Teaching Circles

Every semester, the Sherrerd Center sponsors a variety of Teaching Circles in which faculty and teaching staff come together to discuss a teaching topic of shared interest. These have proven especially useful over the past several years, and we encourage faculty and staff members to consider leading or participating in a Teaching Circle. The Sherrerd Center arranges for Teaching Circles to meet on some specific Fridays from 12:15 until 1:15 p.m. with lunch provided and available at noon, so please RSVP on the forms provided (note that once you have sent in your RSVP for a circle, you will receive calendar invitations to that circle for each session, so you need not RSVP each time). The RSVPs with the calendar invitations help us determine more accurate counts for lunch and seating.

Spring 2026 Teaching Circles

  • January 30th
  • February 27th
  • March 27th
  • April 17th

Circles will meet in the Campus Center from 12:15–1:15 p.m., with lunch available beginning at noon. Location and details will be sent with a calendar invitation after responses are received.

Best Practices for Meeting Student Accommodations Teaching Circle

Mona Kulp, Maria Bickar, Kementari Whitcher

Accommodations are essential for an equitable learning environment and are not just legal requirements. They foster a sense of belonging and empower learning. However, implementing the best practices for meeting accommodations isn't always straightforward. This teaching circle will review literature for evidence-based strategies and also offer an informal space to discuss common types of accommodations encountered and current practices across disciplines at Smith as well as surface potential challenges to meeting accommodation requests. We also hope to discuss the intersection between universal design and meeting specific accommodations. 

RSVP for the Best Practices Teaching Circle.

Formative and Summative Assessment of Analytical Inductive and Deductive Processes

Alicia Grubb, Allie Strom

This teaching circle is organized for faculty teaching technically and procedurally challenging courses in highly analytical fields. Our focus this semester will be scaffolding of assignments and pacing of topics and skills leading up to challenging exams. Other topics of discussion include the incorporation of literature into assessments and the various types of assessments we are experimenting with in our courses. Please plan to RSVP early and commit to attending the circle; reach out to the organizers with any questions. 

RSVP for the Formative and Summative Assessment of Analytical Inductive and Deductive Processes Teaching Circle.

Human Rights Teaching Circle

Carrie Cuthbert, Loretta Ross

In today’s challenging political environment, how should we address challenging dynamics in the classroom? How should we introduce and teach hard topics like human rights violations or the climate crisis? This teaching circle is an informal “community of practice” space for faculty and teaching staff to share their experiences and expertise both within and across disciplines, and to explore how approaches like Calling In and other human rights pedagogies can apply. All are welcome. 

RSVP for the Human Rights Teaching Circle.

 

Languages Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle

Adrian Gras-Velazquez, Rebecca Deitsch, Ilona Sotnikova 

This teaching circle provides an informal space for language educators and faculty across disciplines to discuss ways to collaborate and connect world languages and with other majors and areas of student interest and promote languages and research at Smith. The teaching circle also explores recent approaches to teaching, learning, and technology adaptation in classes, in addition to discussing ways to motivate students’ learning and enhancing their progress and future careers. Faculty from all disciples are encouraged to attend. 

RSVP for the Languages Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle.

Navigating Gen-AI in the Classroom Teaching Circle

Travis Grandy

This teaching circle will focus on adapting teaching to the realities of generative AI. You will be encouraged to share what’s happening in your own classrooms, reflect on your teaching values, and receive support and feedback from friendly colleagues. Discussions will explore practical strategies such as designing assignments and assessments that limit misuse, how to clearly communicate expectations and academic integrity policies, and crafting syllabus and rubric language. 

RSVP for Navigating Gen-AI Teaching Circle. 

Teaching-Focused Faculty Teaching Circle

Reid Bertone-Johnson

The Teaching Circle for TFF (Teaching Focused Faculty) will offer an informal space for TFF across disciplines at Smith to make connections, build community and share helpful resources. We hope this will provide a space for new and veteran TFF to connect. 

RSVP for the TFF Teaching Circle.

Past Teaching Circles

Fall 2025

  • AI Pedagogy Teaching Circle
    With Travis Grandy
  • Best Practices for Meeting Student Accommodations Teaching Circle
    With Mona Kulp, Maria Bickar, Shiya Cao
  • Formative and Summative Assessment of Analytical Inductive and Deductive Processes
    With Alicia Grubb, Allie Strom
  • Human Rights Teaching Circle
    With Carrie Cuthbert, Loretta Ross
  • Joy and Fun in the Classroom
    With Jessica Bacal, Cat McCune
  • Languages Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle
    With Ilona Sotnikova, May George
  • Teaching-Focused Faculty Teaching Circle
    Reid Bertone-Johnson

Spring 2025

  • Digital Pedagogy and Scholarship
    with Travis Grandy
  • Formative and summative assessment of analytical inductive and deductive processes
    with Alicia Grubb (CSC) and Allie Strom (CHM)
  • Human Rights Initiative Teaching Circle
    with Carrie Cuthbert (Dir., Human Rights Initiative) and Loretta Ross (SWG)
  • Languages Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle
    with Ilona Sotnikova (REEES) and Maureen DeNino (FRN)
  • Reflective Practices Teaching Circle
    with Jessica Bacal (Dir. of Reflective Practices) and Cat McCune (Dir., Spinelli Center)
  • TFF Teaching Circle (Teaching Focus Faculty)
    with Mona Kulp (CHM), Reid Berone-Johnson (LSS), Christiane Métral (FRN), and Yalin Chen (CHI)
  • Ungrading, grading, and the in-between Teaching Circle
    with Kementari Whitcher (SDS)

Fall 2024

  • Human Rights Initiative Teaching Circle with Carrie Cuthbert (Human Rights Initiative) and Loretta Ross (SWG)
  • Languages Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle with Ilona Sotnikova (REEES) and Maureen DeNino (FRN)
  • NTT Faculty Teaching Circle with Mona Kulp (CHM), Reid Berone-Johnson (LSS), Christiane Métral (FRN), and Yalin Chen (CHI)
  • Reflective Practices Teaching Circle with Jessica Bacal ( Reflective Practices) and Cat McCune ( Spinelli Center)
  • Ungrading, grading, and the in-between Teaching Circle with Caroline Melly (ANT)
  • Universal Design for Learning Teaching Circle with Travis Grandy (LRT)

Spring 2024

  • Big Questions Circle with Patty DiBartolo
  • Let’s Talk OERs! with Elise Gowen, Jessica Ryan, and Abril Navarro
  • NTT Faculty Circle with Miranda McCarvel (Jacobson Center)
  • Teaching Circle for NTT Faculty with Mona Kulp (CHM), Reid Berone-Johnson (LSS), and Atsuko Takahashi (JPN)
  • Teaching Languages Circle with Ilona Sotnikova (REEES) and Maureen DeNino (FRN)
  • Ungrading Teaching Circle with Magdalena Zapędowska (Jacobson Center) 

Fall 2023

  • Algebra Skills Across the Curriculum
    with Jen Beichman (MTH) and Cat McCune (Dir., Spinelli Center)
  • Big Questions Circle​ 
    with Patty DiBartolo and Kate Queeney
  • Let's Talk OERs! 
    with the OER Team: Kevin Shea, Elise Gowen, Jessica Ryan, Abril Navarro
  • NTT Faculty Circle
    with Mona Kulp (CHM), Reid Berone-Johnson (LSS), Christiane Métral (FRN), and Yalin Chen (CHI)
  • Teaching Languages Circle
    with Ilona Sotnikova (REEES) and Maureen DeNino (FRN)
  • Trauma-Informed Pedagogy: A Practice for Equity, Inclusion, and Resilience
    with Kelly Vogel (Integrative Studies)

Spring 2023

  • Integrating Disability Inclusion Components into Your STEM, Social Sciences, and Humanities Courses Teaching Circle with Shiya Cao (SDS) and Caroline Melly (ANT)
  • Reclaiming Grading: Fixing the worst part of our job with Jennifer Beichman (MTH) and Marney Pratt (BIO) 
  • Teaching in the Time of ChatGTP with Miranda McCarvel (Jacobson Center)
  • Teaching Circle for NTT Faculty with Mona Kulp (CHM), Joyce Palmer-Fortune (PHY), Christiane Métral (FRN), and Yalin Chen (CHI)
  • Teaching Languages Circle with Ilona Sotnikova (REEES) and Maureen DeNino (FRN)
  • Trauma-informed Pedagogy: a Path towards Inclusion and Resilience with Kelly Vogel (Integrative Studies)
  • Creative Writing Salon/Circle with Gillian Kendall
  • Humanities and Social Science (HSS Labs) Teaching Circle with Joshua Birk

Fall 2022

  • Antiracist Learning Community (ALC) Teaching Circle with Floyd Cheung (OEI) and Hélène Visentin (PDOF)
  • Conversations about Advising Teaching Circle with Fraser Stables (Associate Dean of Integrative Learning), Adela Penagos (Associate Dean of the College for Advising and Mentoring), and Sarah Moore (Faculty Director of Liberal Arts Advising)
  • Exploring Metaphors in Teaching Circle  
    with Nick Howe (Computer Science)
  • Teaching Languages Circle with Ilona Sotnikova (REEES), Maureen DeNino (FRN)
  • Trading Teaching Tips with Miranda McCarvel (Jacobson Center)
  • Trauma-Informed Pedagogy for the Resilient Classroom with Kelly Vogel (Lecturer in Integrative Studies)
  • Ungrading Teaching Circle with Magdalena Zapędowska (Jacobson Center)
  • Creative Writing Circle for Faculty and Staff Who Teach with Gillian Kendall (ENG)
  • Teaching Circle for NTT Faculty with Mona Kulp (CHM), Joyce Palmer-Fortune (PHY), Christiane Métral (FRN), and Yalin Chen (CHI

Spring 2022

  • Special Event: Sherrerd Center Teaching Circle on Teaching in this Momentw ith Sara Pruss and Patty DiBartolo 
  • Exploring Alternative Grading Methods with Marney Pratt (BIO) and Magda Zapędowska (Jacobson Center)
  • Executive Functioning in our Students Amidst the Pandemic with Kelly Vogel, Lecturer in Integrative Studies and former Learning Specialist for the Jacobson Center
  • Antiracist Learning Community (ALC) Teaching Circle with Floyd Cheung (OEI) and Hélène Visentin (PDOF)
  • The Small Teaching Circle with Caroline Melly (Sherrerd teaching mentor) and Miranda McCarvel (Jacobson Center)
  • Teaching Languages Circle with Ilona Sotnikova (REEES), Maureen DeNino (FRN)
  • Humanities and Social Sciences Labs Teaching Circle with Josh Birk (MED/HST), Christine Reynolds (Kahn Institute)
  • Science Ethics Circle with Betsy Jamieson (CHM)
  • Creative Writing Circle for Faculty and Staff Who Teach with Gillian Kendall