TLC Bi-Weekly Newsletter for Tuesday, September 7th, 2021

Good morning, K-State!

We are three weeks into the Fall 2021 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.

Mindful Returns

To offer some guidance on how we can promote a mindful return to campus this fall, we have identified the following six pillars and provided K-State (and external) resources for each to support you and your students:

  1. Clear communication is the key to any relationship.
  2. We should support diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging by respecting all K-Staters.
  3. We should actively practice empathy by taking on the perspectives of others and anticipating their needs.
  4. We should practice habits that promote good mental health, such as meditation, journaling, or spending time outside.
  5. Physical health is crucial for overall well-being and involves diet, exercise, and disease prevention.
  6. Finally, student success is the goal of all higher education efforts.

Mindful Returns Sticker

Also, our Mindful Returns stickers are available by stopping by our office (Anderson Hall 206) or you can request some for your whole team by emailing the center. We hope you take advantage of the resources provided in the Mindful Returns Toolkit. Let us know if there are any additional resources we should include.

Videos Resources to Support Excellent Teaching

As you progress into the Fall 2021 semester, we would like to remind you of several video resources as part of Dr. Don Saucier’s Youtube channel, Engage the Sage:

  • Teaching in a hy-flex modality is challenging for several reasons. Our “Building Community in a Hy-Flex Modalityvideo provides five practical tips for how to do this well.
  • Given the online components of many courses this semester, communication with students is often through email. Our “Excellent Email Etiquette for Students and Instructors video can help improve these email communications.
  • Writing is awesome, but it’s hard! Our “The Four Cs of Writing” video provides practical tips for making your (and your students’) writing clear, complete, concise, and compelling.

Programs & Events

The theme for our Professional Development Series this year is also “Mindful Returns.”

Events will occur on Wednesdays at 12 noon via Zoom: https://ksu.zoom.us/j/91689499348. We hope to see you there.

Jason Maseberg Tomlinson quote graphic

Kathy Brockway quote graphic

Social Media

To stay in touch with new resources and events, like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and subscribe to our YouTube channel. To let us know how your semester is going, please use the hashtag #ITeachAtKState when you post about your teaching, mentoring, and advising activities.

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. We look forward to partnering with you this academic year.

Sincerely,

Tanya Gonzalez headshot don saucier solo

Tanya González Don Saucier

Acting Director of the TLC Associate Director of the TLC