November 18, 2020

Focus: Adaptability and resilience in the face of uncertainty

Dear Colleagues,

Congratulations on a successful first term of the 2020-21 academic year. You have met each and every challenge with flexibility and as a consequence, offered Loomis Chaffee students the best learning experience possible. The resilience that faculty have demonstrated day in and day out and the willingness to adapt in the face of such uncertainty, are remarkable. For me personally, these adaptations to my teaching brought both a sense of both angst and relief. However, I am learning to replace the angst with an understanding that remaining flexible and resilient in the face of uncertainty is just a piece of the fabric of designing and building my class. We began embracing the unknown last spring and have demonstrated responsiveness and flexibility to this new world in which we find ourselves.

Please click here to see the extent to what we have learned about online, in-person, and hybrid teaching since last spring. The chart outlines where we began, what we've discovered, and how we've adapted and evolved. These modifications to our teaching and learning could not have been made without your feedback.

Although this chart helps us see how adaptive we've been, there is still so much to learn from each other share with each other. Please open and add your thoughts (even if it's just one comment!) to this reflection and sharing document so that we may learn from and with you.

With the end of the term quickly arriving, I wanted to highlight and make more visible a group of colleagues who we don't know all that well . . . yet. As Harrison and I collaborated, connected, and worked with the truly exceptional group of educators who make up this year's New Faculty Cohort, we were struck by their high level of achievement and adaptability, all while transitioning to a new school during a global pandemic. As a new faculty member only a few years ago myself, I remember the excitement of meeting colleagues, scanning the dining hall for an open chair and a friendly face, greeting students and faculty (without masks!) as they walked through the halls and outdoor spaces of campus, taking gradual steps to understand the culture and community of this new school in which I had placed my faith as an educator. During COVID, these traditional transition rituals have unfortunately been impossible to recreate and many teachers have not had the chance to get to know this amazing group of educators as well as they would have liked.

Therefore, with the help of colleagues who have worked closely with members of the NFC, I offer this NFC "fall term comment" as a way to get reacquainted with our newest LC educators, and to acknowledge our appreciation of them and the positive mindset, work ethic, and desire to dive deep. Here's to hoping that we can all be face-to-face very soon!

As a reminder, you can always find the support that you need for your classes in the Kravis Center. Whether you have a question concerning pedagogy, DEI curricular work or academic technology, Rachel, Harrison, Matt, Fiona, and Miles are always here to listen and lend support.

I am so grateful for all the work that you have done to support student learning this fall. The challenges have been immense, and I am immensely proud to be a part of this amazing community. If I do not see you before vacation, have a wonderful couple of weeks. Enjoy the time to rest, relax, and dive into some great reading.

With gratitude,

Sara, on behalf of the Kravis Center

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Tools for Online Learning

Active Learning Activity Bank: Ideas for Improved Student Engagement, Created by the Penn Libraries Staff

Synchronous and Asynchronous Lesson Collaboration: Click to add your ideas, collaborate with LC teachers who share similar questions or have a great idea that you'd like to explore.

Professional Development Opportunities

The Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, Foundational Strategies for Teaching during COVID.

The Science of How We Learn . . . at a Distance: Learning and the Brain is offering numerous PD options for teaching during COVID.

Confronting Chicago's History of Racial Violence: A Conversation with Dr. Eve L. Ewing

Async Lesson Workshop with the Kravis Center

Harvard GSE programs for educators - so any worthwhile workshops for teachers!

Interesting Articles and podcasts:

Reading Diversity: a tool for selecting diverse texts, Teaching Tolerance

Two of Rachel's highlighted Cult of Pedagogy podcasts: Hexagonal Thinking: a colorful tool for discussion & Creating Moments of Genuine Connection Online. (For example, leave all students in the waiting room minus one. Then, connect with that one kid for 2 minutes before bringing everyone else in. Love it!)

Teaching Should be Political, by Clint Smith, The Atlantic - referenced in a History Department meeting facilitated by Dr. Fiona Mills and Miles Morgan

Slave or Enslaved Person?, by Katy Walkman, Slate - referenced in a History Department meeting facilitated by Dr. Fiona Mills and Miles Morgan

Are you Teaching Content or Just Covering Material?, by Terry McGlynn, The Chronicle of Higher Education, A new book on science teaching makes the case for focusing on a smaller set of concepts to produce deeper learning.

"... half as much". by Varghese Alexander of Asheville School, co-Director of the Klingenstein Summer Institute, Medium

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