Teaching Circles

Every semester, the Sherrerd Center sponsors a variety of Teaching Circles in which faculty and teaching staff come together to discuss a teaching topic of shared interest. These have proven especially useful over the past several years, and we encourage faculty and staff members to consider leading or participating in a Teaching Circle. The Sherrerd Center arranges for Teaching Circles to meet on some specific Fridays from 12:15 until 1:15 p.m. with lunch provided and available at noon, so please RSVP on the forms provided (note that once you have sent in your RSVP for a circle, you will receive calendar invitations to that circle for each session, so you need not RSVP each time). The RSVPs with the calendar invitations help us determine more accurate counts for lunch and seating.

Fall 2026 Teaching Circles

  • September 25
  • October 23
  • November 20
  • December 11

Circles will meet in the Campus Center from 12:15–1:15 p.m., with lunch available beginning at noon. Location and details will be sent with a calendar invitation after responses are received.

Languages Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle

Adrián Gras-Velásquez

This teaching circle provides an informal space for language educators and faculty across disciplines to discuss ways to collaborate and connect world languages and with other majors and areas of student interest and promote languages and research at Smith. The teaching circle also explores recent approaches to teaching, learning, and technology adaptation in classes, in addition to discussing ways to motivate students’ learning and enhancing their progress and future careers. Faculty from all disciples are encouraged to attend. 
RSVP for the Languages Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle

Mathematics Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle

Jacob Garcia, Ileana Vasu

This teaching circle provides an informal space to explore how mathematics fits in and works with the Smith curriculum. This teaching circle is for those teaching math, teaching with math, or those supporting students who use math in their courses. The teaching circle also explores recent approaches to teaching, learning, and technology adaptation in classes, in addition to discussing ways to motivate students’ learning and to discuss how different disciplines at Smith are supporting students in their mathematics.
RSVP for the Mathematics Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle

Pedagogy for Neurodiversity & Learning Difference Teaching Circle

Kementari Whitcher

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework describes a number of pedagogical approaches designed to make classes more accessible to a wide range of learners. What do those recommendations look like in practice, though? Bring your own examples, come hear about others being used on campus and beyond, and find one new thing to try this semester.
RSVP for the Pedagogy for Neurodiversity & Learning Difference Teaching Circle

Teaching-Focused Faculty Teaching Circle

Atsuko Takahashi, Joe Yeager

The Teaching Circle for TFF (Teaching Focused Faculty) will offer an informal space for TFF across disciplines at Smith to make connections, build community and share helpful resources. We hope this will provide a space for new and veteran TFF to connect. 
RSVP for the Teaching-Focused Faculty Teaching Circle

Past Teaching Circles

Spring 2026

  • Best Practices for Meeting Student Accommodations Teaching Circle
    with Mona Kulp, Maria Bickar, Kementari Whitcher
  • Formative and Summative Assessment of Analytical Inductive and Deductive Processes
    with Alicia Grubb, Allie Strom
  • Human Rights Teaching Circle
    with Carrie Cuthbert, Loretta Ross
  • Mathematics Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle
    with Jacob Garcia and Ileana Vasu
  • Languages Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle
    with Adrian Gras-Velazquez, Rebecca Deitsch, Ilona Sotnikova
  • Navigating Gen-AI in the Classroom Teaching Circle
    with Travis Grandy
  • Teaching-Focused Faculty Teaching Circle
    with Reid Bertone-Johnson

Fall 2025

  • AI Pedagogy Teaching Circle
    with Travis Grandy
  • Best Practices for Meeting Student Accommodations Teaching Circle
    with Mona Kulp, Maria Bickar, Shiya Cao
  • Formative and Summative Assessment of Analytical Inductive & Deductive Processes Teaching Circle
    with Alicia Grubb, Allie Strom
  • Human Rights Teaching Circle
    with Carrie Cuthbert, Loretta Ross
  • Joy & Fun in the Classroom Teaching Circle
    with Jessica Bacal, Cat McCune
  • Languages Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle
    with Ilona Sotnikova, May George
  • Teaching-Focused Faculty Teaching Circle
    with Reid Bertone-Johnson

Spring 2025

  • Digital Pedagogy & Scholarship Teaching Circle
    with Travis Grandy
  • Formative and Summative Assessment of Analytical Inductive & Deductive Processes
    with Alicia Grubb, Allie Strom
  • Human Rights Initiative Teaching Circle
    with Carrie Cuthbert, Loretta Ross
  • Languages Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle
    with Ilona Sotnikova, Maureen DeNino
  • Reflective Practices Teaching Circle
    with Jessica Bacal, Cat McCune
  • TFF Teaching Circle (Teaching Focused Faculty)
    with Mona Kulp, Reid Berone-Johnson, Christiane Métral, Yalin Chen
  • Ungrading, Grading, and the In-between Teaching Circle
    with Kementari Whitcher

Fall 2024

  • Human Rights Initiative Teaching Circle
    with Carrie Cuthbert, Loretta Ross
  • Languages Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle
    with Ilona Sotnikova, Maureen DeNino
  • NTT Faculty Teaching Circle
    with Mona Kulp, Reid Berone-Johnson, Christiane Métral, Yalin Chen
  • Reflective Practices Teaching Circle
    with Jessica Bacal, Cat McCune
  • Ungrading, Grading, and the In-between Teaching Circle
    with Caroline Melly
  • Universal Design for Learning Teaching Circle
    with Travis Grandy

Spring 2024

  • Big Questions Teaching Circle
    with Patty DiBartolo
  • Let’s Talk OERs! Teaching Circle
    with Elise Gowen, Jessica Ryan, Abril Navarro
  • NTT Faculty Circle 
    with Miranda McCarvel
  • Teaching Circle for NTT Faculty
    with Mona Kulp, Reid Berone-Johnson, Atsuko Takahashi
  • Teaching Languages Teaching Circle
    with Ilona Sotnikova, Maureen DeNino
  • Ungrading Teaching Circle
    with Magdalena Zapędowska

Fall 2023

  • Algebra Skills Across the Curriculum Teaching Circle
    with Jen Beichman, Cat McCune
  • Big Questions Teaching Circle​
    with Patty DiBartolo, Kate Queeney
  • Let’s Talk OERs! Teaching Circle
    with the OER Team: Kevin Shea, Elise Gowen, Jessica Ryan, Abril Navarro
  • NTT Faculty Teaching Circle
    with Mona Kulp, Reid Berone-Johnson, Christiane Métral, and Yalin Chen
  • Teaching Languages Teaching Circle
    with Ilona Sotnikova, Maureen DeNino
  • Trauma-Informed Pedagogy: A Practice for Equity, Inclusion, and Resilience Teaching Circle
    with Kelly Vogel

Spring 2023

  • Integrating Disability Inclusion Components into Your STEM, Social Sciences, and Humanities Courses Teaching Circle
    with Shiya Cao, Caroline Melly
  • Reclaiming Grading: Fixing the Worst Part of Our Job
    with Jennifer Beichman, Marney Pratt
  • Teaching in the Time of ChatGTP Teaching Circle
    with Miranda McCarvel
  • Teaching Circle for NTT Faculty
    with Mona Kulp, Joyce Palmer-Fortune, Christiane Métral, Yalin Chen
  • Teaching Languages Teaching Circle
    with Ilona Sotnikova, Maureen DeNino
  • Trauma-informed Pedagogy: a Path Toward Inclusion & Resilience
    with Kelly Vogel
  • Creative Writing Salon/Teaching Circle
    with Gillian Kendall
  • Humanities & Social Science (HSS Labs) Teaching Circle
    with Joshua Birk

Fall 2022

  • Antiracist Learning Community (ALC) Teaching Circle
    with Floyd Cheung, Hélène Visentin
  • Conversations About Advising Teaching Circle
    with Fraser Stables, Adela Penagos, Sarah Moore
  • Exploring Metaphors in Teaching Circle  
    with Nick Howe
  • Teaching Languages Teaching Circle
    with Ilona Sotnikova, Maureen DeNino
  • Trading Teaching Tips Teaching Circle
    with Miranda McCarvel
  • Trauma-Informed Pedagogy for the Resilient Classroom Teaching Circle
    with Kelly Vogel
  • Ungrading Teaching Circle
    with Magdalena Zapędowska
  • Creative Writing Circle for Faculty and Staff Who Teach
    with Gillian Kendall
  • Teaching Circle for NTT Faculty
    with Mona Kulp, Joyce Palmer-Fortune, Christiane Métral, Yalin Chen

Spring 2022

  • Special Event: Sherrerd Center Teaching Circle on Teaching in this Moment
    with Sara Pruss, Patty DiBartolo
  • Exploring Alternative Grading Methods Teaching Circle
    with Marney Pratt, Magda Zapędowska
  • Executive Functioning in our Students Amidst the Pandemic Teaching Circle
    with Kelly Vogel
  • Antiracist Learning Community (ALC) Teaching Circle
    with Floyd Cheung, Hélène Visentin
  • The Small Teaching Circle
    with Caroline Melly, Miranda McCarvel
  • Teaching Languages Teaching Circle
    with Ilona Sotnikova, Maureen DeNino
  • Humanities & Social Sciences Labs Teaching Circle
    with Josh Birk, Christine Reynolds
  • Science Ethics Teaching Circle
    with Betsy Jamieson
  • Creative Writing Circle for Faculty and Staff Who Teach
    with Gillian Kendall