Ryan Haas — Activism Beyond the Classroom

Ryan is a graduate of Penn GSE ‘ 18. During his master’s studies, Ryan participated in the 2018 iteration of ABC. Ryan currently works as a research consultant and teaching assistant with Dr. Krystal Strong. During their master’s studies, Ryan examined informal sites learning and the power dynamics imbued in educative environments. Ryan enjoys reading the intersections of Black Studies, autonomist marxism, and post-structuralism. Ryan intends to continue this scholarship in a doctoral program. Topically, at present Ryan’s research concerns notions of dignity and fugitivity as they pertain to youth’s spatial practices in U.S. urban contexts. Ryan served as the Fall 2019 Teaching Assistant for the course, and has been developing the website since May of 2018.

Writings

Featured

Social Emotional Learning: A Pedagogy of Control

Social Emotional Learning advocates position individuals as the site of the problem and the unit of analysis. Instead of finding ways to increase food available, teachers ask youth to manage their hunger and suppress their anger. Instead of asking why movement must be restricted, teachers assume youth need to be taught patience and stillness. Instead of examining what the teacher did to upset a youth, the focus is teaching youth to remain calm. Where administrators should be concerned with the size of a class, they assert kids just haven’t learned to manage anxiety.