Scheduled Programs
The Gertrude B. Lemle Teaching Center (GLTC) sponsors and organizes a variety of programs each semester.
Lunch Breakthrough
Members of the Oberlin Community share a novel idea (big or small), related to teaching, the curriculum, the co-curricular, or programming.
- Thursdays, 12:15–1:30 p.m.
- StudiOC
- Lunch is catered by the Hotel at Oberlin
Workshops
Two to three workshops are given every semester based around a theme. Workshops can include guests from outside the institution and often involve collaboration of the GLTC in collaboration with other offices on campus.
Other Programming
Teaching: Impact of COVID on Student Learning - Recording
Discussions on where students are resulting from Covid High School with Oberlin High School teachers: Kurt Russell, David Reese, and Claire Esposito.
Past Programs
You can see a summary of the programming events for the Center during the 2021-2022 academic year as a part of the 2021-2022 Gertrude B. Lemle Teaching and Scholarship Center Annual Director’s Report.
Thursday, March 16 th, 2023, 12:00-1:30 pm
Incorporating Inclusive Pedagogy and Universal Design for Learning into Your Classroom and
Curriculum.
Learn practical strategies for making your classroom an inclusive environment for all students.
Two additional workshop dates will follow this session to allow working time to apply the
techniques learned to your courses for the Fall 2023 semester.
Thursday, February 16 th, 2023, 12:00-1:30 pm
DEI(A?): Including Disability/Accessibility in campus Diversity Equity and Inclusion
Disability as an identity is often an overlooked or misunderstood facet of Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion discussions. Join Bec Smith, Assistant Dean/Director of the Office for Disability &
Access, in a presentation on the basics of disability as identity and inclusion.
Reflections on Semesters Past Class Experience Discussion
Monday, 1/23/2023 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
“Public Humanities/Bonner Center Panel"
Dec. 1, 2023 12:00-1:15"
Society of Fellows
November 30th 12-1:15 pm
Accessibility Student Panel
Thursday, November 10 th , 12:00 – 1:30 pm
Disabled Student Panel
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a student with a disability at Oberlin College &
Conservatory or what disabled students find helpful in classes and professors? Come find out!
Join GLTC and ODA for a student panel moderated by the Associate Dean, Associate Professor, and Acting Chair of German, Elizabeth Hamilton.
Gertrude B. Lemle Disability & Access Workshop Series*
Thursday, October 27 th , 12:00-1:30 pm
ADA Accommodations 101: Classroom Accommodations and Faculty Responsibilities
Join Assistant Dean and Director of the Office for Disability & Access (ODA), Bec Smith, for an
overview of standard ADA accommodations, how to implement them, and the legal framework
behind standard accommodations and ODA policies and procedures.
Workshops
- September 24, 5–6:30 p.m.: How Does White Language Supremacy Influence What We Really Value in Student Writing?
- October 1, 5–6:30 p.m.: Designing and Using Labor-Based Grading Contracts for Antiracist Classrooms
- October 8, 12:20–1:20 p.m.: Hybrid Pedagogy Check-in Please join us this Thursday from 12:20-1:20 for a discussion/check in about teaching hybrid courses. We are eager to hear how faculty and students are adopting and adapting to this instructional mode and to provide an opportunity to share ideas and troubleshoot.
- October 22, 12:20–1:20 p.m.: Post-Election Pedagogy Roundtable The weeks leading up to and following the 2020 presidential election will likely be emotionally-fraught for students. The Gertrude B. Lemle Teaching Center is hosting a roundtable discussion about teaching in the context of political turmoil. Faculty and staff presenters will share ideas for supporting students and student learning during election season and offer reflections on their classroom experience in the wake of the 2016 presidential election. We hope you will join us for this timely discussion.
- November 12, 12:30–1:15 p.m.: Virtual Computer Lab As computer labs have been shut down it has become a struggle for students to access software. In response to the closing of the labs, CIT has moved towards providing 'virtual lab' environments. This session will go over how to access those virtual environments and what is available through them. We can also share the roadblocks/successes you've encountered when trying to provide your students with access to software and applications. Please bring your questions and concerns. This session will be led by Albert Borroni and Kyle Hartzell.
- January 14, 4:30 p.m.:Homegrown Best Practices for Antiracism The Multicultural Resource Center and Gertrude Lemle Teaching Center have partnered to host "Homegrown Practices for Antiracism."
The panel will feature Oberlin staff and faculty who have effectively developed, implemented, and sustained antiracist practices within their role. All faculty and staff interested in gaining new approaches to their antiracist work are encouraged to attend.
Panelists include Cortney Smith, visiting assistant professor of rhetoric and composition; Ray Appenheimer, director of track and field and cross country; Stephany Dunmyer, head women's basketball coach; Matthew Francis Rarey, assistant professor of art history; and Jan Miyake, associate professor of music theory. Watch Zoom recording here. - March 3, 4:30 p.m.: Responding to Racism and Microaggressions in the Classroom Please join us for a discussion on how to address issues of racism and discrimination that may manifest in the classroom in various ways: via the syllabus, class discussions etc. This session allows us to do important work during a time in society when it matters the most: during a pandemic, post-George Floyd, post Breonna Taylor. Four of your colleagues will lead this discussion and help give insight on how to effectively handle and combat discrimination in the classroom. We do not claim to know all the answers, but we look forward to a robust conversation that can help us all to learn and grow in how we continue to do this important work. This discussion is hosted by the Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and the Gertrude B. Lemle Teaching Center. We look forward to seeing you on zoom!
- April 22, 4:30 p.m.: Mental Health In The Classroom Selected faculty members and their students will discuss how they have incorporated an increased awareness of mental health into their classroom instruction.
Lunch Breakthrough
Winter Term Pedagogies
Learn about different models for on-campus winter term group projects. How can you engage students in your research while cultivating their capacity to work on independent projects? Learn about guild models and communities of practice and making an on-campus winter term project benefit both your research/artistic production and student learning. Panelists will include Josh Sperling (cinema studies), Wendy Kozol (comparative American studies) and Tania Boster (Bonner Center; GLTC)
Thursday, September 19, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
Best Practices for Peer-to-Peer Instruction
Experienced Writing Associates will share best practices for peer to peer instruction. This event is open to students and faculty.
Thursday, September 26, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
Effective Collaboration and Interdisciplinary Teaching and Research
Interested in collaborating with colleagues on an exhibition, a StudiOC learning community, a winter term project, a conference panel? Your colleagues will share tips on how to design, and sustain meaningful collaboration in various permutations. This lunch is also an opportunity to meet other faculty who are interested in interdisciplinary collaboration. Panelists will include: Cindy Chapman (religion); Stiliana Milkova (comparative literature); Taylor Allen (biology).
Thursday, October 10, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
(Co)-curricular Mentoring
Faculty and staff mentors will discuss how they help students bridge the curricular and cocurricular divide across a number of cohorts/contexts including Posse Scholars, Bonner Scholars, Undergraduate Research, and peer mentoring programs. In addition to short presentations from faculty and staff mentors, we will brainstorm ideas about how the Gertrude B. Lemle Teaching Center (GLTC) can support faculty and staff in their roles as mentors. Adrian Bautista, Assistant Vice President in Student Life, will moderate a panel of Oberlin staff and faculty mentors.
Thursday, October 17, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
Teaching Center Open House
Thursday, October 31, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
Private Readings: To Do or Not to Do? How to do?
Under what circumstances should you agree to do a private reading? What are the benefits of a private reading for students? How can we articulate learning goals for private readings? How can private readings be structured in such a way that is manageable for faculty? Faculty Teaching Fellow, Mike Parkin (politics) will lead this discussion.
Thursday, November 7, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
Engaging the Public with your Scholarship and/or Artistic Work
Join us for a discussion about ways to engage the public with your research and/or arts practice. In addition to discussing rhetorical and communication strategies for reaching a broader audience, the conversation will address media platforms that are conducive for extending ideas and work beyond academia. Panelists will include Fredara Hadley (ethnomusicology) and Tamika Nunley (history).
Thursday, November 21, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
What are you Working On?
Please join us for lunchtime conversation about your current scholarship and your scholarship/research-related goals for the semester. The first week of classes is both the worst and the best time for such a conversation: the worst, for obvious reasons; the best, because it may help you plan your research/writing agenda for the semester.
We would also like to hear your ideas about ways the GLTC can expand provide support for scholarship.
Thursday, February 6, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
Zoom: real-time learning across distance
Videoconferencing technology holds great potential for teaching and learning across distance. When, how, and why might you consider using Zoom in your courses? Join Abe Reshad, Director of Language Technology and Academic Support, along with Ed McKelvey (economics), Maia Solovieva (Russian), and Elizabeth Hamilton (A&S Dean’s Office, German, FYSP), for a conversation about distance learning and demonstrations of pedagogy with Zoom.
Thursday, February 13, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served. No RSVP necessary.
Overview of Internal and External Grant Opportunities
Please join us for a conversation with Pam Snyder, Executive Director, Office of Foundation and Corporate Grants. Pam will provide a brief overview of internal and external grant opportunities and field questions.
Thursday, February 27, 12:20–1:20 StudiOC, lunch will be served. No RSVP necessary. Please feel free to come even if you cannot stay the whole time.
Best Practices for Peer-to-Peer Instruction II
Building on the success of Fall ’19 workshop led by the Writing Associates, peer tutors in STEM (OWLS) will share best practices for peer to peer instruction. This event is open to students and faculty.
Thursday, March 5, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
Mentoring First-Gen Students - Canceled
What makes the difference between success and failure for first-gen students? What does current research say about first-gen STEM students? How does the current state of politics impact first-gen student day-to-day campus experience?
According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, one of their most-read newsletters in 2019 focused on the challenges facing first-generation students in the classroom and how faculty can better support them. As a follow-up to a November Lunch Breakthrough focusing on mentoring, we will hear from faculty and staff working with first-gen cohort programs including Posse, Bonner Scholars, and the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program. We will also share feedback from the 2020 PossePlus Retreat (held March 6-8) with its theme “The State of Politics.”
Thursday, April 2, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
Workshop
Winter Term Project Sponsor Workshop via Zoom
Join panelists: Deanna Bergdorf, Lisa Ryno, Jill Greenwood, Charles McGuire, and Mike Rainaldi for a presentation and discussion about winter term group projects. Panelists will offer insights into different ways to design Winter Term group projects, including how to do so in ways suitable for remote instruction.
Thursday, April 30, 12:20 p.m.
Lunch Breakthrough
Spring Semester
Creative Final Assignments
Curious about alternatives to final exams or final essays? Please join us for a discussion of unusual and effective cumulative final projects. Mary Garvin (Biology) will talk about biology students writing a children’s book. Elizabeth Hamilton (FYSP) and Jody Kerchner (PACE) will discuss a final assignment involving a river journey. Lunch will be served.
Thursday, February 14, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
Podcasting: The How & The Why
Kyle Hartzell (Cinema Studies; CIT) and Albert Borroni (OCTET) will present on the technical aspects and pedagogical value of incorporating podcasting as a student assignment. The how to portion of the presentation will also include information about resources on campus for podcast creation.
Thursday, March 21, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
Speaking in the Disciplines
What is the emphasis placed on speaking in your discipline? How does this inform speaking assignments in the classroom? Please join us for a discussion about the weight that different disciplines place on speaking and how this is incorporated pedagogically. Chris Marx (Mathematics), T.S. McMillin (English), Kantara Souffrant ’08 (Art History), and Chris Trinacty (Classics) will discuss their various approaches to speaking in the classroom.
Thursday, May 2, 12:20–1:20 p.m., StudiOC, lunch will be served.
Fall Semester
- October 18: “Career Preparation within the Academic Department” with Nancy Darling (professor of psychology); Bob Geitz (associate professor computer science); T.S. McMillen (professor of English)
- November 8: “Audio Feedback” with Laurie McMillin and Jan Cooper
- December 6: “Makerspacers and Liberal Arts” with Abby Aresty (technical director and lecturer, TIMARA)
Workshops
- August 20, 10:30 a.m. to noon: NFO Syllabus Workshop
- October 9, 4:30–6:30 p.m.: Liberal Arts and Future of Work
- October 10, 4:30–6:30 p.m.: Mentoring in Collaboration with HHMI
- November 6, 4:30–6:30 p.m.: Navigating Student Mental Health
- November 13, 4:30–6 p.m.: Committee on Writing Collaboration