Writing Ideas

Get your kicks on Write 6 by 6

The Center for Teaching, Learning & Engagement invites faculty, staff and administrators to create blogs with a total of 6 pieces of writing, over the span of 6 weeks beginning  Jan 29, 2024. These blog postings are about teaching, learning, and student success. What you write about specifically is up to you. You have free rein, but if you need some ideas:

Week 1 (Jan 29-Feb 2)

One of this week’s prompts is inspired by our own Krysten Pampel’s Tiny Tech Tip video series. You may have also seen the Teaching Tip infographic series from The Scholarly Teacher.

Option 1: What’s your best Tiny Tip? Share your favorite resources or tools and explain how they have improved your teaching practices or the work you do here at GCC.

Option 2: How do you arrange your workspace to inspire yourself or others on campus?

Week 2 (Feb 5-9)

Option 1: An AI Story: Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude are here to stay. Are you using AI in your work here at GCC? Are you teaching students how to use these tools? Share your AI story with us.

Maybe you’ve not yet tinkered with AI or you’re on the fence about this new tool. For a little inspiration, listen once more to the first four minutes of President Hernandez’s opening speech at this semester’s convocation.

Option 2:  When was the last time you learned something new? What was that like?

Week 3 (Feb 12-16)

Diversity is the backbone of our GCC community. One of this week’s questions is inspired by the great work our colleague Roxanna Dewey is doing in this area. Take a look at some of the research she’s done on college students with Autism Spectrum Disorder published in The Scholarly Teacher in May and these IDEA resources she’s compiled for our campus.

Option 1: How do you support neurodiverse students? What is your own experience with neurodiversity?  (Neurodiversity can include Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and Dyspraxia.)

Option 2: Discuss the importance of creating an inclusive and diverse collegiate environment and share practical tips for achieving it.

Option 3: What film or TV show best represents your journey to higher ed?

Week 4 (Feb 19-23)

Option 1: GCC  fosters opportunities for life-long learning in our community. How do you embrace the value of life-long learning? Write about the importance of continuous professional development in your role here at GCC and share your personal experiences and growth.

Option 2: What books, films, workshops, conferences have you learned something from recently? Are there any resources you regularly use for your learning?

Option 3: Who/What makes up your learning network? Map out your learning network.

Week 5 (Feb 26-March 1)

Option 1: Reflect on the challenges and opportunities of working with students on a pandemic-era college campus. Share strategies for engaging students in virtual learning environments.

Option 2: What area or areas on campus hold a special significance for you?

Option 3: What disco era song best reflects your approach to working with students?

Week 6 (March 4-8)

Option 1: Is there anyone in education you felt was exemplary in teaching, learning, or student success? Reflect on your experiences as a student. Consider elementary school through college.

Option 2: What’s your superhero origin story? What events conspired to bring you to this moment in your professional career?

Additional Prompts If Needed

FUN PROMPTS

  • If you could have dinner with one famous person (living/dead) who would it be? Explain why.
  • If you were asked to go back to your high school to give a ten minute speech to the senior class about college, what would you talk about? Explain why.
  • If you could be a fly on the wall on any place on campus, where would you want to be? Explain why.

ADVICE PROMPTS

  • If you could offer one piece of advice for success to faculty, staff, or students what would it be? Explain your answer.
  • What is one piece of advice you can offer faculty, staff, or students on how to overcome adversity? Explain your answer.
  • If you could offer one piece of advice to faculty, staff, or students on how to maintain work/life balance, what would it be? Explain your answer.

TEACHING, LEARNING, STUDENT SUCCESS PROMPTS

  • Past: Is there anyone in education you felt was exemplary in teaching, learning, or student success? Reflect on your experiences as a student. Consider elementary school through college.
  • Present: What are the skills that are needed for the 21st-century faculty, staff, or student? Explain your answer.
  • Future: What will teaching, learning, or student success look like 20 years from now? What are the skills that will be needed for the future?
  • Future: What is the “real world” we are preparing our students for?
 

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Get Your Kicks on Write 6×6