By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer
Professor Miranda Meents may have gotten her PhD in the field of Botany from the University of British Columbia, but her career has led her into studying and implementing evidence-based teaching strategies at SFU. A biological sciences professor, Meents not only employs well-studied teaching strategies, but has also taken a decolonial approach to her plant biology class. We spoke with Meents to learn more about her approach in helping students form a personal connection and appreciation to the plant life around them.
Meents approaches her teaching style by thinking of it as an adaptive, constantly evolving method, pointing to “different ways of knowing, and relationships with organisms” such as with fungi and algae. “The sort of scientific, or western lens, is only one way of looking at them. We can learn a lot from them, but we can miss out on a lot by just using that lens specifically,” Meents says.
In biology, for example, taxonomies mostly use Latin-derived names, and Indigenous knowledge has been erased, which further marginalizes Indigenous Peoples from research. She stated she “critique[s the] perspective and also [. . .] incorporate[s] other ways of knowing, in particular, showcasing Indigenous knowledge.” In implementing such perspectives in her work and for her students, Meents is able to “embrace the uncertainty” and the overall idea of not being an expert, as she herself is continually learning new ways to approach researching and teaching from various perspectives.
This has cultivated Meents’ passion about finding ways to decolonize her classroom. “My goal for my students that take my classes is to help them develop stronger, more meaningful relationships with the plants in their lives,” Meents explained. “That, itself, is a more decolonial approach. The colonial perspective is seeing the world around us as resources that have purposes and uses that are more recreational or industrial.” By helping her students connect personally with plants and organisms, Meents further builds connection to the lands and water.
“The lands around us, the waters around us — we are interconnected with the rest of the world.”
Meents is sure to point out she is “no expert,” but her research from Indigenous scholars make her courses more decolonial by fostering students’ respect and connection with the world. “A lot of students really appreciate that,” Meents said gratefully. “They’re valuing it, and I’m valuing it, too!”
Discussing her experience in academia and in teaching, Meents admitted it’s taken time “to feel comfortable starting to approach [the] work in [her] teaching,” as she doesn’t want to “do more harm by doing things the wrong way.”
To avoid potential harm and address issues responsibly, when Meents brings awareness of matters related to plant biology, she makes sure to amplify Indigenous voices rather than speaking for them. “I’m not a mouthpiece. I’m not speaking for Indigenous Peoples and communities, [but] wherever I can, I’m pulling those voices in videos that Indigenous people have prepared, or writing where they’re presenting their own knowledge.”
She explained the importance of focusing on local communities for growing her knowledge, consulting Indigenous communities and peers, like “the Greater Vancouver area, Vancouver Island, other places in BC, Canada, and the Pacific Northwest.” By receiving guidance from others in her field of study at SFU, along with knowledge from Indigenous Peoples, Meents says the “advice and feedback” she gets is invaluable.
It’s also important for Meents to check in with her students to see how they’re finding the material and whether or not they have other resources or suggestions for how to improve.
Meents values a more collaborative approach with her students that fosters conversation. “I’m not dictating things to them,” she explained. “I’m learning from them at the same time they are learning from me, they are part of the process as well. I’m continually growing and changing how we’re doing things, and incorporating more into different courses. It’s a journey, not an endpoint, so everything is still in flux.”
Meents’ work, research, and teaching methods emphasize the importance of fostering a community among her students, creating a suport network essential to a “non-traditional, non-hierarchical [. . .] atmosphere in the classroom.” This is beneficial to everyone involved. An open approach allows for room to grow and keeps the conversation going in regards to decolonization in plant biology.
It’s evident Meents is passionate about research and teaching, as she continues to make an impact on her students, and the biological sciences field as a whole by challenging colonial narratives in everyday living.
