We could easily spend an entire course working to reconcile these worldviews. What can we learn from these perspectives? There's a practicality to standardized education---this course is a commodity that offers economic value and social mobility. And yet learning is also a social phenomena, one that involves all of us and uniquely shaped by each and every student in the class. When you look around you, who you see are the people who will be shaping our social futures. We are all responsible for helping each other because each opportunity taken is a vote toward realizing a better future. Learning is not just for yourself in the short-term, but for everyone in the long-term. It won't be easy because helping others requires leaving your comfort zone, but I believe we can rise to the occaision.
We are here to help each other. Collaboration, listening, empathy, mindfulness, and caring are essential to creating sustainable futures. The following specific actions and behaviors we pledge to do in order to encourage compassion toward each other in this class.
We are here to help each other. Collaboration, listening, empathy, mindfulness, and caring are essential to creating sustainable futures. The following specific actions and behaviors we pledge to do in order to encourage compassion toward each other in this class.[^4]
[^4]:Asao B. Inoue. 2019. "Sample Charter for Compassion" in [*Labor-Based Grading Contracts: Building Equity and Inclusion in the Compassionate Writing Classroom*](https://wac.colostate.edu/books/perspectives/labor/).
- Listen with intention to understand first and forming an opinion only after you fully understand.
- Take responsibility for the intended and unintended effects of your words and actions on others.
