Practices

Teaching Squares

You will have two options:

• Form a teaching triad with your learning community modeled after the teaching square system. This is a non-evaluative peer process focused on strengths and appreciation.

• A consultation with the faculty development director, which 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.

✏️ Whichever route you choose, you must begin the process by the middle of October, but you can begin as early as September. To receive the stipend, the process must be completed and materials submitted by November 24.

Learning Community Vocation Reflection

In To Know As We Are Known, Parker Palmer writes, “Vocation does not come from a voice ‘out there’ calling me to become something I am not. It comes from a voice ‘in here’ calling me to be the person I was born to be, to fulfill the original selfhood given me at birth by God. It is a strange gift, this birthright of self. Accepting it turn out to be even more demanding than attempting to become someone else! I have sometimes responded to the demand by ignoring the gift, or hiding it, or fleeing from it, or squandering it—and I think I am not alone. There is a Hasidic tale that reveals, with amazing brevity, both the universal tendency to want to be someone else and the ultimate importance of becoming one’s self. Rabbi Zusya, when he was an old man, said, ‘In the coming world, they will not ask me: why were you not Moses? They will ask me: why were you not Zusya?”

Using the above quote as a starting point, reflect on what vocation means to you as a faculty member at George Fox University. 

• How do you respond to the idea of vocation? What has it meant in your life?

• How does the "person I was born to be" shape my calling and work as a faculty member?

• What are the ways that I am tempted to ignore, hide, or flee from the "birthright of self"?

Strong answers will incorporate readings and discussions from your learning community and should be 500-750 words.

This reflection will help to inform how you approach Section 2: Integration in your third-year review portfolio. 

✏️ Due by December 19.

Faith-Learning Essay Draft

Drawing on the practices and rhythms from both Years 1 and 2 (e.g. metaphor integration assignment, readings like The Flourishing Teacher and Courage to Teach, learning community vocation reflection, etc.), respond to the following prompts from the faculty handbook in about 1,000 words: 

1. How would you describe your journey of Christian faith? 

2. How do you integrate your foundational understanding of the Christian faith within your academic discipline?

3. How do you use faith-oriented scholarly concepts and materials in your teaching or research?

These answers will be your "first-draft space," which will become the basis for your third-year review portfolio. Focus on incorporating the work you've already done (i.e. practices) and the conversations you've already engaged with (i.e. readings and discussions), especially for questions 2-3. This ensures that your answers are based in rich theological insights and traditions. 

For your reference, here is the exact language from the faculty handbook: 

Section I (500-750 words)

Share your journey of Christian faith. 

Section II: Integration (500-750 words)

The integration of our Christian faith includes both:

1. Understanding: Christian practices and philosophies integrated into teaching pedagogy.

2. Practices: How your life in Christ and Christian practices permeates your curriculum and course instruction.

Reflection prompts: Given the above concepts, please respond to the following prompts in your integration reflection:

4. How do you integrate your foundational understanding of the Christian faith within your academic discipline?

5. How do you use faith-oriented scholarly concepts and materials in your teaching or research?

✏️ Due by March 27. Upload your work to this Google Drive folder.

Third-Year Review Portfolio Drafts of Section 1 and Section 2 (selections)

Using the details provided in Appendix C of the faculty handbook, you will work to complete a third-year review portfolio draft of Section 1 (Journey of Christian Faith) and Section 2 (Integration and Teaching ONLY). While we will draw on material from throughout the year, this will primarily be completed during our May Deep Dive retreat.

To streamline the process, I've linked all of the necessary Google Drive files here. This includes the integration and teaching rubric, scholarship and service expectations by program, and the snapshot file that provides timelines and links.

• Integration and Teaching Rubric for Promotion

• Scholarship Expectations by Program

• Service Expectations by Program

• Academic Operations Standard Operating Procedure: Faculty Tenure, Peer Review, and Promotion

✏️ First-Draft Portfolio: Due May 15th. Upload your work to this Google Drive folder. 

(Note: This first draft should be the correct approximate word count, but might still have some gaps or unpolished prose. Once you have completed your submission and it has been reviewed, you will receive your final stipend check for the year.)