The Sheridan Center's theme for 2015-16 is Re-envisioning. Join us at events throughout the year as we explore ways to re-envision different aspects of teaching and learning across disciplines, learning environments, and communities.

As part of our Year of Re-envisioning, the Center has been re-envisioning our own programs and activities!

❖ Certificate I (Reflective Teaching) will include a flipped classroom component to model research-based flipped pedagogy that can lead to deeper learning for students. The flipped classroom approach allows students to gain first exposure to new material prior to class and then focus on synthesizing, analyzing, and engaging in collaborative deep learning during class meetings.

❖ Certificate II (Course Design Seminar: Principles + Practice) has been redesigned to allow participants to focus more deeply on integrated course design by examining signature pedagogies, communicating across disciplines, facilitating student engagement, creating inclusive classrooms, and designing writing assignments.

❖ New workshops will be offered on learning success for undergraduates, writing in the academy, and fostering diverse and inclusive learning environments.

❖ The Laboratory for Educational Innovation will continue exploring ways to collaborate with faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates on creative enhancements to teaching and learning at Brown, including reimagining courses along the flipped classroom model.

2015-16 Junior Faculty Teaching Fellows
The Sheridan Center is pleased to announce our 2015-16 Junior Faculty Teaching Fellows:

Lisa Dicarlo, Sociology
Jennifer Franck, School of Engineering
Jennifer Lambe, History
Jeremy Mumford, History

The Sheridan Center’s Junior Faculty Teaching Fellows Program provides tenure-track assistant professors and lecturers with an opportunity to engage in professional development activities targeted toward early career faculty. Fellows have the opportunity to refine their teaching skills and learn to teach more efficiently, while engaging in these activities in a community of other scholars.

Farewell to Sheridan Center Executive Director Kathy Takayama
Kathy Takayama will be assuming a new position as Associate Provost and Executive Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Columbia University at the end of August. Please join us for her farewell reception on Tuesday August 18th at the Faculty Club (3:30 - 5 pm).

New TA Orientation to Teaching at Brown
Tues, Sept 8, 9am-12pm
Sayles Hall

This orientation for new graduate TAs features a choice of interactive workshops on Teaching for the First Time at Brown, Interactive Classrooms, and Grading Strategies. The workshops are followed by a discussion of TA roles and responsibilities with faculty and experienced TAs from your discipline. At noon join staff from Academic Technology for an overview of classroom and online technology support, as well as help setting up Canvas course sites, other digital course tools, and Library electronic resources. Co-sponsored by the Graduate School and the Sheridan Center. Refreshments will be served.

Register here by August 24th (note the program may fill before the registration deadline).

New Faculty Orientation to Teaching at Brown
Thurs, Sept 3, 9-11:30am
Pembroke Hall

This orientation for faculty and postdoctoral fellows new to teaching at Brown features an overview of teaching at Brown by the Dean of the College and the Dean of the Graduate School, panels providing student and faculty perspectives on teaching at Brown, and the opportunity for small-group discussion about university resources.

The orientation will be followed by a lunchtime workshop “Teaching for the First Time” at the Sheridan Center. An additional workshop about incorporating active learning approaches in the classroom will be held on Tues, Sept 8th from 2-3pm. For more information about these workshops, see below.

Register here for the Fall 2015 New Faculty Orientation.

New Faculty Orientation Workshop: Teaching for the First Time
Thurs, Sept 3, 12:30-1:30pm
Sheridan Center

Led by Sheridan Center Associate Director Shawn Nordell, this hands-on, interactive workshop exclusively for faculty and postdoctoral fellows new to teaching at Brown will provide new instructors with strategies for effective teaching. Participants will learn about planning classes, engaging students in the classroom, approaches for gauging what their students are learning, and using student feedback to become more effective instructors.

Lunch will be served. RSVP here to reserve a place at this workshop.

New Faculty Orientation Workshop: Interactive Classrooms
Tues, Sept 8, 2-3pm
Sheridan Center

Led by Sheridan Center Associate Director Jessica Metzler, this hands-on, interactive workshop exclusively for faculty and postdoctoral fellows new to teaching at Brown will provide new instructors with strategies for engaging students through active learning techniques. Participants will discuss the opportunities provided by interactive classrooms and consider ways to encourage and develop students’ critical thinking skills.

RSVP here to reserve a place at this workshop.

Leading a First Readings Discussion of The New Jim Crow: A Workshop for Facilitators
Wed, Sept 2, 12-1pm
Thurs, Sept 3, 3-4pm
Sheridan Center

Led by Sheridan Center Associate Director Jessica Metzler, this workshop will equip participants with tools and strategies to encourage thoughtful and productive discussion of The New Jim Crow, Brown University’s 2015 First Readings book. Participants will discuss ways to frame the text in relationship to their respective disciplines, as well as how to contextualize the work broadly for students. Participants will also learn techniques for creating a seminar environment conducive to discussion and develop strategies for starting, sustaining, and concluding seminar discussions. This workshop will be offered twice and is appropriate for all faculty and staff who will be leading a First Readings seminar.

RSVP here to reserve a place at the Sept 2nd workshop (lunch will be served).
RSVP here to reserve a place at the Sept 3rd workshop.