The Associate Instructor Workshop on Classroom Climate is a required event for all new graduate student instructors. In this event, we orient graduate student instructors to compliance with Federal laws and IU policies regarding classroom inclusion and equity, and apply and practice inclusive and equitable teaching practices through eight concurrent workshop options. This event is a capstone to a day of teaching fundamentals for new graduate student instructors.

The Classroom Climate workshop satisfies the requirement by the Bloomington Faculty Council policy that all new associate instructors receive training in enhanced understanding of cultural diversity (1990).

For 2019, the Classroom Climate Workshop will be held on: August 20 and 22 from 4-6pm, Swain Hall West 199. Registration NOT required

Schedule Overview

Session I – 4:00 p.m. to 4:50 p.m., Swain Hall West 119

Orientation to Teaching Inclusively at IU
This session will introduce what teaching inclusively means to the IU community of students, faculty, and staff. We also will discuss Federal laws and university policies that govern instructional responsibilities.

Katherine Kearns (Assistant Vice Provost for Student Development, Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Health Sciences)
Laura Galloway (EEO Consultant, Office of Institutional Equity)
Sara Ivey Lucas (Assistant Dean, Dean of Students Office)
Shirley Stumpner (Director, Disability Services for Students)
Leslie Fasone (Director, Office for Sexual Violence Prevention and Victim Advocacy)

Session II – 5:00 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. (Pick ONE session from among the following eight options)

Why Won’t They Talk? Fostering an Inclusive Classroom to Maximize Involvement

It is common that instructors experience limited student participation in the classroom, although it may be related to factors that go beyond lack of preparedness or interest. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to identify sources for lack of student participation, make use of tools or activities that could help foster a more inclusive classroom environment, and be more aware of their role as the instructor.
Lauren Savit (Gender Studies) & Megan DiBartolomeo (Spanish and Portuguese)

Creating Inclusivity: Disability and Accessibility in the Classroom

Teachers have a legal and ethical obligation to create accessible and inclusive classes, but it’s not always obvious how to do that. At the end of this workshop, participants will know how to create a syllabus that enables participation for students with a wide range of abilities, and they will be prepared to address accessibility issues as they arise in the classroom. We will share important terminology related to accessibility, describe some of our own experiences navigating disability as teachers and learners, workshop course policies for fostering inclusivity, and give participants the opportunity to practice problem-solving common dilemmas that arise around disability in the classroom.
Alyssa Bossenger (Gender Studies) & Amberly Reynolds (Health Sciences)

Classrooms as Sites of Power and Privilege

Participants will be actively engaged in this dynamic session that focuses on examining systemic and individual power and oppression structures in the US. It further engages graduate students to critically examine their roles in perpetuating or dismantling these structures in their roles in the classroom.
Lizzy Bartelt (School of Public Health)

Authentically You: Why Bringing Your Best Self Matters in the Classroom

This workshop focuses on bringing your true self to the classroom while still achieving your departmental course goals. By the end of the workshop, participants will identify and discuss unique experiences that have shaped personal and professional passions. Using these identities, learners will gain insight into inclusive vocabulary. Participants will be able to reflect on outside perceptions, both from the instructor role, to learner, and back, to be aware of external factors that influence their material.
Tiffany M. Quash (Recreation, Parks and Tourism) & Lekeah A. Durden (Physics)

Keeping Your Cool: Defusing Difficult Situations in the Classroom

This workshop will include conversations and activities that explore the principles of inclusive grading. We discuss some of the common values and biases that can be in play when evaluating students from various backgrounds. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of practice-based strategies for grading diverse groups.
Michael Aronson (Media School)

Betwixt and Between: Teaching the Tough Topics in the Social Sciences

Being between cultural studies and the “hard sciences” leaves teachers in the social sciences in a unique position to teach hard topics. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to identify difficult topics for undergraduates, apply new strategies to teaching these topics, and navigate additional resources.
MacKenzie DiMarco (Anthropology) & Emily Van Alst (Anthropology)

Tip of the Iceberg: Cultural Competence in the Classroom

As an instructor and classroom leader, the differences between your home country (US or international) environment and your students’ will be more acute.  We’ll provide you with tools to understand how culture plays a role in the creation of observable and non-observable aspects that may influence classroom and academic behavior and decision-making. We will utilize educational theory and practical examples and case studies to provide coping techniques and bases for inquiry.​
Rachel Salinas (Associate Director, International Admissions Operations)