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Letter from the Associate
Director
As we wrap up another semester, I am, as always, surprised by how quickly it has passed. Working in academia presents the gift (or curse) of built-in time markers. These natural breaks present us with opportunities for pause and reflection. I hope that as you read the feature article in this newsletter and head toward a break in your teaching, you take time to contemplate the questions we have posed toward the end.
As I reflect on what has happened here at CELT, we have had a very productive and rewarding fall! Please check out the CELT News and Notes section of this newsletter for more details.
We hope this has been a fulfilling semester for all of you!
Warmly,
Annie Soisson
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Upcoming Events
University-wide Teaching Conference: "Engage and Inspire Learning Through Teamwork"
February Book GroupNext Book: Situations Matter by Sam Sommers, Professor of Psychology here at Tufts.
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In the News
Check out these interesting articles from the Chronicle:
Stop Telling Students to Study for Exams
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Faculty Spotlight
 | | Professor Susan Koegel, Lecturer, Biology |
Our faculty spotlight is written by Tufts student, Jeff Taylor, a senior majoring in biology and minoring in economics, and an AT Fellow.
 | | Jeffrey Taylor, '13 |
Jeff took the initiative to write about his classroom experience with Professor Susan Koegel, whom he and other students find to be an exceptional teacher who uses technology to support learning.
Read the feature article on the CELT website to find out more.
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Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher
Reflective Practice
Reflection in the context of teaching prompts us to uncover our assumptions about teaching, about students, and about learning. Many of these assumptions are based on our own histories, and may sometimes be misguided. We generally tend to teach the way we were taught, and to assume that students will respond in the way that we responded to our teachers. We make assumptions about good practice. For example, we might assume that adult learners are self-directed, and they should have control over their learning. Perhaps in some cases, perhaps not in others. Discussion based teaching is better than lecture. Perhaps, but not always.
 The Four Lenses
The goal of critically reflective teaching is to increase awareness of our teaching from as many viewpoints as possible. Stephen Brookfield, author of Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher, proposes four lenses that can be used by teachers in a process of critical reflection:
(1) the autobiographical (self-reflection),
(2) our students' eyes (student feedback),
(3) our colleagues' experiences and feedback (peer assessment), and
(4) exploring theoretical / scholarly literature.
Critical reflection of our teaching can help us to question our assumptions about our students and our teaching, and can make the difference between being a good teacher, and an excellent teacher. While good teachers may engage with Brookfield's first two lenses of self-reflection and student feedback, excellent teachers will not only deeply engage in those processes but will also look to peers for mentoring, advice and feedback. They will read the latest research on teaching and learning.
As this semester ends, you might begin the autobiographical aspect of critical reflection by pondering the questions below (Weimer, 2011) or others questions that are important to you. While you might find great value to writing down your reflections so you can return to them at a later stage, the key is to consciously reflect - on a walk, on a drive, while sitting through a particularly boring meeting...
A Few Questions for Reflection
- Are there students you will remember? Others you hope to forget? Why?
- What were the best and worst moments in your courses?
- How did your relationship with each class begin, evolve and end?
- What was new, different and exciting about the content?
- Did you teach well?
- Did students learn well?
- If you could change one thing about your teaching and their learning next semester, what would it be? (Weimer, 2011)
References:
Brookfield, Stephen. Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. San-Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 1995. (This book is available through the CELT Lending Library) Weimer, MaryEllen. End of Semester Reflections: Beginnings, Endings, and Spaces Between. Faculty Focus, The Teaching Professor's Blog, December, 2011.
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While in the space available we can only pique your interest, the CELT staff is always happy to consult with you or provide you with more information. We also welcome feedback and ideas for future newsletter topics. Please email us at celt@tufts.edu.
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 CELT News and Notes: Some Highlights
CELT Faculty Advisory Board has been busy helping to guide the strategic plan for the Center.
The latest CELT Faculty Fellows Seminar is coming to a close after a lively semester of discussions around teaching and learning.
The CELT book groups are very popular, and fill up each time! The next book on the agenda: Situations Matter by Sam Sommers, Professor of Psychology here at Tufts.
We redesigned our CELT website (and hope you will visit it soon and give us feedback!)
We are pleased to be involved in the teaching and learning aspects of the University's strategic planning process.
In our office:
We have three new people helping to support the always-expanding work at CELT: Patricia Sandler, a part-time staff member; Flora Chan, a graduate assistant from the Harvard Graduate School of Education; and Tyler Aygemang, a work-study student.
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