“The academy is not paradise. But learning is a place where paradise can be created.” bell hooks
Testimonies of Dr. Clelia O. Rodriguez’s Teaching, Mentorship and Leadership Work in Education
Quote Source / Course Evaluations / Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. Reports available upon request.“In Professor Rodrigue's class, her unique teaching approach resonates with me on a profound level. By viewing everything as a text and applying critical thinking beyond binary perspectives, she has created a learning environment that goes beyond formalized textbooks. Professor Rodrigue's course has provided a valuable platform to explore and understand the historical and ongoing challenges faced by indigenous communities in Canada. The intergenerational impacts of trauma underscore the urgent need for healing and reconciliation, and I appreciate the opportunity to engage critically with these complex issues in Professor Rodrigue's class. An amazing Professor I encountered once in a lifetime.” (Fall 2023)“incredible incredible incredible - we come to OISE, an institution for education, to learn, unlearn and to teach. for the first time i feel i was really taught. i wish OISE had more respect for and encouraged more courses like Professor Clelia's, for she understands how learners learn, and that their is no one way to do it. the first course that had no barriers to learning, was truly truly accessible in every meaning of the word, without just being a superficial term. my entire worldview has shifted, no student is the same after listening to professor Rodriguez and immersing in her conversations. she encourages us to dig deep and learn as we should. she has revolutionised education at OISE and brought it back to how it always was. this was the most exciting and impressive course ive taken at UofT to date. taught me more in 12 weeks than in 5 years!” (Fall 2023)
“every student should get to experience her teachings!!” (Fall 2023)“Over the course of the term, I've learned to engage with texts, materials, and interactions as learning and interpreting everything beyond the binary. The classroom discussions we've had over the course have taught me to not take everything at face value. Rather than walking and running with the Knowledge that has been brought into my every day life, I've learned to crawl with it and to take a step back to re–evaluate. I've learned that home is where the fire is and within my circle of the 7 Grandfather Teachings, interacting with my group on an attempted weekly basis is a reminder that we are in it together. While this course may end here at the 12 semester mark, my journey is not over. It will continue and what that continuation looks like remains something I continue to look forward to and discuss with others about.” (Fall 2023)“To whoever is reading this, Dr. Rodríguez is a force in OISE where humanity is her number one concern and her influence on my life is one I will always cherish. She deserves the utmost respect and to have her voice heard throughout the colonized world.” (Fall 2023)“incredible incredible incredible - we come to OISE, an institution for education, to learn, unlearn and to teach. for the first time i feel i was really taught. i wish OISE had more respect for and encouraged more courses like Professor Clelia's, for she understands how learners learn, and that their is no one way to do it. the first course that had no barriers to learning, was truly truly accessible in every meaning of the word, without just being a superficial term. my entire worldview has shifted, no student is the same after listening to professor Rodriguez and immersing in her conversations. she encourages us to dig deep and learn as we should. she has revolutionised education at OISE and brought it back to how it always was. this was the most exciting and impressive course ive taken at UofT to date. taught me more in 12 weeks than in 5 years!” (Fall 2023)
“I was touched as well as inspired by the professor. I am an international student and this semester was my first time in an Oise classroom, and Professor Clelia really made me feel the energy and creativity of education. I have never felt this before. She is very respectful of our opinions in her classes, and she has invited guests to interact with us in the classroom, so I'm really grateful for the opportunity to meet people from different cultures.” (Fall 2023)“This course was transformational and planted many seeds on my journey to becoming a critically literate and compassionate educator. The potential for decolonization in education was made apparent though immersive teaching practices. I was challenged to see beyond the binary and consider perspectives that differed from my own. Dr. Clelia Rodriguez is one of the only professors who practices what they preach. This course should be longer and mandatory for all educators. I would love the opportunity to take more courses with Dr. Rodriguez.” (Summer 2023)“Clelia's style of teaching is very much rooted in student responsibility. If you do the work and show up, the class is life changing. The people Clelia brings to speak, the topics and directions of conversation were deeply impactful for me. And I can not express how vital a person Clelia is to learn from in this moment,.” (Summer 2023)“Her pedagogy is very powerful and engaging. She teaches content in a way that helps students like myself learn how its meaningful to us personally and in relation to our future aspirations” (Summer 2023)“The instructor put forward interesting content and taught techniques of popular education by example. This was the strongest element of the course.” (Summer 2023)“LOVED LOVED LOVED this course with Dr. Clelia. She provides the readings in advance, provides clear instruction and ample opportunities for students to succeed and participate..” (Summer 2023)“It is inspiring, unconventional, and it allows profound thinking to our society and our educational system.” (Fall 2022 - Winter 2023)“Throughout the course, Clelia made great efforts to connect our learning to pedagogies and theories. She was always engaged in teaching; we would always be engaged in group and/or class activities that furthered our knowledge and learning on anti–discrimination. It was clear that Clelia was always thoughtful when thinking about the next steps in our learning, as each week was different, fun, and unique. It cultivated our awareness of the issues posed around us as educators in the classroom, and ways in which we can engage in creating a change as educators. Overall, Clelia's teachings have really provided us insight into how we can become great educators; we engaged in a lot of reflective practice which furthered our knowledge and I'm grateful for it. Thank you, Clelia for everything!.” (Fall 2022 - Winter 2023)“Clelia taught in a way that gave us an eye opening perspective to the discrimination in the world and in the school systems. I always left class in deep thought and with a new perspective on issues in the world. When we had the opportunity to engage with others in the class it was awesome and I really enjoyed it. Clelia really is one of a kind and I definitely did learn some great things from such an experienced individual.” (Fall 2022 - Winter 2023)“The professor really had a deep appreciation for all of us as individuals, and really permitted us to approach the work based on our own experiences and knowledge. I am eternally grateful for not only the learning experience but the spiritual growth that I went through while being in professor Rodriguez's class. OISE is very lucky to have her.” (Fall 2022 - Winter 2023)“Clelia's instruction has been transformative for me – I feel that my learning and unlearning will continue far beyond the structures of this course. I am deeply appreciative of her patience, kindness, and willingness to be a guide for me on the often challenging journey of unlearning as a student and educator. I also am very grateful to the guest speakers and to my classmates as their wisdom and learnings have also been transformative. Thank you Clelia!.” (Fall 2022 - Winter 2023)“This course took a different approach from all other courses at OISE. We were encouraged to actively consider and re–consider our biases and preconceived notions of different topics. I appreciated Dr. Rodríguez's openness in sharing her experiences and opinions, as well as asking us to think about things outside of the binary.” (Fall 2022 - Winter 2023)“This might have been one of the most influential classes I have ever taken and it came at the right time. I appreciate my prof, her offerings and seeds and I feel like every student in OISE should take her class before leaving OISE.” (Fall 2022 - Winter 2023)“By far the most meaningful course I've had the pleasure of taking. This should be required for any and all post–secondary students. Power is in knowledge. (Fall 2022)“Dr. Rodriguez's passion and genuineness with her work is inspiring and is reflected with her course work.” (Fall 2022)“This course was nothing like any course I have taken before in the best way. Dr Rodriguez helped to change my way of thinking, moving from a circle to a spiral. Classes are always engaging, challenging, and thought–provoking.” (Fall 2022)“Dr. Rodriguez truly embodied what it meant to decolonize education in this introduction to decolonizing education class. It was thought–provoking, challenging, and interesting” (Fall 2022)“This is not a learning environment one can "predict". However, I learned the most from this course. I think taking this course and learning from Dr. Rodriguez has changed me. Especially in my cultural background, we were taught to be obeyed and be quiet about political things. Dr. Rodriguez introduced me to another way of thinking and what really is "decolonization"” (Fall 2022)“This course is one of the most amazing course I have in our university. The professor is creative and inspiring. She made everything easy for us to understand and encourage us to think of life, nature, connections and spirit. Diversified activities are also amazing. I have learned a lot from this course!!” (Fall 2022)“High quality decolonial work that plants seeds in the students so that they can do work with their students. A real role model.” (Summer 2022)“Clelia's unorthodox approach to teaching and content was refreshing and challenged me to think about my learning in critical way, that stems outside of traditional methods. I enjoyed the hands–on approach and also the room created to all students and their experiences. her content and ideas and impactful I'll be thinking about well past the class time in my school work and everyday life. I will admit, initially it was way out my comfort zone, but the journey was worth it.” (Summer 2022)“I would like to start by saying that Clelia's course was frankly what I presumed our entire Master's educational experience would be like, and so, after a year in which anti–discrimination and decolonization felt mostly like one more box to tick in a course syllabus rather than the underpinning of everything we do as educators/researchers, it was gratifying to be in a classroom where we were constantly asked to be accountable to the power structures that we live within and will enact as public educators. I am deeply grateful to Clelia for creating a rigorous, challenging, heart–driven space that demanded we hold ourselves accountable for the work we chose (or chose not) to engage in/with. That many of my peers took her unconventional structure as a sign that they could opt out of completing and engaging with our course readings (a sentiment I heard from several students in my class), indicates to me that OISE is not managing to instill in its students the understanding that this deeply necessary work is personal, ongoing, difficult, and – perhaps most importantly – self–motivated. I am curious, given that we all had to indicate our experiences with/commitment to equity and anti–discrimination during our application process, how much of what was written in our statements of intent was a superficial understanding. While I cannot fault OISE for welcoming students who have more to learn, I do wonder that after 10 months in the program many of my peers were so resistant to the work that was being asked of them. While their reviews of this course may suggest that their lack of engagement is the fault of the professor, I would argue that it is the rest of the program that has failed to convey the importance, challenge, and ongoing nature of endeavouring to be an anti–discriminatory educator. Clelia challenges you to unlearn and re–envision how a course should unfold. Her syllabus is a rallying cry, her lessons demand that we pay attention. Her chosen guest speakers immeasurably enriched our learning not only through the experiences/wisdom they shared but also in providing us with the opportunity to watch Clelia learn from them. Indeed, the way Clelia models a lifelong commitment to learning/unlearning/relearning from everyone she engages with (including recalcitrant master's students) is one of the great gifts of being in community with her – she is at all times deeply present, actively listening, constantly making meaning, forever drawing out connections. She teaches you the power of language not only through the challenges she offers for you to engage with, but also in the way she deliberately, attentively chooses her words in all of her communications – "lecture," dialogue, e–mail. The insights I have gained from watching her teach will undeniably influence how I work with students moving forward.
To learn from Clelia for six weeks has been a gift I will endeavour to be worthy of – as she reminded us throughout the course, six weeks is not enough time to "complete" this work, and the real learning begins in the choices we make after we step out of our formal "anti–discriminatory education" course. I will be grateful for the opportunity to continue joining spaces she creates, and to continue being in community with her if she'll have me.” (Summer 2022)“Clelia's unorthodox approach to teaching and content was refreshing and challenged me to think about my learning in critical way, that stems outside of traditional methods. I enjoyed the hands–on approach and also the room created to all students and their experiences. her content and ideas and impactful I'll be thinking about well past the class time in my school work and everyday life. I will admit, initially it was way out my comfort zone, but the journey was worth it.” (Summer 2022)“Brilliant, the essence of transformative learning experience. The design of the course was facilitated in a way that fosters critical thinking and in–depth analysis of current and historical context of popular culture. My only regret is not taking a course with the remarkable Dr. Rodriguez earlier, she is a critical educator who not only continues to share knowledge in a way that resonates with students but also creates space for students to learn from each other.” (Summer 2022)“Clelia created an environment of shared learning, with passion and creativity. Students were able to directly experience the learning though an embodied approach. The collaboration with Seeds for Change mentors and teachers was a highlight of the course experience.” (Summer 2022)“Out of all of the graduate courses I have taken in my master's at OISE so far, Clelia's course has been the most intellectually stimulating. She curates and co–creates a wonderfully engaging learning and unlearning space. I am very eager to continue learning with Clelia in her future course.” (Summer 2022)“I have never had an instructor like Clelia. This semester has been an incedible journey in unlearning, including unlearning the toxic, restrictive ways some of us have previously been conditioned to act as students. I really appreciated all of the guest speakers, and Clelia's way of facilitating open space during class time.” (Summer 2022)“I have never had an instructor like Clelia. This semester has been an incedible journey in unlearning, including unlearning the toxic, restrictive ways some of us have previously been conditioned to act as students. I really appreciated all of the guest speakers, and Clelia's way of facilitating open space during class time.” (Summer 2022)“Clelia was and is incredible! She created a beautiful, engaging, and inspiring co–learning space. I deeply grateful to all the learning and teaching she brought forward and out of me.” (Summer 2022)“Transformative, energizing, reflective, communal, safe. These are only some words that begin to scratch the surface of this course. It was so incredible! I firmly believe that every student at UofT at every level should be mandated to take a Popular Education and Social Action course grounded in Decolonization. It will absolutely transform their thinking and ground them in a community space.” (Summer 2022)“Dr. Rodriguez is a hidden gem, that you only appreciate when the world starts crashing down around you. Her course creates an aura of discomfort, but you know what – we need that in our lives. Her relaxed nature with assignments is amazing, and I genuinely felt like I was being heard with everything I handed it. I enjoyed taking charge of my own learning, and appreciate being given the opportunity to be a part of her course.” (Winter 2022)“Clelia introduced us to an amazing number of resources, guest speakers, topics, and considerations for teaching and for understanding what teaching in a settler–colonial state means, and our responsibilities and convictions therein. She was very empowering in helping us to find our own voice and our own approach to teaching and supporting students. She was refreshingly frank about the state of education and about the responsibilities that come with being a teacher. She helped us to connect our own teaching and experiences to global struggles for liberation, justice, and decolonization.” (Winter 2022)“Clelia greeted every submission with reciprocal texts, resources, and pieces of wisdom. This was a very engaging way to provide feedback and has impacted my conception of what feedback means. She is very supportive of her students and cares about our learning. She was available to discuss any issues, concerns, or questions and was very generous with her time and effort.” (Winter 2022)“Professor Rodriguez goes above and beyond to support students and their learning. She would share personalized readings based on where you were at in your learning journey. She is the definition of student–centred.” (Winter 2022)“Absolutely amazing. I have never learned more from a course.” (Summer 2021)“The co–learning space is unique in that it engages and encourages all participants to share their knowledges and experiences. The platform also connects scholars, researchers, community leaders, artists and many other significant figures from all walks of life to share practical knowledges, experiences and practices. The assignments directly relate to the subject matter, personal and socio–political reality of participants and encourage reflection and self–expression. I have a great learning/unlearning experience that changed a lot of what I think and know about Education in general and ADE in particular.” (Summer 2021)“This is the single most important course available to MT students, and it is absolutely, categorically, imperative that this course continue to be taught at OISE, by Clelia Rodriguez. This course was flawless. Clelia is a stupendous and inspiring professor.” (Summer 2021)“This is what every anti–discriminatory education class, and any education related class, should be like. Clelia not only provided us with the most unique and rich learning environment that featured guest speakers from literally all around the world, but she also was able to create a safe and comfortable space for colearning and deep discussions. Clelia made everyone feel welcome and safe in this space and was the only professor that i've had who showed such a care for student learning. Not only did I learn how to bring antidiscriminatory practices into my teaching but also my life. Every single student at OISE should take this class” (Summer 2021)“This is the single most important course available to MT students, and it is absolutely, categorically, imperative that this course continue to be taught at OISE, by Clelia Rodriguez. This course was flawless. Clelia is a stupendous and inspiring professor.” (Summer 2021)“This OISE course has been one of the best, as what is being taught is being put into practice by the professor. The guest speakers and discussions were exceptional, and the professor allowed for genuine learning and reflection of anti–discriminatory practices which we were exposed to in every course. I truly experienced what a decolonized class feels like and why it is so important to decolonize education..” (Summer 2021)“This is the single most important course available to MT students, and it is absolutely, categorically, imperative that this course continue to be taught at OISE, by Clelia Rodriguez. This course was flawless. Clelia is a stupendous and inspiring professor.” (Summer 2021)“Clelia brought authenticity and urgency to the course in a radical way. At first it was unsettling, but I learned that her intention was to foster a unique, holistic learning community; and she succeeded.” (Summer 2021)“This was a new way of instruction that I was very inspired by. It helped me, as an upcoming teacher candidate, in evaluating and reflecting on my own pedagogy and how to enact anti–discrimination in the K–12 contexts that I may find myself” (Summer 2021)“Clelia uses some very unconventional methods in the classroom, and she helped all of us push our own boundaries as we grappled with the topics. At times, this may have made some learners/unlearners uncomfortable, but I felt that was an important part of the process. We all SHOULD be uncomfortable as the reality is so discomforting. Clelia also managed to create an atmosphere where learners supported each other and helped each other learn and grow. I feel like I connected to many of my classmates in a meaningful way, and we continue to share materials with each other and discuss ideas and issues. Clelia was also very giving of her time, and classes were always the full three hours, sometimes even a bit longer! She was available before and after class and gave us feedback on anything we sent her. She was very approachable and encouraging, and the range of experts she managed to invite to the class was truly impressive. Every class, there was a guest speaker who contributed to the instruction. Just arranging this alone is an impressive feat.” (Summer 2021)“This was a new way of instruction that I was very inspired by. It helped me, as an upcoming teacher candidate, in evaluating and reflecting on my own pedagogy and how to enact anti–discrimination in the K–12 contexts that I may find myself.” (Summer 2021)“This course really changed my life, my pedagogy and the educational spaces I hope to create. The instruction reoriented the way I think about education, it was refreshing and necessary.” (Summer 2021)“This is the only course I have taken at OISE so far where the learning environment that the instructor created is the same as the learning environment that the instructor is suggesting we create for our students when we becomes teachers. The amount of the effort and attention to detail that was put into curating this learning experience for myself and my classmates is so humbling.” (Summer 2021)“This is the only course I have taken at OISE so far where the learning environment that the instructor created is the same as the learning environment that the instructor is suggesting we create for our students when we becomes teachers. The amount of the effort and attention to detail that was put into curating this learning experience for myself and my classmates is so humbling.” (Summer 2021)“Dr. Rodriguez showed us another level of what it's REALLY like to centre the learners and their learning experience. It starts by de–centring herself. She is keenly, intuitively, and rationally aware of ways that power dynamics affect the the sense of responsibility that learners have regarding their learning. She actively worked to disrupt any power dynamics that negatively affect learning, WHILE ALSO BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT SHE WAS DOING PEDAGOGICALLY AND WHY SHE WAS DOING IT. This was not a course for me, it was a life changing event. In the most literal sense, there are no words to describe the depth of what this course did for me as an educator. I am eternally grateful to have crossed paths with Dr. Rodriguez.” (Summer 2021)“Professor Rodriguez is a very passionate instructor. Her unique and radical ways of teaching thought me so much on the topic of decolonization. She gave me a yearning to continue my learning journey and be involved in changing the establishment.” (Summer 2021)“Clelia is an inspiring educator and did mention how she would format the course so that participants could decide if it was a productive learning format for their needs. I appreciated Clelia's hands off approach allowing the participants to shape the tone and texture of class discussions.” (Summer 2021)“Clelia is an excellent facilitator. She created a learning environment that supported each individual's personal journey of "decolonization" through reflective practice (in the form of offerings :D). Clelia also curated a series of guest collaborators who provided insights in the "real" meaning of decolonization and modelled what decolonization in education could look like. In the short span of the course, she was able to "remove" global borders and promote conversations about colonialist education around the world.” (Summer 2021)“Clelia was an amazing instructor that provided a safe space for us to engage in critical discourse surrounding decolonization in education. I was able to engage in a community with learners of multiple perspectives and experiences.” (Summer 2021)“Dr. Rodgriguez is an amazing instructor. Words cannot describe her passion, care and dedication to her students and the subject material. She has the ability to convey such attention to each individual student and as a collective in an online atmosphere. I look forward to taking another course offered by Dr, Rodgriguez in person for a truly amazing learning experience and I encourage every student at OISE to take a class taught by her.” (Summer 2021)“There is something to be said about this environment that should be shared. There was a great amount of change that happened to me as an individual through this process. This is a course that should be mandatory so students can become better educators and truly understand at a complex level.” (Summer 2021)“I love the atmosphere and learning community the instructor creat for us. The synchronous session is very appealing and infectious that leaves me a deep impression. I especially love the guest speaking each session since it's really a rare opportunity for us to have the opportunity to meet outstanding representatives in various fields and to understand what they are doing; this is a rare opportunity to expand my horizons, especially at this special time. I appreciate it!.” (Summer 2021)“I thoroughly enjoyed this class and have gained much knowledge. The experience of this class has been nothing but positive. This was my absolute favourite class in OISE and Prof. Clelia's extensive and insightful lecture was a huge part of why this was my favourite class. I'll miss this class tremendously!” (Summer 2021)“Clelia created a beautiful and grounding space that allowed students to work through difficult subject matter, to try and to reflect on our learning stumbles and leaps. She gave us examples (through her own methods and guest speakers) and tools for practicing heart–centred transformative pedagogy.” (Fall 2020)“Dr. Clelia Rodriguez led us through a transformational educational experience. She is an activist in this field and offered several opportunities for us to extend our learning with guest speakers, also featuring a variety of global Indigenous voices in our carefully–selected readings and course content. Class sessions were powerful as she brought our class together as a community through thought– and discussion–provoking prompts provided by Clelia.” (Fall 2020)“Clelia is an amazing person. She is patient, compassionate, and realistic. She demonstrates a great understanding of her field of study and instilled in our class the importance of compassion, emotion, care, love, and hope. Her use of class time better enabled us to not only cultivate our knowledge–base; it enabled us to critically engage with ourselves and the world and see it. And feel it. And be it. I would recommend this course to anyone; I think the knowledge is important, yes, but it is the approach to education that challenges you, supports you, and asks you to be kind to yourself and others that makes this the BEST source of learning I have encountered in an academic setting.” (Fall 2020)“Clelia is the most inspiring professor I’ve ever had. Not only is she so passionate about the subject matter, she was so understanding of the stressors present during this difficult time. She truly made mental health the top priority. This class was definitely the one I was most engaged with and actually looked forward to every week!” (Fall 2020)“I cannot speak enough about how great of an instructor Clelia is. This course literally changed my life, the way I view things, and how to decolonize my education. This course was such a safe space that made me happy, emotional, and think the most of out all the classes I took at UofT, and I received my undergrad degree at UofT.” (Fall 2020)“This class is such a treasure. I will forever cherish the moments I had.” (Fall 2020)“Professor Rodriguez has a very refreshing pedagogy that inspires me to become a better educator. She is very knowledgeable and shares her knowledge in a very humble yet poised way.” (Fall 2020)“This course walked the walk. a lot of courses at OISE are centred around pedagogy and no one actually follows what they teach. Clelia taught us and showed us how to liberate our pedagogy. Her class was always like medicine to me.” (Fall 2020)“Clelia was always available via email or skype. Continuously, she reached out to you to see how you were doing, and also asked us to provide support to our fellow members when they were feeling the trials of the world. Her ability to be in tune with us, to hear and listen to us, and then respond accordingly made her more available than any other professor I have encountered. Once again, I cannot stress how IMPORTANT Clelia is as a person..” (Fall 2020)“Dr. Rodriguez crafted a responsive syllabus that took into account each students’ learning journey in the topic is Pedagogies of Oppression/Resistance. I have never experienced a tailor made class, like this, where a professor accommodated each students’ learning style and interests. Professor Rodriguez was able to meet all of her students where they were at and engage us on many level academic, intellectual, emotional levels.” (Winter 2020)“I have never taken a course like this. It shed light on how limited my learning has been in traditional settings. For example, my second course in my masters required me to read 10 heavy texts, submit book notes on each, and then write a final paper. This did not expand my knowledge or change my thinking in any way. In fact, I simply relied on my already quite adept literacy skills. I experienced no growth beyond what I am already very capable of as a reader and a writer, without investing several thousand dollars. In this course, quite to the contrary, the learning was collaborative. I was asked: where are you in your understanding? Where do you need to go? How will you internalize your learning? How is it changing you? How can you best demonstrate that? As a result, while I spent less time typing responses in order to have my understanding fit into an easy format to evaluate (which just becomes a 'hoop jump,' not indicative of learning at all), I was freed up to do much deeper thinking and reflecting. The learning I've experienced in this course has fundamentally shifted my views, both as an educator, and as a human.” (Winter 2020)“The experience in this course was really powerful, we had the possibility to reflect meaningfully about pedagogies of resistance. The professor`s guidance allowed me to trouble my own thoughts and engage with the texts in different and significant ways. The selection of texts and the relevance of every one of them were outstanding. I am grateful for the opportunity to work collectively in a course bibliography as a class.” (Winter 2020)