What is the Teaching Nest program?
Through your participation in a Teaching Nest, you will have the opportunity to:
- Talk with colleagues about teaching practices and student learning issues
- Observe other instructors in the classroom and experience being in a learner role and get ideas for your courses
- Reflect on your own teaching practices
- Create collaborative connections with other faculty members
A Teaching Nest is a group of 3-4 instructors across disciplines who visit each other’s classes (face-to-face or online) for their own reflection and learning. When visiting others' classes, we get new ideas and are reminded of what it's like to be a student. It is not an opportunity to offer feedback on Nest partners’ teaching. (Teaching Nests often is called Teaching Squares at other institutions.) The foundation of Teaching Nests is creating a safe, supportive, and non-evaluative environment through:
- Mutual respect
- Shared responsibility
- Self-reflection
- Appreciation
Commitment (approximately 5-7 hours across the semester). Please view the sample Teaching Nest guide for details.
- Build your Nest meeting (1 hour)
- Observe classes of your Nest partners (3-4 hours)
- Reflect on your observation experiences
- Share your reflections with your Nest (1.5 hours)
Register
To join a Teaching Nest, please register by February 10 for the Spring 2021 program.
The Teaching Nest program is part of CETL's Making Teaching & Learning Visible initiative.