What is the purpose of teaching? In the university with its many demands, this seemingly simple, vital question often is neglected, with the result that teaching can default to a transactional exercise that leaves both teacher and student wanting. In this cohort we will reinvigorate our personal vision and consider holistic teaching as a calling.

Over lunch at Upper House, we will explore what it means to teach with purpose. We will delve into what it means to seek the flourishing of our students and ways our teaching might draw from a deeper well of meaning. We will also reflect on what it means to be called to teach. And because there is no one way to teach well, we will glean insights from diverse teachers about how they think about and thrive in their vocations.

At our first meeting, we will focus on readings that prompt our purposeful thinking about teaching. At the next three gatherings, we will hear from distinguished university educators, who will share about their intentional approaches to teaching, how they have evolved as educators, and how they view teaching as a vocation. At our last meeting, we will reflect on takeaways and discuss practical applications.

Details

Learning Cohort Size = 20 people

Lunch

Free and provided by Upper House

Meeting Times and Location

• Thursdays, 12:00-1:15 PM — February 23, March 9, March 23, April 6, and April 20
• Upper House, 365 East Campus Mall, Suite 200

Resources

Readings will be distributed via email as PDFs

Learning Cohort Leaders

Maggie Flamingo is a Ph.D. candidate in History at UW-Madison. An experienced educator, she has taught in a variety of university, private school, and church settings.

Eric Carlsson is Fellows Program Director at Upper House and a Teaching Associate in the History Department at UW-Madison. He has taught in the public university setting for more than twenty years.