Annual Classroom Climate Workshop

Associate Instructor Classroom Climate Workshop

In order to support the University's goals of supporting diversity and equitable instruction on campus, the CITL offers the annual Classroom Climate Workshop (CCW) each fall*. This program satisfies the requirements established by the Bloomington Faculty Council that all new associate instructors receive training in enhanced understanding of cultural diversity. 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 several live workshop options.

Note: CCW is separate from Associate Instructor Orientation. CCW is a campus requirement, while AI Orientation is recommended and required by some departments.

Since we cannot be together in lecture halls and breakout classrooms this year, CCW 2020 is a virtual event, with a mix of recorded and live sessions. To receive credit for completing CCW, you must do the following:

  • View ALL “Orientation” recordings (~70 minutes total)
  • Complete the Orientation reflection activity
  • Attend ONE “Workshop” webinar (~60-90 minutes)
  • Complete the Workshop reflection activity associated with the session you attended.

How do we keep “attendance” and mark you as having completed CCW? We use a combination of system data—viewing data from Kaltura videos and participant logs from the live Zoom workshops—and the reflection pieces you submit. Because of this, it is very important that you:

  1. Log into Kaltura and Zoom with your IU credentials, so your name shows up correctly in the logs; and
  2. Remember to do the refection activities.

We recommend you complete the “Orientation” section first, but that is not a requirement. All items must be completed by August 28, 2020.

If you are unable to complete these activities, we have a backup assignment you may complete for CCW credit; contact citl@indiana.edu to inquire about this backup option.

 
Orientation Recordings

For participation credit, you must view each recording in its entirety and respond to the reflection activity below. You will need to log into https://kaltura.iu.edu first in order to view any of the videos below. You can access them individually or see the whole catalog in the CCW Channel. If you have any questions about the content of these videos, please contact the presenter directly; they are happy to answer any questions you may have. 

Click here to complete the required Orientation Response Activity

 

Workshops

You must attend ONE of these workshops and complete the associated reflection activity, which will be provided during the session. You will need to register to receive Zoom login information. Be sure you log into Zoom.iu.edu before you click the link for the workshop you will attend.

Note: You are welcome to attend more than one workshop, if you’d like.

 

Growth Mindset for Inclusive Excellence 
Monday August 17, 1:00-2:00 pm (Register)
Joan Middendorf, Lead Instructional Consultant, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Lisa Kurz, Principal Instructional Consultant, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

What are the cues that influence under-representation and underperformance of women and minorities in academia? These cues make people with stereotyped or stigmatized social identities vigilant, depressing their sense of belonging and decreasing their desire to continue to participate in the setting. We will explore the research on growth mindset and especially classroom interventions that help all students perform better. This will be an interactive session.

Teaching for Equity, with Empathy
Monday, August 17, 2:30-3:30 pm (Register)
Jessica Calarco, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology

The uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic are creating tremendous challenges for students, and especially students from vulnerable and marginalized groups. If we fail to support students through these challenges, we risk exacerbating inequalities on campus and making students' trauma worse. As educators, then, we have a responsibility to teach for equity and with empathy. This webinar will discuss what that approach looks like in practice, with concrete recommendations for administrators and for instructors teaching on campus and online.

Courageous Conversations: Communicating for Change
Wednesday, August 19, 1:00-2:30 (Register)
Torie DiMartile, Doctoral Student, Department of Anthropology
Carmen Henne-Ochoa, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, College of Arts and Sciences

Engaging in discussions on topics such as race, class status, gender, power, and privilege can be a daunting task for students and instructors alike. Facilitating such dialogues as an AI is no easy task and takes proactive planning and practice in order to respond with intention and composure. In this workshop we’ll discuss the difference between safe and brave spaces and the importance of cultivating brave spaces where students are prepared to engage topics that may challenge their way of thinking. It's important for instructors to model the kind of emotional and intellectual bravery required for communicating across difference so we’ll work together to identify and practice concrete strategies that help you respond with compassion, clarity, and confidence.

Promoting Equity and Inclusion in STEM Courses 
Thursday, August 20, 6:00-7:30 pm (Register)
Lekeah Durden, Doctoral Student, Department of Biology

Instructors can either act as gateways or gatekeepers in STEM courses by building pathways for student engagement (gateway) or creating barriers to student success (gatekeeping).  How we approach the learning environment, course material, and assignments can set the tone for student participation. This session will explore practical strategies that can be used in classrooms, labs, and in the field to increase student participation. This workshop will focus teaching approaches that can create a more inclusive experience and empower learners in STEM environments. We will reflect on personal identities and institutionalized practices in STEM which has excluded many historically marginalized populations. Associate Instructors (AI’s) will aim to be more intentional in addressing challenges relating to DEI in STEM classrooms and labs.

Classrooms as Sites of Power and Privilege
Wednesday, August 19, 3:00-4:30 pm (Register)
Lizzy Bartelt, Doctoral Student, School of Public Health

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.

 
Recognizing and Responding to Signs of Distress in Students
Tuesday, August 18, 3:00-4:30 pm (Register)
Liv Mercer, Liv Mercer, LPC, MS.  Mental Health Counselor, IU Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)  

Liv Mercer, CAPS counselor, will be providing an interactive 90-minute presentation geared at discussing recognizing signs of distress in students, colleagues, and ourselves, while learning to identify and make appropriate referrals to on-campus providers such as CAPS in a way that is reflective of current COVID19 restrictions and individual financial and cultural considerations. Additional information about CAPS services and how the center is still working to meet students’ needs, though virtual, will also be provided. 

Equity Challenges in Remote Teaching  
Thursday, August 20, 10:00-11:00 am (Register)
Jennifer Turrentine, Instructional Technology Consultant, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

Providing an equitable learning experience can be challenging online, as technology and other elements of remote learning can place barriers to student success in unequal and disproportionate ways. This webinar will explore some of those challenges and offer concrete approaches you can take to make learning more accessible to all your students.

How To Do Anti-Racist Work in the Classroom  
Friday, August 21, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm (Register)
Megan Betz, Instructional Consultant, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Charmian Lam, Graduate Assistant, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, and Doctoral Student, Department of Educational Leadership Policy Studies

Units across campus are responding to the uprisings across our nation in response to police brutality and other acts of racism. Our students, now more than ever, are exploring the ways race, inclusion, and equity manifest in their education, their disciplines, and their lives. This session will offer some first steps for examining your teaching practice, working toward an anti-racist pedagogy, and working with your students to build anti-racist practice in the classroom.

Recognizing that Associate Instructors may begin their assignments in the spring semester, we will offer a variation of CCW then.

* We are very grateful this year for a close collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences' Office of Diversity and Inclusion on developing this programming, and for support from the University Graduate School and the Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion. We are also grateful to all the facilitators—students, faculty, and staff—who make this event possible.

Questions about these events can be sent to citl@indiana.edu.