Sentipensante (sensing/thinking) Pedagogy

Book excerpt: Challenging, inspiring, beautifully written, and unusual, this book calls readers to find ways to link mind and heart -- thinking and feeling -- to transform teaching and learning in higher education. Laura Rendon has illustrated how one can unite one's deep beliefs, values, and feelings, with one's keen analytical and intellectual abilities...an important, thought-provoking, and unique addition to the literature on teaching, learning, and the academic life. The Review of Higher Education on the first editionThis new and expanded edition of the acclaimed and successful book by nationally-recognized student advocate, activist scholar and contemplative educator, Laura Rendon, will surely find new audiences who are eager to create teaching and learning environments where the learner is fully present and engaged using the full capacities of mind, body and senses; and where the learning experience can be simultaneously subjective and objective, a view which challenges the privileged notion that only reason and objective modes of learning are valid. While the pedagogy can be employed with all students, Rendon provides support for faculty who work with low-income, first-generation, and racially-minoritized learners. Sentipensante Pedagogy benefits all students through holistically meeting their emotional needs and quest for knowledge, and simultaneously fostering their civic sense, critical consciousness, and community engagement.Rendon offers an inspirational and contemplative pedagogy that leverages student assets and addresses the rhythmic balance and interconnection between intellectual, social, emotional, and inner-life skill development. The book blends academic discussions about pedagogy and diverse world views as it inspires a new generation of faculty and staff to develop blueprints for democratic, decolonial teaching and learning environments.The sensing / thinking approach has been successfully adopted and adapted in courses and seminars across many academic disciplines, including STEM, in two- and four-year colleges institutions. Several colleges and universities have created centers around contemplative studies and pedagogy with applications extending to the K-12 education arena.As with adopting any new pedagogical approach, planning and thought needs to be given on how to integrate its reflective and creative elements with course content. This book offers inspiration and guidance for faculty who want to holistically address the needs, aspirations, and individual development of their students