Dr. Ferlin McGaskey
Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs & Executive Director of Teaching & Learning Innovation
Teaching is one of the most challenging yet rewarding professions, but it often comes without immediate recognition or acknowledgment. While moments of gratitude—like a student sharing how you’ve positively impacted their life or kind words in your student evaluations (SET)—can be incredibly meaningful, they may feel few and far between during a long semester. This can leave you feeling unappreciated despite the hard work and dedication you bring to your teaching.
That’s why, in alignment with our theme of celebrating teaching, I encourage you to take time this semester to intentionally recognize and celebrate your successes. Make it a habit to record moments that bring you joy or pride in your teaching—whether it’s a breakthrough with a student, a particularly engaging class discussion, or simply something that made you smile. You could capture these moments through journaling, recording a short video, or any other method that feels natural to you. The key is to create a permanent record of these experiences so you can revisit them when you need encouragement or inspiration.
Additionally, consider sharing these moments with others. At TLI, we love hearing about faculty achievements and would be thrilled to celebrate alongside you. Your fellow instructors might also find encouragement in your stories and cheer you on. Whether it’s through a conversation, an email, or even a post on social media like Facebook or Instagram, sharing your successes can amplify the joy and remind you of the positive impact you’re making.
By taking small steps to acknowledge and express your teaching accomplishments, you’ll cultivate greater personal fulfillment and deepen your appreciation for the meaningful work you do. You’ll also gain a clearer sense of the profound influence you have on your students’ lives. Give this practice a try—you may be surprised at how much it enhances both your perspective and your teaching practice.
Wishing you a semester filled with success, joy, and celebration!
______________________________________________________________________
Dr. Chris Kilgore
Director of Scholarly Teaching and Special Initiatives
Spring always seems to go by fast, but it’s also a great time for renewal! Take a moment to think about an assignment in a different light: as data! What students do in response to our assignments can be a great source of insight into how the course is working. If your next big assignment were a trove of research data, what questions could it help you answer? How might you update or adjust it to gain more insights? The answers might be refreshing!
_________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Josie Andrews
TLI Faculty Consultant
Teach with Empathy
By understanding your students as individuals, you can better support their learning. Some strategies include taking a short survey on their goals and preferences, holding brief check-ins, and offering multiple ways to engage with course content.
Utilize Teaching & Learning Innovation
We serve as the university’s hub for professional development in teaching and learning and invite you to connect with us to explore pedagogical innovations and enhance your teaching effectiveness in support of student success.
________________________________________________________________________
Eva Ramsey
TLI Faculty Consultant
If teaching feels heavier this year, you are not alone. The demands on faculty have increased significantly, and recent research shows that many educators report their work is taking a real toll on their mental and emotional well-being.
My professional recommendation as a faculty consultant: choose one boundary or support move for this semester, just one. These are research-backed strategies that can help create a more sustainable teaching practice: Setting specific communication boundaries, like indicating preferred response times for email, and making those clear on your syllabus. Building in one flexible deadline option to give you breathing room when unexpected challenges arise. Or starting class with a two-minute check-in where students can briefly share how they’re arriving today, which builds community and gives you insight into the room’s needs.
You are not alone in feeling the weight of this moment, and you don’t have to overhaul everything to make this semester a little more sustainable for you and your students!
___________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Teresa Hooper
TLI Faculty Consultant
The first class is the perfect time to set the tone for the rest of the course by making the material salient, useful, and engaging…But it can be hard to devote time to that when syllabus review takes so much time. Give yourself permission to scaffold the syllabus review as you would any other content area, and give students activities and assignments during the first week. If you do that, you will have time to get your students exploring the topic of your course on the first day, and they will interact more deeply with the syllabus, too.