Miami’s Teaching and Learning Center Partners with the Writing Studio for Faculty Enrichment

The Miami campus’ Teaching and Learning Center and Writing Studio teamed-up for a team building afternoon.  As part of the faculty enrichment list of events, faculty members engaged in a Chalk Talk structured conversation, participated in the Compass Points activity, and were briefly introduced to a Continuum Dialogue.  For the Chalk Talk, faculty members defined icebreakers and team builders, identified some of the most memorable ones they have experienced, and reflected on the characteristics that make icebreakers or team builders effective and meaningful.  Then, the faculty practiced the Compass Points exercise, designed to explore particular preferences and styles when working in groups.  Teachers identified themselves as either North (action-oriented), South (people-oriented), East (vision-oriented), or West (detail-oriented), and discussed and shared the strengths and limitations of their style.  Each group also selected the style they find most difficult to work with, highlighted what other styles need to know about them so that they can work together more effectively, and explained what they value most about all the other styles.  At the end of the session, the faculty-participants were asked for a one-word reflection on the day’s work.  Teachers left with a smile on their face and a packet in their hands, which included all the protocols used in the session and a list of 20 icebreakers/team builders to use with students.