Short Courses

Teaching Scholars Course. This course systematically discusses course design, including learning objectives, assessment and pedagogy. As the course moves through these three broad areas, the following topics are discussed: diversity, engaging students, using “clickers,” and time management for teachers. In this class we challenge each other to our personal best with peer review of learning objectives, syllabi, rubrics, and teaching philosophies, and an exchange of classroom observations. This course is offered in even-numbered years.

What participants say about Teaching Scholars.

Peer Coaching: Teachers Helping Teachers in Classroom or Distance Education. Peer coaching is a process in which teachers work in teams to learn how to observe each other’s teaching and give specific, concrete suggestions for change. Whether you teach in classrooms or online, teammates will exchange syllabi, visit each other’s classes, and interview each other’s students using a time-tested protocol. Later, teammates meet to share the students’ comments as well as their own observations and expertise. Peer Coaching is offered in even-numbered years.

What participants say about Peer Coaching.

Gaining Retention & Achievement for Students Program (GRASP). Want someone to come to your class and give you feedback on your teaching weekly? GRASP staff work with faculty on a weekly basis to implement a variety of teaching strategies that are proven to support the success of our diverse students. The purpose of GRASP is to make faculty aware of the diverse ways students learn and to give faculty alternative teaching strategies to provide effective learning opportunities for all students. GRASP is a faculty development program offered by the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium. This semester-long program is offered each fall and spring semester. To participate, contact Dr. Judy McShannon, 575.646.6414, jmcshann@nmsu.edu, the semester before participation (so we can begin on the first week of class).

What participants say about GRASP.

Team Mentoring for Graduate Assistants Who Teach a Class or Lab. In this program, you meet regularly with a team of your peers and a more experienced facilitator; meet with a mentor of your choice (not a friend!), ask him or her the questions you and your team members have generated about teaching; and, share his or her answers with your team. The time commitment is about two hours per week throughout the term. This semester-long program is offered once a year following the mandatory one-time workshop: Starting Strong: Ten Teaching Tips for GAs.

What participants say about Team Mentoring for Graduate Assistants Who Teach.

Team Mentoring for Faculty New to NMSU is a short course developed to help faculty new to NMSU get the information you need to progress professionally and establish enduring relationships with peers in your cohort and with a mentor. Each fall, untenured faculty members are invited to join one of the two available peer mentoring teams led by Teaching Academy director, Tara Gray. Those who join will then systematically interview several senior faculty who they choose with help from Tara. Each protégé then invites one or two of those interviewed to serve as a mentor during the first six months of the next year. During that time, mentors and protégés exchange syllabi, curriculum vitae, drafts of research papers, and classroom visits, and exchange comments. This year-long program begins each fall.

What participants say about Team Mentoring.

Publish & Flourish: Become a Prolific Scholar helps faculty and graduate students greatly increase their productivity by writing 15–30 minutes daily; keeping records of time spent writing; sharing records weekly; and exchanging feedback on drafts with others. In one study, the control group wrote the way they had always written, and the experimental group wrote 30 minutes daily, kept records of time spent writing, and were held accountable to others. The experimental group wrote more pages by a factor of three. Publish and Flourish is offered in odd-numbered years.

What participants say about Publish & Flourish.

Writing Groups are made up of 3-4 scholars from different disciplines. These groups give structured feedback on a manuscript to one member each week. Comments are shared in “rounds”: one in which readers share positive comments about something specific they liked; one in which readers respond to the writer’s stated question; and, one in which other issues are addressed.

What participants say about Writing Groups.

Scholarly Writing Retreat. This retreat features a comfortable, quiet place to write, free of distractions, with the synergy of writing while others write. It also features another room—a “feedback room”—where participants can go for feedback on their writing.

What participants say about Scholarly Writing Retreat.

Teaching Portfolios: Documenting Your Greatest Teaching Accomplishments. A teaching portfolio is an 8- to 10-page essay, with appendices, that explains why you do what you do as a teacher, how you do it, and documents how well you do it. The supporting documents can come from your students, your colleagues, yourself, and others, and may include syllabi, tests, student work, and more. Although writing a teaching portfolio “does not automatically confer the mantle of a good teacher on its author, the act and the product can allow the serious teacher to chart a roadmap to becoming one” (Seldin 2004, pp. 54–55). In this workshop, you’ll get daily feedback from your writing group, which will include peers and a mentor who has successfully written a teaching portfolio. This program is offered every summer.

What participants say about Teaching Portfolios.

Tenure and Promotion Portfolios: Documenting Your Greatest Accomplishments in Teaching, Scholarship, and Service. A tenure portfolio is a 4- to 20-page (depending on your college) executive summary with appendices that explains why you do what you do as a faculty member, how you do it, and how well you do it. The appendices can come from your students, your colleagues, yourself, and others, and may include research articles, grant proposals, syllabi, tests, student evaluations, peer evaluations, and more. In this workshop, you’ll get daily feedback from your writing group, which will include peers and a mentor who has successfully navigated promotion and tenure. This program is offered every summer.

What participants say about Tenure and Promotion Portfolios.

ADVANCING Leaders. The ADVANCING Leaders Program trains 12 tenured participants annually. This year-long leadership program was established in 2004 and has trained more than 100 faculty to date, with up to two participants from each of the six academic colleges participating per year. The program provides monthly workshops and a two-day retreat to develop leadership and managerial skills, and to improve personal skills for leadership in teaching, research, service, extension, or administration. Participants build ongoing networking opportunities, connect with a mentor from upper administration, and gain an understanding about the core values and best practices at NMSU.

What participants say about ADVANCING Leaders Program.

Department Head Academy. In a partnership with the Office of the Provost, ADVANCE provides monthly workshops through the Department Head Academy established by Provost Wilkins. These workshops heighten awareness and increase the effectiveness of these mid-level academic administrators. Two annual Administrators Retreats provide department heads, associate deans and deans with the opportunity to analyze issues and to share perspectives and strategies.

What participants say about Department Head Academy.