What follows is a powerpoint presentation and lesson plan which I presented to my colleagues on the PgCert course for feedback, outlining my proposed intervention/artefact: an action research workshop and reading list centring rest and laziness. As I am a person with several chronic illnesses for which I am classified disabled, I am very interested in the idea of rest as teaching tool and a method of boosting creativity . I am also interested in rest as a political act of protest in a world which expects constant productivity and monetization of joy/hobbies.
Teaching on the MA Applied Imagination course, I noticed that our students are required to work through the holidays. Whilst I completely understand that school of thought that it is necessary for the course to function this way in order for students to get the most out of their time on the course, it does mean that they are constantly engaged with the course material and projects – resulting in there being no curriculum mandated breaks. Obviously the expectation is that students will be able to manage their own time effectively. However, the evidence points towards the majority of students procrastinating, then over working to compensate and burning out because they have not been given express, structural, permission to take time for themselves. Whilst educators cannot be wholly responsible for this, the power imbalance between staff and students creates a need for increased duty of care. For example, during the month-long Easter break our students were given an “independent study” period with a project deadline for the first week of term. This effectively ensures that even if they do take a break they will have the draining anxiety of having a project to complete hanging over their heads, which means that they are not actually receiving the benefits of resting.
MAAI students are already encouraged to wander (flaneurs) and embrace process-based learning , but I wanted to create an intervention that took this message and extended it. I began to consider the impact having no structured deliberate break could have on students, and how I could encourage them to embrace the concept of laziness and rest as an important part of learning rather than as an inconvenience. The use of Bertrand Russell’s text In Praise of Idleness is deliberate. Although it is an easy read compared to the texts of Russell’s contemporaries, it is still quite a dense piece of writing. As a result of this it is harder to absorb and focus on than other, easier, reads which leads to distraction. Functioning as a demonstration of my point that when the brain is expected to process large complex sections of text, it needs more breaks in order to allow time to properly “digest” the information. The current expectation of reading and instantly having an opinion or thought can lead to lack of clarity, critical thinking (which takes time) and engagement with the text in question. (It also privileges extroverted personalities who are able to read quickly at the expense of students with dyslexia or who are introverted for example.) My aim is that allowing students space and time to filter through the text will in fact lead to better understanding and allow them to “give themselves permission” to go at their own pace, rather than overwork themselves and become burnt out as a result.
The feedback from my colleagues was overall positive, they did suggest some further reading and resources such as The Nap Ministry which I have subsequently explored. The original presentation did not include the time allotted for each rest break which upon reflection I thought needed to be addressed, so they were added in later.
This is amazing and very relatable!