This fall, the Adams Center will offer an opportunity for any interested faculty to learn from one another through our Teaching Squares initiative. We are blessed with many gifted teachers at ACU, and this program creates a formal structure for soliciting the wisdom and experience of your peers in order to improve your own teaching.
Teaching Squares Description:
- Participating faculty will be organized into interdisciplinary groups of four.
- The teaching square will work together throughout the semester to encourage one another in excellent teaching practices. This will include sharing syllabi and assignments for feedback and observing one another’s classroom teaching.
- Those who successfully complete all of the expectations below will receive a $250 stipend from the Adams Center.
Teaching Squares Expectations:
- Each group member will identify part of their syllabus/course they want to improve/revise. In an initial meeting at the beginning of the semester, they will share it with the other group members for feedback.
- Each member will revise their course/syllabus based on the initial input from the group. Before implementing the change in their class, they will share their revisions with the other group members for additional feedback.
- Each member will visit one class session for each of the other members. This means participants will visit three other classes throughout the semester along with having the three group members visit their own class.
- The teaching square will meet after all of the class visits are complete to discuss observations. The goal of these meetings is mutual learning and growth. Groups are encouraged to meet over coffee or a meal. Groups are welcome to use the Adams Center spaces or swing by and pick up a bean voucher.
- The observations are formative and feedback will only be shared within the group.
Admittedly, inviting a colleague to look at your course materials and visit your classroom to watch you teach can feel intimidating; but, the vulnerability it requires often opens us to significant growth. We hope that you will join us as we enjoy the interdisciplinary magic that happens when faculty from departments around campus come together to collaborate and learn!
To sign up, participants should email amy.boone@acu.edu by Friday, September 9th.