Teaching Squares is a program that allows you to work with your faculty peers to improve your teaching practice. Through a series of classroom observations and get-togethers, you can get to know your colleagues, observe someone else’s classroom, get feedback on your own teaching, and enhance your teaching portfolio. We invite faculty members from every discipline and all levels of experience to participate. The Teaching Squares program runs in the Fall and Winter semesters.

This professional development initiative only requires about 8-10 hours for the entire semester.

Each “square” is composed of 4 faculty members from a variety of disciplines (though you can request to be partnered with someone in your field), who meet a few times through the semester to observe each other’s classes and share insights and experience related to teaching and learning. Everyone who completes the Teaching Squares program will receive a certificate that can be added to their teaching portfolio.

Teaching Squares is a program co-sponsored by the UOIT Teaching and Learning Centre and Durham College’s Centre for Academic and Faculty Enrichment (C.A.F.E.). There is no cost for individual participants.

The feedback that we have received has been extremely positive. Here’s what some of the participants have to say about their experience:

•        “I enjoyed playing the role of the student again and to see how some faculty members brought such passion for the subject into the class, how they made eye contact with their students, and explained concepts in various ways to reach the diverse group of students in the class.”

•        “It was reassuring to see that some of the things that were happening in my classes were happening in other people’s classes as well.”

•        “It was great to meet different faculty members from both schools.  We just don’t mix while on campus, but this gave me the opportunity to meet others.”

•      “It was great to see how some people were using their laptops to teach.  It gave me quite a few ideas that I could include in my own class.”

For more information and to register, please contact Jaymie Koroluk, faculty development consultant for the Teaching and Learning Centre.