Interested in a Spring 2024 Teaching Triangle.
Complete the 4-minute interest form here by April 1.
The Teaching Triangles program provide faculty an opportunity to gain new insight into their teaching and students’ learning through a non-evaluative, formative process of reciprocal class visits and reflection. The three people in a triangle agree to visit one class session for each participant over the course of a semester and meet to discuss what they learn from their visits about their own teaching. The goal is to create a respectful, reciprocal, reflective dialogue on teaching and learning.
How is this a “non-evaluative” process?
Teaching Triangles are convened to stimulate reflection on teaching and learning, not evaluation. Participants focus their conversations on the evidence about student learning they observed and what they are learning about their own teaching from the class visit process. No direct commentary on a colleagues’ performance is part of this process, unless requested by a colleague.
How are triangles formed?
Faculty may create a triangle or submit a request to engage in a triangle to the Baldwin Center for Learning and Teaching (BCLT). Faculty may request colleagues who are teaching similar courses (Intro, Seminar, Lab, etc.), topics that cohere or align (education, quantitative literacy, or Russia, etc.), or who utilize similar pedagogical or assessment tools (clickers, service learning, group presentations, etc.).
Teaching Triangle Schedule
| April 1-5 | Triangles Formed | Submit group member names or a request to join a triangle to the Baldwin CLT. |
| April 8-12 (1 hour) | Triangle Intro Meeting | Discuss expectations for your teaching triangle. Confirm visit days/times and share relevant course materials (syllabus and/or teaching philosophy) with your team. |
| April (3 hours) | Class Visits | Send relevant course assignments and materials, agenda/lesson plan/pre-visit snapshot to your team for their visits to your class. Visit at least one class of each of your partners, take notes and write your reflections on the experience within 24 hours. (Optional- share your notes with the instructor if requested.) |
| April/May (1 hour) | Triangle Reflection Meeting | Review your observation notes. Meet at least once to reflect on the observation experience. |
Katie Byrnes ([email protected]) is available to offer support and share resources for developing and maintaining a supportive and well-functioning triangle. She can attend the intro meeting and/or reflection meeting. You could also consider including a learning assistant, and/or instructional staff (librarian, academic technology, McKeen Center, or Museum) in your triangle as a fourth, fifth or sixth member.