by Teresa Thompson, Sept 4, 2024,
Personal connections lead to success. As educators, it is our responsibility to make space in our classrooms for all students to feel welcomed and encouraged to be a part of our community. Danielle De La Mare, a former educator, and the creator of the “Self-Compassionate Professor Podcast,” said in a recent interview that “we all deserve to take up space in the world” and that this space allows “for our own gifts to change other people, to impact the work in positive ways (Newbury, 2013).” So, what can we do to start and encourage community building and keep it going even after the semester ends?
First Day
- Partner Introductions
- Observation Activity
- Group Trivia
Throughout the Semester
- Guest speakers
- Individual Work
- Regular Group Work
End of the Semester
- Group Final?!?
- Make exams fun
- Stay connected
The Community Continues
The connections students have made do not end with the conclusion of the semester. … All these connections will continue to benefit them in the future, and those connections start with you and the space you grant them in your class. I hope Danielle De La Mare would approve of the methods I use to create space and community in my classroom. After all, I’m a firm believer that the personal connections they make in our class space will enable them to succeed in their future classes and through life’s trials, especially the difficult ones. I am fortunate to help make safe spaces for my students to form these bonds and learn how to be a part of a supportive and healthy community.
Teresa Thompson has enjoyed 17 years in higher education and is a tenured accounting professor at West Valley College in Saratoga, California. She first discovered her enthusiasm for teaching as a tutor at her community college, where she assisted peers with subjects like statistics, Spanish, and, of course, accounting. Thompson always knew she wanted to return to the community college level to teach full-time.
Thompson loves being in the classroom and is known for her innovative and engaging teaching methods. From a Pokémon-themed syllabus to a ‘Squid Games’ escape room, she loves integrating pop culture into her assignments to make learning fun and memorable. She has received the Excellence in Teaching, Service to the Community, and Program Excellence awards from her college as well as being awarded the White House’s Gold Presidential Award for Community Service.
Beyond teaching, Teresa serves as the director of West Valley College’s Entrepreneurship Center. In this role, she collaborates with brilliant and passionate students, helping them turn their dreams into reality.In her spare time, Teresa loves traveling with her husband and daughter. She also enjoys snuggling up with her two-toned, one-eyed cat, Rex, to read mystery novels.
References
Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Smith, K. A. (2014). Cooperative learning: Improving university instruction by basing practice on validated theory. Journal on Excellence in University Teaching, 25(4), 1-26.
Newbury, Peter. “Science Edventures: You don’t have to wait for the clock to strike to start teaching.” PeterNewbury.org. August 23, 2013. https://peternewbury.org/2013/08/23/you-dont-have-to-wait-for-the-clock-to-strike-to-start-teaching/. Accessed July 16, 2024.