You’re almost there! As we near the end of the semester, we often encourage students to reflect on and celebrate their accomplishments–including how the new knowledge, skills, and perspectives they have acquired this semester will help them achieve their longer term goals. Importantly, the end of the semester is also a great time for us, as educators, to reflect on and celebrate what we have accomplished. This practice can enhance the meaning of our work and add intention to our growth process as educators.
Sometime in the next few weeks, we encourage you to set aside just 15-30 minutes to ask yourself the following questions: What about your teaching this semester was most effective, and why? Can you think of a teaching moment (or moments) you found particularly rewarding? How did that moment resonate with your core values or motivations for teaching? What about your teaching this semester was least effective, and why? (Remember to exercise self-compassion!) What would you like to do differently next time, and what resources will you need to implement these changes? As you think through these questions, we encourage you to explore the CTL/ASSETT’s many teaching resources and upcoming events, and remember that we are here to support you!
Ideally, your reflections will be informed by feedback from your students. For tips on interpreting student feedback collected via the Faculty Course Questionnaires (FCQ), see our article on making FCQs work for you. Wish you had received this feedback even earlier? Our article on soliciting mid-semester student feedback to inform your teaching will help you plan ahead to make sure you get the feedback you need when you need it the next time you teach. Additionally, if you would like to discuss the feedback you have received and how to implement it to support the continual improvement of your courses, consider signing up for a free one-on-one consultation.
Lastly, remember that we are all members of a vibrant community of CU educators! We encourage you to share your reflections and accomplishments, as well as the feedback you received this semester, with your fellow educators. This is a wonderful way to build community, while also building a network of support for future tip- and resource-sharing.