From: “Victoria Russell (vrussel3)” <vrussel3@umw.edu>
Date: Monday, August 31, 2020 at 10:55 AM
To: “Victoria Russell (vrussel3)” <vrussel3@umw.edu>
Cc: Digital Learning Support <dls@umw.edu>
Subject: Center for Teaching: Fall Programming
Good morning,
As we go into Week 2, the Center for Teaching is pleased to announce the start of its fall programming schedule. Brief descriptions for all fall programs are available on the Center for Teaching’s website; scheduled events can be found on the Events Calendar for easy reference.
Some of our new(er) programs are highlighted below, including first meeting dates and the Zoom link to attend (NO registration required, but save this email since the meeting links will be good all fall semester):
- Compelling Courses Meet-Up (meeting link)
In summer 2020, we learned the power of community to support teaching and learning. This fall, the Center for Teaching and Digital Learning Support will join with Steve Greenlaw and Anand Rao (co-facilitators of this summer’s Compelling Courses learning community) to provide bimonthly, open spaces for faculty to share teaching successes, challenges, and ideas. No agenda, other than having space and time to be together and learn from one another. Anyone may join–you do not have to have attended Compelling Courses this summer!
September meetings: Thursday, September 10th (3:45 – 4:45 PM) and Friday, September 25th (12:30-1:30 PM)
- Care-taking and Academia Group (meeting link)
With the pandemic still with us, parents and caretakers of all varieties may be finding themselves burning out, struggling to balance their care-taking roles with their academic roles, and in need of a space to talk, plan, and even dive into some of the available research. Research in various fields have identified potential difficulties for primary caretakers in academia and these difficulties may be exacerbated by the pandemic. Faculty Fellow, Elizabeth Johnson-Young, will facilitate a monthly virtual gathering on one Friday each month from 12-1pm. Meetings will be designed primarily to support one another and will be flexible in terms of content and planning to ensure we are working best for the group. Topics might include: balancing a double caretaker role at home and in the classroom; brainstorming and writing best tips and tricks for balance and self-care; and impacts on our research time, including how we might value and transform the work we do as caretakers and academics into presentable and publishable research.
First meeting: Friday, September 11th (12-1 PM)
- Virtual Writing Retreats (meeting link)
Have you been trying to finish a writing project or wrap your head around starting one? Join our Faculty Fellow, Melissa Wells, for a monthly virtual writing retreat. One Friday each month from 11-12, we will come together via Zoom to carve out some time in our busy academic lives for writing. Whether you want to talk out a new project (maybe even SoTL—Scholarship of Teaching and Learning—where you research your own teaching practice) or write in peace in your own private “study carrel” breakout room, this group will be flexibly designed to meet your individual needs.
First meeting: Friday, September 18th (11 AM – 12 PM)
Details about other programs, including Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium and Teaching Talks, will be shared soon. If you have a request for a teaching program, please do not hesitate to reach out–it’s a ‘new world’ for all of us this semester and we want to help you shape the best learning experience possible for your students.
If you wish to continue receiving news from the Center for Teaching, please join our email list for the CfT Update. Every other Friday morning, the CfT Update provides teaching tips, resource links, and program announcements. Our first Fall 2020 ‘edition’ will be out Friday, September 11th–email the Center (vrussel3@umw.edu) to opt-in; you can unsubscribe at any time. 🙂
Best wishes for the start of Week 2. We hope to see you at a Center event this month!
Victoria, Melissa, and Elizabeth
Dr. Victoria Russell
Director-Center for Teaching
Associate Professor-College of Education
University of Mary Washington
540-654-1349
vrussel3@umw.edu
Center for Teaching Twitter: @UMWTeaching
Personal Twitter: @techtweed