UBC Okanagan Teaching Squares Program

The Teaching Squares initiative celebrates teaching excellence, builds communities of practice, and aims to enhance teaching and learning through a structured process of classroom observation, reflection, discussion and plan for renewal. Participants must register for the program. Faculty will be placed into a “Square” with three other instructors from diverse content areas. An initial meeting is held where participants meet to schedule classroom visits and discuss their goals for participating in the program. Each Square participant will visit one class per week and will be visited once a week by a Square participant. After all visits have been completed (3 weeks), the entire Square will reconvene to discuss what they discovered about their own teaching.

Next Teaching Squares Group to begin January 23rd, 2012.
Contact Heather Hurren for more details.

 Reflections from the First Teaching Squares Group

“There are a lot of different ways to be a good teacher!”

“It immediately affected my teaching.”

“Rarely do we get to do things that are just for us.”

All participants in our first square experience noted the enjoyment of being able to experience 3 different classroom experiences as a “student”. Even though the observations have individual goals, each participant commented on the usefulness of being able to closely observe students as they participate in the class. The perspective gained by those opportunities was extremely worthwhile. Participants noted that the program felt a bit selfish because faculty rarely have the opportunity to be involved in a program that is just for them. Their observations served the purpose of reaffirming their best practices. There was a realization that there is no one answer to how to teach best. Each instructor plays to their strengths and what works for them, will not work for all. Faculty need to be comfortable with themselves and their approach to teaching and should not attempt to copy someone else’s style. The most satisfying aspect of the program seemed to be the chance to be the reflective practitioner that faculty rarely have time for.

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Last reviewed 12/16/2011 1:45:57 PM