My Slack Week: The Instructional Skills Workshop Experience

The name “Slack Week” has always struck me as such a misnomer.  Since the first year of my undergraduate degree (almost 25 years ago…) “Slack Week” has been an extremely busy study and/or work week for me.  This year was no exception.  In fact, this year it was particularly intensive as I was participating in the Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW).  For those who may not be familiar with ISW, it is a three or four day concentrated workshop designed to help small groups of new and experienced faculty members further develop their teaching knowledge and skills.  At the heart of the workshop are three 10-minute mini-lessons which each participant develops and teaches.  Both written and oral feedback is provided by the learners, the other group members, and the mini-lessons are digitally recorded to provide the instructor with an opportunity to reflect further on her/his teaching.  Using active learning techniques, participants also learn about the theory and practice of teaching including, but in no way limited to, designing learning objectives, employing active learning techniques, and developing learning assessments (see http://www.iswnetwork.ca/ for further information).

Although ISW did not involve any slacking, it was an extremely rewarding experience.  It provided the opportunity for me to revisit and revise familiar teaching techniques as well as learning and integrating new ones into my teaching repertoire.  I engaged in considerable self-reflection and learned a great deal about myself as a teacher and learner.  The group learned, discussed, and, at times, debated fundamental teaching issues all within a very supportive and secure environment.  I was challenged along with, and by, a wonderful group of colleagues who are also passionate about teaching and learning.  In fact, I think it would be fair to say that we developed into a small learning community, which, I hope, will have future opportunities to discuss other pedagogical issues of interest.  One particular area of interest for me is how ISW graduates have translated their ISW experience into their classrooms (If any of the ISW graduates are reading, please feel free to comment on this blog if you would like to share).

Overall, ISW was a great learning experience and a lot of fun.  I experimented, reflected, shared, engaged, laughed, and left feeling re-energized about my teaching.  It was time extremely well spent.  That said, I am going to try much harder to slack during “Slack Week” next year.  I have a feeling that a beach with clear blue water and white sand is in my future.  Any suggestions?

The Teaching Support Centre is offering the program again in April (see http://www.uwo.ca/tsc/isw.html).  Will you be participating?   I highly recommend it.

Ken N. Meadows

Ken’s Musical Postscript:  Dr. Mike Atkinson and I have discussed the possibility of using the TSC blog to make song recommendations.  I have decided to add a musical postscript to each of my blogs to mention three songs I enjoy, including a classic song.  I encourage Dr. Atkinson to do the same in his subsequent posts.  I also encourage everyone to dance when the mood strikes. 

1) “Sly” by the Cat Empire

2) “Crystallized” by the XX

3)  “Take Me to the River” by Talking Heads (one of the live versions…)

Research on Teaching Learning Community: Are you a Member yet? – Ken Meadows

Earlier this week, Mike Atkinson wrote a blog post on an innovation he will be implementing in his classroom.  One of the joys about working with the TSC is working with teachers like Mike who are passionate about student learning and are always thinking about new ways of facilitating that learning.  Knowing Mike as I do, I would imagine that he has also thought about how he will know what impact that innovation is having on his students (…I will ask him and let you know).

With Allen Pearson, Faculty Associate in the area of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning with the TSC, I have the pleasure of coordinating programs for faculty members like Mike who implement learning innovations and assess the potential impact of those innovations.  One of those programs is the Research on Teaching Learning Community (RTLC).  The RTLC is a collection of members of the Western academic community who are interested in conducting original research into the effect of teaching innovations on students (e.g., their learning, motivation, engagement). Currently, programming for the RTLC involves a monthly e-mail newsletter and meetings once or twice a term.  The RTLC newsletter updates RTLC members of the research on teaching happenings at Western and more generally (e.g., conferences, grants, publications).  The RTLC meetings allow members to meet to discuss issues of interest related to research on teaching and, if applicable, their own research on teaching projects.  The membership includes faculty members, librarians, and archivists from all ranks and academic disciplines.

If you are interested in research on teaching and would like to join the community (i.e., receive the e-mail newsletter and/or attend RTLC meetings), welcome!  Please e-mail me at kmeadow2@uwo.ca.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Ken N. Meadows

A break with benefits… – Natasha Patrito Hannon

This is my first foray into the blogosphere and I’m finding it difficult to begin – I’m feeling pressure to be eloquent and insightful, but my mind isn’t cooperating. In the aftermath of the ‘start of September’ whirlwind, my brain is craving some quiet time and, rather than discuss an amazing upcoming event or project, it wants to reflect on the best break that it’s had all week.

This past Wednesday, a small group of graduate students gathered for the TSC’s first ever ‘TA Coffee Hour’. Coffee Hour (CH), every Wednesday from 2:30 – 3:30 PM, is a time when TAs can drop into the Centre, take a break from their daily grind and chat with colleagues from across campus. It’s relaxed and casual…but in the hours leading up to this first session, unsure of how many people to expect, worried about topics for discussion and awkward silences, CH was stressing me out.

…until it began. What a pleasure to just sit and talk with interesting people, some of whom I had met before and others I was meeting for the first time. In 60 min, we dished on how we were coping with the first week of class, discovered that the GTA union had a health & safety representative, lamented the lack of grad student lounges across campus, heard about the amazing collection of first edition 16th & 17th century opera libretti housed in the Music Library and genuinely enjoyed each others’ company. Our chat left me energized and ready to tackle the course syllabus revisions that I’d been putting off for weeks. I realize now that it was a wonderfully productive break because in taking the time to talk teaching with others, I was actually making space in my day to reflect on my own practice. Consider it a break with benefits…

If you’d like to join us for the next TA Coffee Hour, drop by Rm 121 of the TSC this coming Wednesday from 2:30 – 3:30 PM. We’d love to see you there!

New Faculty Orientation

This interactive day for newly appointed academic staff (full-time and part-time) introduces them to colleagues and support groups within the University. The program features advice from veteran new faculty, as well as round-table discussions on teaching issues and challenges, best teaching and learning practices, etc.

Schedule and registration