ABSTRACT
While this chapter is focused on work in a high school setting, it is imperative for those in higher education to understand the dynamics that their students are coming from – the energies, assumptions, and habits they are carrying with them. This chapter posits that one of the largest impediment to joy in the classroom is fear. Fear creates a negative feedback loop that harms teachers and students alike, leading to burnout and hopelessness. Drawing on personal anecdotes, neuroscience, and the voices of others in the field, the author first explores three major sources of fear: fear for physical safety, fear of standardized testing, and fear of “teaching the wrong thing.” Next, she examines fear responses, applying the concepts of fight, flight, freeze, and fawn to interactions she has seen from students, colleagues, and herself. Lastly, she provides a case study of a unit she recently created that epitomizes her practice of joy-centered pedagogy, reminding us that energy and hope are possible when we infuse these qualities in our classrooms. Camfield closes by pointing out that we all have a choice whether to lean into joy or fear, and that choice carries repercussions for us all.
