Welcome back, Gauchos! It’s Week of Celebration and Learning (WoCL) once again, and whether it’s your first or your fifteenth, these days will fly by in a flurry of meetings, workshops, syllabi, and Canvas pages. These tasks with which we fill our time this week are essential to preparing for a smooth semester. In the past few semesters, however, I’ve also begun to set aside time to examine the road I’ve traveled and the horizon before me. I’ve found that taking time to reflect on the following five questions helps me start the semester with confidence and clarity. 

What is my theme, mantra, or intention for the semester?

I’ve found that establishing an intention for the semester, just a word or two in length, helps me clarify what I want my semester to be about, and it shines a spotlight on those activities and engagements that fuel this purpose.

Recently, my intention was “Simplify.” During the Covid era of instruction, my classes became bloated. This mantra kept me focused as I trimmed down my course material, paying careful attention to which assignments and readings support student success and which felt like repeats, or worse, barnacles clinging to the side of my course.

This time around, my mantra is “Celebrate the Human in Humanities!” AI has shifted the world of higher education under our feet, and some worry that the humanities will become a casualty before the tectonic plates settle. This semester, I will lean into what sets a human teacher apart from an AI tool, and what it means to celebrate the messy process of helping human students embrace their role as writers. I plan to explore flexibility in my lesson plans, handwritten journaling activities, and a renaissance of the Socratic discussion circle.

What am I saying ‘no’ to?

Just as an intention can help us see what we want to focus our energy on, it can also help us see what activities and commitments need to go. Everything we say yes to has the potential to take time and energy away from something else. Professionally, that might mean less time to give students effective feedback or less time to plan engaging lessons. Personally, it might mean there’s a shortage of time for exercise or reading that book on the nightstand. Every WoCL, I take a moment to consider my commitments and grant myself permission to say no to anything that doesn’t serve the goal of authentic learning in my classroom or my personal wellbeing.

Where are the ‘sticking points’ in my course?

Thomas Tobin, unofficial father of Universal Design for Learning, says that when we want to improve in our courses, we should first identify the ‘sticking points.’ This week is a great time to consider those concepts, lessons, or assessments that students seem to struggle with, time and again. Is there a quiz that your students always perform poorly on, or a unit where that concept seems to evade half the class? Ask yourself where students struggled in past semesters, and consider whether there’s a different way to approach that particular piece of content. Maybe add a video lesson to supplement a reading. Maybe instead of a traditional quiz, try a one-minute paper or a group quiz. Change up just a few lessons or activities, and see if it makes a difference.

What is one way that I would like to grow professionally this year?

Consider setting aside a little time this week, maybe 30 minutes, to explore resources that can support you in an area of professional growth. Maybe there’s a great blog, book, or podcast exploring this topic from which you can create a reading list, or a conference coming up that you can use your travel funds on. Once this academic marathon is underway, it can be hard to find the time to seek out these resources. Choosing a learning path and creating a reading list or conference plan now can help us continue to grow as learners and professionals.

Last year, I learned about alternative grading strategies. I attended some very cool workshops on the topic at the National Organization for Student Success (NOSS) conference, and in the spring, I met with a small band of similarly curious colleagues to further explore these ideas as a PLC. This semester, I am dedicating myself to learning about and integrating Canvas Portfolios into my ENG 101 courses. (I’ll keep you posted!)

Finally, who is on my team?

Luckily, I don’t have to think very hard about this one. I have the colleagues to whom I vent when I have a rough class or turn to when I need advice for handling a tricky student situation on speed dial. I also turn to these colleague-friends to share my celebrations. I know they will support me without judgement in the hard times and celebrate alongside me without an eye roll in the good times. (Shout out to my Golden Girls!)

If you are building your team, start with one person, maybe your mentor or the person in your department with whom you share a similar teaching philosophy. Or, drop by the CTLE! We love trouble-shooting and celebrating in equal measure, and we always have your back!

If any of these reflective questions speak to you, or if you have an additional question that would make this list even stronger, I’d love to hear from you!

Best wishes for a tremendous fall semester, everyone!