UCLA Teaching and Learning Center’s Post

🚨 New publication alert 🚨 What does it mean for adult learners to belong in higher education? In this article, I explore how adult learners make sense of belonging through their involvement in student organizations. I used poetic inquiry to represent the findings, which was an experimental departure from my usual methodologies. https://lnkd.in/eCzyGx_N #AdultLearning #HigherEducation #Belonging #QualitativeInquiry

This week, I had the pleasure of facilitating a 2-hour conversation with new faculty at William James College about belonging, inclusive teaching, and the stories we carry into our classrooms. We began with a reflection on our mentors: Who were the people who helped you believe you belonged? As faculty shared stories about mentors who saw them, challenged them, supported them, and believed in their potential, something important became visible: those relationships became part of their teaching stories. They shaped not only what they teach, but how they show up for students. The central question was: What part of your story do you hope to bring into your teaching? That question became a thread throughout our conversation; from reflecting on identity and psychological safety, to considering how our own experiences shape the way we interpret students, respond to struggle, and practice repair. It reminded me that faculty development is not only about acquiring better pedagogical tools. It is also about creating spaces where new educators can connect, reflect, and recognize the experiences and values they already carry as sources of pedagogical wisdom. This feels particularly aligned with a belonging-centered approach: belonging is relational, shaped by our structures and interactions, and strengthened when people have agency to contribute to the communities they are helping create. When we support new faculty in finding their teaching stories, we aren't simply helping them become better instructors; we are helping them imagine what kind of learning community they want to create #FacultyDevelopment #NewFaculty #InclusiveTeaching #Belonging #Mentorship #PsychologyEducation #RelationalTeaching #WilliamJamesCollege

One thing I have realised after stepping into academia is this: Being academically qualified and being classroom-ready are two very different things. Most of us spend years earning degrees, clearing exams, and building subject knowledge. But no one really prepares you for your first classroom. The first time students look at you expecting answers. The silence after asking a question. The challenge of explaining the same concept in three different ways because not everyone learns the same way. You quickly realise that teaching is much more than knowing the subject. It's about connecting with students, keeping them engaged, managing a classroom, adapting when things don't go as planned, and creating an environment where students feel comfortable enough to ask questions. Academic qualifications open the door. What happens inside the classroom depends on communication, empathy, preparation, and experience. The best teachers I've met are not just experts in their field they're lifelong learners themselves. Every lecture teaches us something too. #HigherEducation #Teaching #Academia #AssistantProfessor #Learning #FacultyLife #Education #Pedagogy

I love being in a room full of faculty who are excited about becoming better teachers—and helping their colleagues do the same. At the Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center's Teaching Camp, I had the opportunity to present with Martha Robinson on Peer Observation of Teaching. I was especially impressed by how many faculty showed up ready to learn, practice, and reflect on their teaching. And practice they did! Martha designed powerful scenarios that challenged participants to give observational rather than evaluative feedback. Instead of: “You were very clear.” Try: “When you asked students a question, I observed…” Instead of: “You really know your students.” Try: “I noticed how you greeted students by their first names and asked specific questions about their weekend.” It sounds simple. It’s surprisingly difficult. The room was all aflutter with engaging conversations as faculty practiced making that shift. I loved seeing how grateful they were for a new way to think about feedback. One person even told me that he was going to practice this method of feedback with his family. Good peer observation isn’t about judging teaching. It’s about noticing, reflecting, learning, and growing together. It's about keeping teaching at the center of the conversation. I’m also grateful to Don Johnson for leading the way so that we could create our Peer Observation of Teaching: A Practical Guide for College Teachers OER book https://lnkd.in/g4uHtuDj that helped create the foundation for these types of presentations. Good teaching matters! What a privilege to work alongside colleagues who care so deeply about teaching and student learning. #UARK #StudentSuccess #FulbrightCollege #TeachingAndLearning #FacultyDevelopment #PeerObservation #TeachingExcellence #ActiveLearning

“Adults must cultivate and embrace a sense of cultural humility and open themselves to learning about others’ customs and values. By providing these safe spaces, students and families will feel an enhanced sense of belonging in the schools.” ELSF’s Director of Texas Initiatives Altagracia Delgado She shares how educators can effectively implement culturally responsive teaching in a conversation with EdWeek. https://lnkd.in/gVAQiCWR

As we prepare for the Fall 2026 semester, we are excited to introduce our incoming cohort of Student Pedagogical Partners!   We are grateful for the continued partnership with Ah In Kim, Faiza Shaik, and AMBER YU—our returning student partners, who will bring invaluable experience and leadership to the team this coming semester—and look forward to embracing the unique perspectives of our new partners Khushi Gupta, Elizabeth Lee, Sanjana Nuti, Pranavi Soma, and Joshua Tu.   This group will work closely with the 2026-2027 Provost’s Teaching Fellows through observational partnerships, using evidence-based frameworks to offer their perspectives on teaching, course design, and classroom engagement in support of instructors’ teaching goals. In addition to their direct work with instructors, this cohort will partner with Rutgers Institute for Teaching (TIIP) to co-create resources and toolkits for educators across Rutgers University–New Brunswick. This initiative underscores that student success is a community effort of cultivating learning environments that are intentional, collaborative, and adaptive.   Please join us in giving our new cohort a warm welcome! We are excited for the insights, passion, and campus-wide impact they will bring to our teaching community.

The Annual expert lecture for Teachers on neurodiversity is on the 30th this time...she was a panelist on a discussion with us last year and her lecture was much requested by teachers who had joined the session. She brings deep practical understanding of inclusion in the classroom with academic heft based on researched evidence. Do join. It is free, Teachers get a participation certificate, and, it is useful. (And do share it with other educators. Enough of our students getting hurt in class just because some teachers did not have a chance to learn and reflect. This is one such chance)

I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Cambridge Teachers Conference 2026. The conference was a powerful reminder of how professional development directly impacts classroom practice. Such platforms equip educators with updated strategies, data-driven insights, and collaborative spaces to reflect on teaching and learning, ultimately helping us enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. The particular highlight was Ms. Amina Chugtai’s interactive and effective session on Building a Culture of Behaviour for Learning. Her practical approaches and engaging activities provided valuable tools to foster positive classroom environments where students feel safe, respected, and motivated to learn.

I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Cambridge Teachers Conference 2026. The conference was a powerful reminder of how professional development directly impacts classroom practice. Such platforms equip educators with updated strategies, data-driven insights, and collaborative spaces to reflect on teaching and learning, ultimately helping us enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. The particular highlight was Ms. Amina Chugtai’s interactive and effective session on Building a Culture of Behaviour for Learning. Her practical approaches and engaging activities provided valuable tools to foster positive classroom environments where students feel safe, respected, and motivated to learn.

A teacher’s influence reaches far beyond the classroom because children remember the confidence someone gave them. Academic lessons may eventually fade, but the feeling of being believed in can remain for a lifetime. Teachers who encourage students through uncertainty help them develop courage that extends into every future challenge. True education therefore combines knowledge with emotional support. When educators make students feel capable, respected, and valued, they empower them to pursue possibilities they once considered unreachable.