Faculty Reading Community

Overview

Open to all full time faculty, the Faculty Reading Community (FRC) is an opportunity to join Center for Teaching and Learning Educational Development staff for sustained cross-disciplinary conversation on critical topics in teaching and learning. Participants engage in pedagogical conversation revolving around a chapter or group of chapters from a recently published book on teaching and learning. Books are chosen for a combination of their practical advice, evidence-based strategies, and wide applicability to a variety of disciplines. When the FRC meets in person, the CTL provides refreshments and snacks. Advanced registration for this reading community is required and registration is limited each semester.

Spring 2025 Book

Registration for the Spring 2025 reading community will open in January.

Join fellow faculty and CTL staff for sustained cross-disciplinary conversation on critical topics in teaching and learning.

The Faculty Reading Community discussions in Spring 2025 will involve chapters from Catherine J. Denial’s recently published book A Pedagogy of Kindness. Recognizing that academia is often not a kind place, Denial challenges us to think about what that means and argues for placing kindness (distinct from niceness) at the core of our teaching. What does it mean to be kind not only to our students but also ourselves? How can we at WashU incorporate kindness into our teaching while maintaining our high standards for student success?

Participants are required to attend 4 of 5 meetings. Faculty will receive a print copy of the book courtesy of the CTL. Seats are limited.

Meeting Mode: This semester’s faculty reading community will meet in person on the Danforth campus. 

• Jan 30: Introduction and Chapter 1: Kindness Towards Self
• Feb 13: Chapter 2: Kindness and the Syllabus
• Feb 27: Chapter 3: Kindness and Assessment
• March 27: Chapter 4: Kindness in the Classroom and the Conclusion
• April 10: Wrap-up

The reading community will be co-facilitated by Rick Moore, along with faculty members Sabnam Ghosh and Younasse Tarbouni.

For questions about the Faculty Reading Community, please contact Dr. Rick Moore at rick.moore@wustl.edu.

Books Used in Prior Semesters

• Fall 2024: Radical Hope: A Teaching Manifesto by Kevin Gannon
• Spring 2024: Grading for Growth: A Guide to Alternative Grading Practices that Promote Authentic Learning and Student Engagement in Higher Education by David Clark and Robert Talbert
• Spring 2023: Inclusive Teaching: Strategies for Promoting Equity in the College Classroom by Kelly A. Hogan and Viji Sathy
• Fall 2022: Relationship-Rich Education: How Human Connections Drive Success in College by Peter Felten and Leo M. Lambert
• July 2022: Promoting Inclusive Classroom Dynamics in Higher Education: A Research-Based Pedagogical Guide for Faculty by Kathryn C. Oleson
• Spring 2022: Connected Teaching: Relationship, Power, and Mattering in Higher Education by Harriot Schwartz
• Fall 2021: Small Teaching: Every Day Lessons from the Science of Learning (Second Edition) by James Lang
• August 2021: What Inclusive Instructors Do: Principles and Practices for Excellence in College Teaching by Addy et al.
• Spring 2021: Distracted: Why Students Can’t Focus and What You Can Do About It by James Lang
• Fall 2020: Intentional Tech: Principles to Guide the Use of Educational Technology in College Teaching by Derek Bruff
• Spring 2020:How Humans Learn: The Science and Stories behind Effective College Teaching by Josh Eyler
• Fall 2019: Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning by James Lang
• Spring 2019: Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter Brown, Henry Roediger, and Mark McDaniel

For more information on the Faculty Reading Community or to suggest a book, please contact the CTL at ctl@wustl.edu.