Book Circles - Summer 2023
The CTLT hosts book circles every academic quarter and during summers. They are open to all Cal Poly educators. Selected books draw from a broad array of thoughtful and inspiring educational literature. These are opportunities to enrich your knowledge about timely and significant topics related to higher education while engaging with colleagues from across campus. Themes for book circle selections include: Mindful Educators, Mastery Teaching, Inclusive Educators, Navigating Academia, Sustainability Educators, and Writing Educators. Participants receive a complimentary copy of the selected book with the expectation that they will engage in three or more discussion sessions.
NOTE: Our cumulative Book Circles list of titles is available on the CTLT's Book Circle archival webpage.
Promoting Belonging, Growth Mindset, and Resilience to Foster Student Success
By Amy Baldwin, bryce bunting, Doug Daugherty, latoya lewis, and Tim Steenbergh
The most effective educators are masters at motivating all learners. An essential element of well-known models of motivation is a supportive environment. Educators who convey to their students that they belong, who encourage adoption of a growth mindset, and who teach them how to be resilient when engaging challenges are more likely to see greater student success. When your students know that you care about their success, that you believe in their capacity to meet high expectations, and that you will help when needed, they are more likely to persist through the uncertainties and hard work required for deep learning.
This book is a rich compilation of research-grounded ideas and recommendations that can nurture a supportive environment in your classes and greatly enhance your students' engagement and their persistence.
The book is available for free download through Kennedy Library.
- Dates: Thursdays, July 20, 27 and August 3, 10
- Time: 12:10-1 pm
- Location: Online in Zoom (link will be sent to registrants)
- Facilitator: Dr. Patrick O'Sullivan (CTLT)
A "mastery Teaching" selection
An "inclusive educator" selection
Register for Summer 2023 Book Circles
Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life
by Susan David
This summer it will be more than three years since our professional and personal worlds were turned inside out and upside down by the pandemic. During that time, the stresses on our physical and psychological wellbeing have been relentless as we strived to sustain the quality of our work as educators. Despite the waning urgency of the pandemic, many of us continue to navigate through lingering wellbeing challenges both professionally and personally. This book circle is intended to be a restorative retreat, an opportunity to tend to our own wellbeing in community with our colleagues at a time when our personal capacities may be running low. Dr. Susan David is a noted psychologist at the Harvard Medical School, which helps this book carry credibility among the many others in the self-help genre. The book details "the psychological skills critical to thriving in times of complexity and change," which is especially appropriate for us at this time. Her TED talk will give you a glimpse into her work and ideas: "The Gift and Power of Emotional Courage" (now at 10.2 million views). Enhancing your own emotional agility can strengthen your capacity to support your students through their wellbeing challenges (see the CTLT's Teaching for Wellbeing pages). In addition to well-informed and engaging guidance from Dr. David, this book circle is a way to connect with your Cal Poly colleagues for mutual support and rich, caring human contact.
- Dates: Thursdays, July 20, 28 and August 3, 10
- Time: 9:10 am-10:00 pm
- Location: Online in Zoom (link will be sent to registrants)
- Facilitators: Dr. Patrick O'Sullivan (CTLT) and Stefanee Maurice (KINE)
A "mindful educator" selection
