TLC Bi-Weekly Newsletter for Tuesday, August 30th, 2022

Welcome back, K-Staters!

We are now in the second week of the Fall 2022 semester, and the Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) would like to remind you of our commitment to support your efforts in teaching, mentoring, and advising. We are excited to announce the various priorities, events, and resources that are designed to advance teaching and learning at K-State. This video explains what the TLC can do for you.

TLC Highlighted Teacher

Highlighted Teacher Beth Pesnell Quote Graphic

Our highlighted teacher this week is Beth Pesnell, who is a teaching assistant professor in Curriculum and Instruction. Dr. Pesnell joined the College of Education faculty in August 2021 where she teaches elementary science methods for undergraduates and elementary science and math methods for graduate students in the Master of Arts in Teaching for Elementary Education program. Having served multiple roles in public education for 24 years before becoming a teacher educator, she understands the complexities of today’s classrooms and strives to translate these experiences into her courses at K-State. Dr. Pesnell believes that healthy and thriving learning communities are built with a cornerstone of relationships. When we have positive teacher-student relationships and camaraderie among our students, we can create a safe environment with positive student engagement and cultivate a collaborative learning community.

Click here to watch a video of Beth describing her teaching philosophy.

Programs & Events

We look forward to another semester of our Professional Development (PD) Series, and, again, these events will occur on Wednesdays at 12 noon via Zoom. All events are free, and no registration is required. As we finalize our PD Series, we will post the schedule on the Upcoming Events page of our website and on our social media: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. We hope to see you there.

  • On Wednesday, August 31st, Tanya González will lead an event on balancing empathy and rigor, which is especially important for incoming students whose high school experiences were primarily online.
  • The week of September 5th is National Suicide Prevention Week. On Monday (9/5), Tuesday (9/6), and Wednesday (9/7), you can show your allyship (and receive a free t-shirt!) in Bosco Plaza from 11am-1pm. On Tuesday (9/6), Sam Eaton will share his story in Fulton Hall starting at 6:30pm. Please share this information with students to increase awareness.

Suicide Prevention Week 2022 Info

  • On Wednesday, September 7th, Kodee Walls, Vanessa Fox, Cristine Glendening, and Marcos Mendez will lead an event on Allyship and Antiracism.
  • On Wednesday, September 14th, Traci Brimhall will lead an event on navigating the physical classroom environment.
  • On Thursday, September 15th from 12:30-2:00pm, the Office of Institutional Equity, Student Access Center, and Office of General Counsel are hosting a professional development workshop to provide faculty resources on the use of student accommodations for disabilities via zoom.

Also, if you are interested in earning a PD Certificate or in becoming a TLC Fellow for this academic year, check out the requirements on our website.

Engage the Sage Videos to Support Excellent Teaching

We would like to remind you of several video resources as part of Dr. Don Saucier’s YouTube channel, Engage the Sage, that are particularly relevant for the beginning of the semester:

Thank You & Encouragement

As a K-State community, we continue to offer grace and compassion to one another during these challenging times. We are grateful for your continued support of your students and colleagues and hope you take advantage of the resources available to you at K-State, including us, throughout the upcoming semester. Thank you for all you do for your colleagues and our students. And thank you for advancing K-State’s teaching and learning mission with energy and optimism.

 

Sincerely,

The Teaching and Learning Center Team