22/23 50%
- Participation / Attendance / Writing in class and embodied voice 10%
NOTES:
Writing from the body practice in and out of class
It will be expected that you write during class in each session and at certain times bring your writing to the larger group. You will also be expected to engage in short writes several times a week and bring small segments of your work to the class. You will also be required to take an hour of solitude (bodily mindfulness) a week connected to physicality, which your writing can emerge from. This will be explained during the first class.
Somatic/Movement work
Each class will provide opportunity to integrate somatic and movement work which will consist of a variety of practices connected to embodiment, including, but not limited to creative movement, yoga stretches, breathing, Interplay, creative dance, improvisation and voice work This movement work will be connected to writing from the body, the poetic, and developing ideas, insights and contribute to your own inquiry in your bodygraphy.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Body narrative 20% These body narrative pieces will be developed out of exploring the relationship between the body, memory, and narrative. This can also consist of prose, poetry, essay, or poetic prose. DUE: OCT. 11
- Group presentations on chapters 20% You will present in groups on the chapters in your text Arts-based and contemplative practices in research and teaching: Honoring presence. You will engage the class collectively in an arts-based practice related to the chapter to deepen the exploration of the ideas from the scholars. DUE: Throughout semester.
- Bodygraphy including presentation 50% DUE: Last weekend of classes – November 22/23.
This assignment is your major project that includes your writing, performative work, and growing perceptions/understanding of how the body intersects research, writing, teaching, and aspects of being. There is room within this piece to include various artistic representations, i.e. film, video, dance, drama, reader’s theatre, visual work, poetry, prose, or performance art, as well as essay writing. This assignment combines a significant research inquiry with an oral presentation, so you will present your work to the class. You will be required to share an abstract in class, which provides an explanation of what you are presenting. Presentation of your bodygraphy will be done during the last weekend. This assignment connects to your ongoing inquiry, and is important to start early, and integrate your own autobiographical inquiry and exploration of your embodied knowing and learning. Arts-based practices are encouraged and writing from the body as ways of creating your bodygraphy.
Bodygraphy is a term that I utilize which is a combination of autobiographical inquiry, embodied ways of inquiry within the umbrella of arts-based educational research methods in order to create an intertextual piece, which expresses the depth of your embodied learning and how it connects to you personally and professionally.
- Participation – Sharing writing and embodied voice 10% As much as possible, within an online capacity participation and presence is expected. Part of this component is also sharing writing within the class and having opportunity to work and develop your embodied and poetic voice.
Materials
MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:
A journal to write in by hand. The class will encourage writing by hand to access writing from the body.
Comfortable clothes to move in, dress accordingly for outdoor field trips.
A water bottle to bring to class.
REQUIRED READING:
Snowber, C. (2016). Embodied inquiry. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishing.
ISBN: 978-94-6300-753-5
- Walsh, B. Bickel, & C. Leggo (Eds.). (2015). Arts-based and contemplative practices in research and teaching: Honoring presence. New York, NY: Routledge.
ISBN: 978-11-3828-674-0
Friedman, L. & Moon, S. (Eds.) (1997). Being bodies: Buddhist women on the paradox of embodiment. Boston: Shambhala.
ISBN: 1-57062-324-4
Special Issue: Embodied Reflexivity through the Arts, Qualitative Inquiry, Volume 30, Issue 2 https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/qixa/30/2
Selected Journal articles and chapters will be given to the class.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Abram, D. (1996). The spell of the sensuous: Perception and language in a more- than-human world. NY: Vintage.
ISBN: 0-679-77639-7
Lamothe, L. K. (2015). Why we dance: A philosophy of bodily becoming. NY: Columbia University Press.
ISBN: 978-02-3117-105-2
Williamson & B. Sellers-Young (Eds.) (2020) Spiritual herstories: Call of the soul in dance research. Bristol: Intellect Books. (electronic bk.)
ISBN: 978-17-8938-083-5
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Graduate Studies Notes:
Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.