Teaching circles and book clubs are small communities of like-minded educators who meet monthly throughout a semester or academic year to focus on a specific teaching-related issue. Led by UATA’s Faculty Teaching Fellows, these groups offer the opportunity to connect and engage with faculty members across campus with similar interests and goals. Open to all full- and part-time faculty. Books will be provided. Check out the options for Fall 2025 and sign up today!
The Teaching Collective: A Wellness Approach to Work-Life
Facilitator – Abby Horton, Assistant Professor, Capstone College of Nursing
Description, Location, and Schedule
- Description – This teaching circle offers a monthly space for faculty to connect, reflect and share strategies for fostering personal wellness and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Each session will center around a specific theme, such as setting boundaries, managing stress, sustaining energy or aligning personal values with professional goals. Through guided discussion and peer support, participants will explore practical tools to help them thrive both personally and professionally.
- Location – 1332 University Hall
- Time frame – Full academic year
- Fall 2025 meeting dates
- Sept. 11, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
- Oct. 9, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
- Nov. 13, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
- Dec. 4, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
The Opposite of Cheating Book Club
Facilitator – Jessica Kidd, Associate Professor, Department of English
Description, Location, and Schedule
- Description – This book club intends to spur conversation about effective teaching in the face of the daunting academic integrity challenges posed by generative AI. This group will meet monthly throughout the 2025-2026 academic year to discuss the newly published book The Opposite of Cheating.This book is written by two of the foremost experts on academic integrity and “presents a positive, forward-looking, research-backed vision for what classroom integrity can look like in the GenAI era, both in cyberspace and on campus. Accordingly, the book outlines workable measures teachers can use to better understand why students cheat and to prevent cheating while aiming to enhance learning and integrity” (www.oupress.com).
- Location – 1332 University Hall
- Time frame – Full academic year
- Fall 2025 meeting dates
- Sept. 10, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
- Oct. 8, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
- Nov. 12, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
- Dec. 3, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
The Spark of Learning Book Club/Teaching Circle
Facilitator – Isabelle Drewelow, Associate Professor, Modern Languages and Classics
Description, Location, and Schedule
- Description – This book club/teaching circle focuses on creating a collaborative space for interdisciplinary dialogue about the emotional dimensions of teaching and learning. Through reading and discussion, faculty will reflect on what makes learning experiences meaningful, memorable and grounded in personal growth. This group will meet for eight sessions over the 2025–2026 academic year. Sessions 1 through 6 will discuss The Spark of Learning: Energizing the College Classroom With the Science of Emotionby Sarah Rose Cavanagh, with one chapter explored in each session. In Session 7, participants will brainstorm and propose classroom-based activities designed to foster interest and enjoyment in learning. In Session 8, the group will focus on developing assignments that build student confidence and curiosity and elicit feelings of pride in their work.
- Location – 2008 University Hall
- Time frame – Full academic year
- Fall 2025 meeting dates
- Sept. 24, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
- Oct. 22, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
- Nov. 12, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
- Dec. 3, 9:30-10:30 a.m.