Improving Teaching
Building Community
Spring 2020
The Philosophy: The cornerstone of Teaching Squares are the positive attitudes and behaviors that create a mutually supportive, energizing environment for sharing the joys and challenges of teaching.
The Purpose: The Teaching Squares program is designed to improve teaching skills and build community through a structured, collaborative process of peer classroom observation and shared reflection.
The process involves the best aspect of peer learning – observation and discussion – while excluding judgment and evaluation. Participants in a square learn about the best practices of other faculty in order to improve their own teaching.
Who’s Involved? A Teaching Square is a group of four faculty members, usually from different disciplines who:
- Engage in reciprocal classroom visits (on campus or online)
- Reflect on classroom observations
- Share teaching materials
- Share best practices
Teaching Squares are available for face-to-face, blended, and fully online teaching modalities.
Time Commitment: Participants typically spend 7-10 hours per semester in Teaching Squares activities (scheduled via Doodle poll) which include:
- Initial organizing meeting – all Squares kickoff (1 hour)
- Three classroom visits (online or face-to-face)
- Square share session (1 hour)
- Wrap-up meeting – (1 hour)
The Benefits: By participating in Teaching Squares, you will have an opportunity to:
- Observe, analyze, and celebrate good teaching
- Increase your understanding of an appreciation for the work of your colleagues
- Enhance your own teaching based on the shared observations and reflections of your Square partners
Kick-off meeting is Feb 10 from 3-4 p.m. Indicate interest by registering: REGISTER HERE
Tags: Professional Development