Teaching Nests

What is the Teaching Nest program?
Through your participation in a Teaching Nest, you will have the opportunity to:

• Talk with colleagues about teaching practices and student learning issues
• Observe other instructors in the classroom and experience being in a learner role and get ideas for your courses 
• Reflect on your own teaching practices
• Create collaborative connections with other faculty members

A Teaching Nest is a group of 3-4 instructors across disciplines who visit each other’s classes (face-to-face or online) for their own reflection and learning.  When visiting others' classes, we get new ideas and are reminded of what it's like to be a student. It is not an opportunity to offer feedback on Nest partners’ teaching.  (Teaching Nests often is called Teaching Squares at other institutions.)  The foundation of Teaching Nests is creating a safe, supportive, and non-evaluative environment through:

• Mutual respect
• Shared responsibility
• Self-reflection
• Appreciation

Commitment (approximately 5-7 hours across the semester).  Please view the sample Teaching Nest guide for details.

• Build your Nest meeting (1 hour)
• Observe classes of your Nest partners (3-4 hours)
• Reflect on your observation experiences
• Share your reflections with your Nest (1.5 hours)

Register 
To join a Teaching Nest, please register by February 10 for the Spring 2021 program.

The Teaching Nest program is part of CETL's Making Teaching & Learning Visible initiative.