We talk about the emotional aspects of teaching. We look at maintaining authority while fostering an open and supportive classroom environment.We take up the emotional resilience and introspection called for by teaching, offering thoughts on supporting students while navigating professional boundaries.

We look at how teaching the humanities brings challenges and opportunities. We talk about the varying backgrounds of students, and how many initially struggle with the open-ended nature of humanities knowledge. We also look at the role of AI as students navigate writing in disciplines.

We discuss the ways that academic labor calls for a balancing act. Teaching feels personal and fulfilling, contributing to one’s development as an educator. But teaching can absorb large amounts of time and energy. We talk about the need for support and meaningful engagements to help navigate.

The conversation takes up academic integrity and the evolving role of AI in education. We take up AI, authorship, accountability, and the responsibilities of both students and instructors. The discussion highlights the importance of emphasizing reading, writing, and thinking in maintaining academic integrity.

We look at traditional grading and labor-based systems and navigating the complexities of student motivation. The conversation sheds light on the varied approaches to evaluating student work. We highlight the pedagogical opportunities presented by focusing on feedback over grades.

Peer review drives reflection and growth for both students and instructors. We look at strategies to maximize its effectiveness. Students can actively participate in creating the rubric for peer review, encouraging a sense of ownership and reducing passivity. More frequent, short peer review sessions can build familiarity and expertise among students. We can transform peer…

We unpack the concept of modeling in the classroom. We argue that imitation in writing is intertwined with identity. The classroom shapes both instructors’ and students’ identities through interaction, reflection, and the shared endeavor of writing.

We look at group work in writing classes. We take up not only writing and rhetoric but also the collaboration experiences that students gain. We discuss strategies for decentralizing authority and fostering a classroom environment where students support one other’s learning, promoting both personal and academic growth.

The instructors discuss various strategies they’ve employed to instill a sense of agency and ownership among their students, advocating for a balance between providing structure and allowing freedom.