Week 7: Focusing on Colleagues
Teaching gets better when we talk about it—find (or create) your circle.
Last week we looked at the first two lenses of autobiography and students’ eyes. If interested, you can listen to the accompanying podcast here.
Our colleagues and the rich landscape of pedagogical theory can offer insight, challenge, and affirmation. This week, we explore the third lens of reflection: what we learn from professional conversations. While I have written before about the importance of building relationships with our colleagues, this is about a more specific type of peer relationship.
Seeking Colleagues’ Perspectives
Brookfield reminds us that “we need the eyes of others to help us see our teaching more clearly.” Too often, we treat teaching as a private act, but it’s also a shared craft. When we make space for honest conversations about what’s working, what’s hard, and what we’re trying, we invite new perspectives and build a culture of trust and growth. This doesn’t have to mean formal peer review; in fact, it should be an evaluation-free space. It can start with a conversation over coffee, a shared reading group, or a colleague observing just one class to offer feedback.
When we talk with others about our teaching - sharing what’s working, what’s frustrating, and where we’re stuck - we create space for new ideas to emerge. Whether you’re part of a formal group or just starting to look for a teaching partner, the following activities can help guide meaningful reflection and conversation.
🔎 INQUIRE
Think back: What’s the most impactful teaching insight you’ve gained from a colleague?
✏️ APPLY
Where can you find a partner or a community of peers? Perhaps you already have a “go-to” person in your department or program—but there are many ways to expand your circle of reflective dialogue:
Join or start a teaching group: Many campuses offer faculty learning communities, book clubs, or informal groups centered around teaching. If yours doesn’t, start small: invite 2–3 colleagues to meet monthly over coffee or lunch to share ideas and challenges.
Explore interdisciplinary connections: Sometimes the most insightful conversations come from colleagues outside your department. Reach out to someone who teaches in a different discipline—you may be surprised how much your classroom challenges (and solutions!) overlap.
Connect beyond your immediate circle: Librarians, instructional designers, advisors, and teaching center staff often bring a unique, big-picture perspective on student learning and pedagogy. Don’t overlook their potential as thoughtful partners in reflection.
Leverage social media and online communities: Platforms like Twitter/X, Threads, Mastodon, and LinkedIn host vibrant networks of educators discussing pedagogy (#AcademicTwitter, #Ungrading, #HigherEd, #Pedagogy). You might also explore Subreddits (like r/Professors or r/Teachers) or join discipline-specific Facebook groups or Discord servers.
Attend campus events or workshops: Teaching centers, diversity offices, and assessment units often host events where you can meet others who care about good teaching. Even a one-time workshop can spark an ongoing dialogue.
Use what you already do: If you serve on a curriculum committee, advise a student group, or participate in a research team, consider whether any of those colleagues might be open to talking about teaching.
💬 CONNECT
Each week this summer I have offered a connection prompt that I hope some of you have used to reach out to colleagues. If you haven't yet found a thinking-and-talking partner, I really encourage you to do it this week as we are using the lens of our colleagues to provide new perspectives.
This week, initiate a short conversation with a colleague - ideally someone who's teaching you respect - and ask: “What’s one thing you’ve changed in your teaching this year, and why?” Reflect on what you learned from that conversation and whether it sparked any ideas for your own practice.
🧩 SCALE
Consider how you might add a layer of reflective dialogue to your existing small-group opportunities. Often, opportunities to chat with colleagues end up with us sharing challenges or issues without coming to some kind of resolution or conclusion. While it’s important to have times where we can safely “unload” with peers, as faculty developers we can have an eye to the bigger picture and offer more structured opportunities to share. The critical friends model is one way to facilitate this sharing.
If you listen to the Week 7 podcast that will be published later this week, I’ll share my responses to these prompts there. In the meantime, you can listen to my interview with Dr. Janel Seeley about the power of reflective dialogue - open to all, no subscription needed!
Next week, we’ll talk about the final lens of educational theory. As always, thanks for reading!