Realizing Our Pedagogical Promises Community of Practice
Here at Bates, our mission commits us to the emancipating potential of the liberal arts, to educating the whole person, and to engaging “the transformative power of our differences” in ways that cultivate intellectual discovery and informed civic action. These aspirations shape who we are as an institution, and they also shape what we ask of ourselves as educators.
The Realizing our Pedagogical Promises Community takes its name from this shared commitment. It is designed as a supportive space for faculty who want to bring these mission-driven promises more fully into their teaching, especially when working with material that prompts students to examine complex histories, social structures, lived experiences, and the forces that shape our world today.
Many faculty have expressed the desire for more space to think through how to introduce this content thoughtfully, anticipate student responses, and connect these conversations to disciplinary goals and course outcomes. This learning community offers that space.
Over the semester, we will:
- Explore common teaching challenges that arise when engaging students with complex or sensitive societal topics
- Share strategies for framing these conversations in ways that foster trust, curiosity, and deep learning
- Practice introducing and contextualizing core ideas before bringing them into the classroom
- Connect these approaches to your pedagogical values and course objectives
- Learn from colleagues’ experiences, successes, and ongoing questions
Join CITL Fellow Katy Ott, co-leading this community of practice, every other Tuesday this winter at 4:15 p.m. in Dana 219 (starting January 27).