When the question of bodies comes up, the first place I worry off to is the possibility of bodies being sexual, and how it would make me extremely uncomfortable to think about students in a sexual way or for them to think about me in that way. Aside from the push of heteronormative culture to sexualize all bodies as much as possible, this also comes from the lessons I have learned in dance to make sure that people understand that dancing is not sexual by nature.

In dance, the abilities of one’s body is vitally important. I often find I think about my student’s bodies much more than I feel they consider mine, mainly because I am paying attention to where they resist technique and asking myself why they do that, whereas my students aren’t yet trained to listen to someone else’s body that way. However, the students should be able to ask about what comfort level their dance partner has with their steps, and also with the closeness of their bodies. We often say in dance that students should only do movements to their level of comfort, to acknowledge that everyone has a different physical level of ability. There is also a level in consent with how people have access to each other’s bodies in dance.

In the Eng 101 classroom, I tend to think of bodies less in terms of corporeality and cognitive capacity, as I think about physical presence and intimidation. I try not to stand over students or stand too close to them, but to give them space unless invited closer to read an assignment. I can’t tell if they notice this or not, but I would be a little surprised if they did.

I know that I need to do a better job making room for all of my students, and their body-mind, and I’m sure they need to do the same for me. I often find that instructors are seen as a more all-encompassing source of power when it comes to revealing information. I worry that too many teachers, including myself, fall into the trap of blaming their students when information is not conveyed properly. Teaching appears to be a mediation of knowledge, where the instructor makes sure the conversation focuses toward the goal being approached, but allows the students a time to practice putting the knowledge into use in a way that is safe and effective for them.