Practices

Teaching Rule of Life (Cohorts 1-2)

Use the guidelines and questions from Teaching for Spiritual Formation's Conclusion and Appendix 1 (ebook) to craft a "Teaching Rule of Life." This exercise is designed to lead you into deeper reflections on 1) your vocation as a Christian teacher at George Fox given its theological roots and mission; 2) the unique ways that your personality, discipline, experiences, and perspectives influence your work; and 3) how you integrate assessment for mission themes (which all flow from GFU’s theological foundation) into your course learning outcomes, assignments, and feedback to students.

The rule of life has five focus areas:

1) The Teacher

2) The Student

3) Curriculum

4) Pedagogy

5) Formation

To start, choose only one guideline, boundary, or goal for each focus area. As you develop a sense of how this tool can be applied to your work, then you might choose to expand on this. You can find in-depth questions about each area in the first appendix of the ebook linked above. 

Due by November 14. Please upload your rule of life to your personal folder in this Google Drive.

*NOTE: Cohort 3 does not need to complete the Teaching Rule of Life.

Metaphor Integration (Cohorts 1-2, Cohort 3 with no faith-based teaching experience)

We have all found ourselves needing inspiration and refreshment in how we teach. As a way to consider deeply a new approach or framing, choose one of the three scriptural metaphors illustrated in Teaching and Christian Imagination.

 The three metaphors are:

• Part 1: Journey/Pilgrimage

• Part 2: Garden/Wilderness

• Part 3: Buildings/Walls

After reading your selected section, develop three artifacts that demonstrate how you applied this metaphor to your teaching. The artifacts could be outcomes, syllabi, lessons, activities, practices, assignments—whatever inspires you the most. Choose one of the artifacts to use in your classroom in December and/or January and reflect on its incorporation. I would encourage you to choose artifacts that connect to your teaching goals as these can be used in your Faculty Growth Plan and Third Year Portfolio. 

Some reflection prompts: What did you do? How did it go? What would you keep? What would you revise?

Due by January 30. Please upload your artifacts and reflections to your personal folder in this Google Drive.

*NOTE: Cohort 3 with faith-learning background does not need to complete the Metaphor Integration assignment

Teaching Consultation (Cohorts 1-2, strongly recommended for all)

Before the end of March, you will work in consultation with the faculty guide to design a teaching consultation. A consultation can include observing a class, offering syllabus coaching, videotaping course sections, reviewing evaluations, mentoring, etc. Because the spirit of this practice is to improve teaching, all sessions will be held confidential. 

Click here to schedule by the end of January, but available as early as September. 

Consultation should be finished by March 31.

*NOTE: This is required for Cohorts 1 & 2 and strongly suggested for Cohort 3 for your portfolio. 

Faculty Growth Plan (All Cohorts)

Using the template revised by the Tenure and Promotion Task Force, you will work collaboratively to complete a faculty growth plan draft to review with your supervisor. While we will draw on material from throughout the year, this will primarily be completed during our May Deep Dive retreat.

*NOTE: Required for ALL Cohorts. The May 15th deadline is set before the official deadline to your supervisor so that you can receive feedback. 

To streamline the process, here are all of the necessary Google Drive files here. This includes the template, integration and teaching rubric, and scholarship and service expectations by program. 

• Scholarship Expectations by Program

• Service Expectations by Program

• Faculty Growth Plan Template

• New! Link to FGP WEB INTERFACE (Watch this helpful video first to familiarize yourself with the process)