Coffee Break Classroom: Brewed for Higher Ed

She knows when you are working. She knows when you are not. She knows if enrollment is bad or good so keep it good for goodness sake.

This is not Santa that Ben and Amanda are talking about - it's their dean. In this episode Ben and Amanda talk with the magnanimous Christine Woods about her pathway into and through academia, from industry to teaching to serving as president on the state's Faculty Council of Community Colleges and then finally to academic dean. What happens in all of those roles? What options are available to faculty in their academic careers other than teaching? In this episode we unwrap some answers to these questions and enjoy the presents of wisdom Christy Woods has to deliver.

Aww, all I got is coal in my stocking.

Parents love to say that they don’t have favorites, but we all know the truth. It is at least slightly less problematic when a teacher says it - slightly. Ben and Amanda share some of their most enjoyable interactions with students and why bus trips should count as a high-impact practice. This is some time to reflect on why the student that skipped the exam to go rock climbing is actually one of the best or how if you make a student on of your favorites, years later they will someday use their audio mixing skills to record a new opening track for your podcast. These two teachers’ pets unpack what makes a student a 'main character' and how we can find that feeling with all our students.  

This episode is hosted by Amanda Colosimo and Benjamin Schermerhorn. Music for the opening and closing of the episode was mixed by Clayton Behlok.

Amanda and Ben get together to record on a Sunday afternoon to talk about exactly the work-life balance. They could possibly cut this episode to 5-minutes because Amanda tells us right off the bat that balance isn’t possible. Still, they spend the episode talking about how they keep to-do lists, set intentions for each day, and carve out a little bit of time to fill their own cups.

In this episode, they mention the article: “The math doesn’t work” published in April 2013 on Inside Higher Education and written by Nate Kreuter.  

In this episode, Ben and Amanda talk about the ways they leverage the knowledge their students already have, whether it is from a previous day of class, a whole other course, or just everyday life. Amanda talks about how cookies and rocks are basically the same. Ben makes some Excel jokes and does his best to briefly talk about quantum mechanics without talking about quantum mechanics. So, you know, just some good old-fashioned fun with these two.

Grab a beverage of your choice, take a break, and let’s talk teaching.

Continuing to take advantage of phenomenal people they already know, Ben and Amanda invite Dr. Melis Kural onto the pod to talk about her background in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and more specifically about the application of restorative practices in education. Ben and Amanda learn about tiers of restorative practice and the application of proactive community building circles. The trio also discuss the Social Discipline window and what they’ve done to transition their practice from doing things ‘for’ students to doing things ‘with’ students.

What are restorative practices and how can you incorporate them into the classroom? Listen here!

Cheating on tests. Re-using work from a previous semester. Students getting around your restrictions for their note sheets. What do these things have in common? They are all stories that Ben found them on reddit. Yes, you heard that right. Following a popular(?) YouTube trend where folks read out stories about petty revenge or confess how they 'fricked' up, Ben delves into the professor side of reddit to find stories that make Amanda go “Wow” and “Oh my god.” There is a whole reddit thread, r/professors, housing over 60,000 faculty who write in for advice or just to vent.  Ben curated just a few stories, so let’s see what there is to explore. This was such a fun time, that we will probably do this again!

Remember, if you have your own teaching stories, you can share them with us to read on the podcast by emailing [email protected].

It’s time to relax with a good friend. Ben and Amanda bring the fabulous Terry Shamblin to talk about her journey with mindfulness and meditation and how it has impacted on her as both a faculty member and instructor. From throwing up in the Pacific (yes, that again) to starting her own business, we learn about Terry’s work with college readiness and pick up tips and tricks to improve everyone’s classroom experience.

You can learn more about Terry and Renee's business at https://mindfullifeconnections.com/, on Fb, IG, or LinkedIn!

Fair Warning: Amanda talks about being sick in the ocean. Feel free to jump to 7:15 if that is something you might be sensitive to!

Otherwise, we’re here to talk about test anxiety. Every instructor has some story of students being stressed out over their assessment. Test anxiety is so prevalent that there is a plethora of tips on the internet. Ben has strong feelings about the advice “Be prepared,” but is able to let it go so he and Amanda discuss different methods that they use to reduce test anxiety. With tips on how to support students’ executive functioning or how deal with anxiety on the day of the test there is sure to be something you can take into your own classrooms. 

Let’s get into it!

Amanda and Ben are back with another office hours, and this time they unpack Amanda’s ongoing efforts to support a struggling student over the course of two semesters. Disclaimer: this episode is a little bit of a bummer, but it’s an honest look at what it means to keep showing up for students who just aren’t getting it—even when the question is something as basic as “what is one fewer than seven hundred.” When the same student returns the following semester for a second class, entirely new struggles come to the surface, giving Amanda a whole new set of challenges to navigate. The conversation dives into strategies, frustrations, and small victories along the way. Come listen to what Amanda tried, and maybe plan something fun afterward to lift your spirits.

Maybe actual spirits.

Starting class with a homemade board game or thinking about a healthy game of ring toss to liven things up? Doing something fun in the classroom can do a lot for students’ engagement with course content, whether or not the actual activity is related to the class. It is about reducing stress and building interpersonal connections so that students can come back to the class energized and refreshed.This week is a reprisal of Amanda’s presentation from our summer teaching and learning conference. She is doing her favorite thing in this one – not being a serious person. Amanda talks about how it felt to ask 30+ adults to play a trivia board game that she made up and the duo unpack what it is that games can bring to your next class. Also, find Amanda's geology students on Instagram @ monroe_cc_geology!Let’s get into it!