Gain and Give Teaching Insights by Joining a Teaching Square

February 24, 2023 / Faculty/Staff Highlights

Would you like to gain insights and learn new teaching methods directly from your peers? If so, consider joining a Teaching Square.

What are Teaching Squares?

  • Teaching Squares is a program designed to help you gain insights for improving your Teaching.
  • Four faculty members make up a square and visit each other’s classrooms during the course of the spring 2023 semester. They then meet to discuss what was learned from their observations. Three observations for each faculty member.
  • This semester, teaching squares are only offered in virtual (Zoom) courses.

What are the benefits of Teaching Squares?

  • Gather ideas from your peers.
  • Try new instructional approaches and receive feedback.
  • Improve your teaching.

What is the Teaching Squares commitment?

Teaching Squares commitment image: Illustration of two computers, side by side, with ten zoom images of participants on the screen.

  • Participate in a kick-off meeting via Zoom, and meet your Teaching Squares peers (end of Feb. 2023).
  • Participate in a Teaching Squares group sharing session at the end of the semester (most likely mid-April 2023)

What are the guiding principles?

Guiding principles of Teaching Squares Image. Block divided into four sections: 1. Confidential reciprocity. Everyone observes and is observed / we all experience both the role of teaching and learner in a confidential environment. 2. Mutual respect. We enter the classroom respectful of instructors, students and contextual differences. 3 Appreciation. We aim to identify and build upon practices that create effective environments for learning. 4. Self-referential reflection. We report what was learned from the observation to improve our own teaching rather than trying to improve a square partner's teaching.

Interested in participating?

  • Contact Barbara Crain, BCrain@nvcc.edu
  • Look for more detailed information and a Doodle request.

Submitted by:
Barbara Crain, LO-Communication & Human Studies, BCrain@nvcc.edu