12. I Light this Candle: Using Rituals in Teaching

• Main Author: Laura E. Taylor
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Windsor 2011-07-01
• Series: Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching
• Online Access: https://celt.uwindsor.ca/index.php/CELT/article/view/3181

The use of rituals in the classroom can enrich and enhance learning. They can also build a sense of community and belonging which in turn makes the classroom a safer place to risk sharing ideas and engaging in class discussion. Rituals also bring closure to a particular segment of the class learning experience or for the class itself. How many times have instructors taught the last class of a term or the final class of students’ university education without marking this rite of passage of having completed all of the classes required for a university degree? For many students who do not attend their graduation, the last class may afford them a unique opportunity to reflect on their passage of learning for their degree. This paper suggests that the classroom offers many opportunities for building rituals. It provides examples and guidelines for creating rituals. The instructor who is willing to spend the time to engage students in these activities will enrich the subject matter and the students’ learning experience. Rituals, however, need to be carefully considered to ensure that they are culturally and historically sensitive.