Rhythms

Monthly Triad Conversations  (All Cohorts)

Triads offer small-group opportunities to discuss readings, reflect on work, consider vocational direction, and provide accountability for rhythms and practices. These cross-divisional circles highlight the diversity of faculty experiences at George Fox to heighten interdisciplinary collaboration and celebrate a myriad of scholarship and teaching approaches.

Triads generally meet monthly at a time/place agreed on by the group.  

At minimum, triads should:

• Establish community agreements (You can form your own or use this model.)

• Discuss the monthly chapter in The Flourishing Teacher (Questions for each meeting are sent out in the monthly newsletter).

• Hold each other accountable to weekly reflective writing rhythms.

• Invite the Faculty Development Director to attend your group once over the fall term. This is a great chance to get your questions answered and have dedicated time for coaching, support, and encouragement.

For triads with deep connection and synergy, you might also consider sharing practice work with one another, having a monthly meal together, or offering peer teaching support. 

Weekly Reflective Writing (All Cohorts)

Overview

Talmudic wisdom understood (and Anaïs Nin popularized) that “We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.” Reflection helps us to pause and pull apart the experiences and conversations of the week and consider them in light of God’s story and what we hold valuable. Developing the weekly rhythm of writing (or even audio recording) allows us to build reflective muscle, which will shape our abilities to think more deeply about the integration between faith and our work. 

These weekly reflections are meant to be meaningful and straightforward. To that end, here is a list of questions that may come up for you as you attempt this rhythm.

Common Questions:

What should I write about? 

That depends. Some weeks it might help to reflect on the reading, especially as it connects to your own teaching work. Courage to Teach has questions woven throughout that you might find valuable. Other weeks you might incorporate reflections on one of your practices, such as the Metaphor Assignment or Teaching Consultation. A few of you may decide to use the reflective writing to pay particular attention to one class. You could decide to use a different framing question every week. For those of you who need structure, it's here. For those of you who prefer the ability to shape the topics as they are relevant to you, that's also an option. 

Do we have to turn these in?

Not formally. But if they are done consistently, then they will be "turned in" throughout the term in a variety of ways. They will inform your discussions, map out how you are approaching particular practices, and be integrated into your teaching. Ultimately, they should serve as a trove for your Faculty Growth Plan, considerably lightening the lift of that work.

Do we have to share our reflections with our Triads?

You will never be forced to share anything during The Circle years. That said, we all benefit from accountability and deadlines. Triads are intended to offer this in a less performative way. Just as writing groups launch better (and more productive) writers, triads are well-positioned to help you solidify rhythms and prioritize important work. If it's useful for your group, you might consider including a bit on accountability in your community agreements. 

What do you mean by "reflective" writing?

Reflective writing ponders lived experiences alongside internal conversations in order to make sense of them. The best kinds of reflections take broader conversations (e.g. questions, ideas, words, topics that emerge in readings/discussions/mass culture) and apply them to specific aspects of your life. In some disciplines, reflective writing can be dismissed as intellectually "lightweight." I disagree. One of my favorite Old Testament books, Ecclesiastes, demonstrates the reflective writings of a deep thinker (Solomon) near the end of his life. It's the reflective components that make it, for me, the most intellectually satisfying of biblical wisdom literature. Since the Faculty Growth Plan incorporates a reflective self-assessment, it's incredibly helpful to have practice with this kind of writing ahead of time. 

Do I have to write?

You sure don't. You could use the audio recording feature on your phone or computer if you're an external processor. You might consider drawing your reflection one week if that's a helpful processing tool for you. I often vary my reflections in these ways to pull myself out of ruts. I will add that writing often clarifies my thinking more often than other mediums. Personally, I've learned that when my writing is fuzzy, it indicates that my thinking is also fuzzy. (I couldn't agree more with Joan Didion's observation that "writing is the concrete manifestation of thinking.") As such, it can take more work, but I find that the work is often rewarding in ways that I don't understand in the moment.