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Teaching II – Can our actions compound the imposter syndrome?You may be familiar with the term “imposter syndrome” – one believes they are not as competent as others perceive them to be – but what about impostorization? Coined by Dr. Angelica Gutierrez, impostorization refers to the policies, practices, and seemingly innocuous interactions in the college environment that can make students question their intelligence, competence, and sense of belonging. For example, “everyone knows about imposter syndrome” is an impostorizing statement. Suggesting something is common sense for a given field, without providing advice on developing the necessary skills or understanding, can make one feel like they do not belong to that area of study, that they are a phony. In the article, More Vexing Than the Imposter Syndrome, Gutierrez gives four other examples of impostorization we should avoid. I must shamefully admit I have been unconsciously guilty of more than one of these. |