This Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) newsletter includes:

• Upcoming Opportunities – a curated list of professional development for part-time faculty
• Teaching Tips – resources to help you in the classroom
• Student Services Spotlight – information to help you support students
• UNO: Did You Know – an interesting tidbit about UNO

Teaching Tools for Difficult Classroom Situations

January 30, 12:00 to 1:00

UCAT and the UNO Care Team are sponsoring lunch and candid conversations about dealing with difficult classroom scenarios. Register for Teaching Tools for Difficult Classroom Situations on the CFE calendar.

TABS – Spring registration is open

TABS provides an opportunity to assess your pedagogical strengths and weaknesses. All assessments are confidential, free, and based on UNO’s end-of-course teaching evaluations. You will receive a one-on-one meeting with a TABS consultant who will provide you with your TABS report. Registration due dates are available on CFE's calendar.

10-day Writing Challenge

Want to carve out some time for writing? Join the Spring 10-day Writing Challenge. It is low-stress, based on your schedule, and a way to provide you with some accountability and move you toward your writing goals for the semester.

The importance of the first day/module of teaching is not to be discounted. Most instructors plan an icebreaker activity and cover the syllabus. Yes, these are important. However, consider these suggestions as well.

1. Ask students what they already know about course topics and have them share this information with a few of their peers. This activates prior knowledge and encourages class participation and discussion.
2. Dive into content by posing an intriguing question related to the course content. This piques curiosity and sets the expectation for students’ cognitive engagement during class.
3. Give students an assignment (yes, on the very first day) to set a personal learning goal for the semester and have them turn this in before the end of class. This gets students involved in their learning, and you can periodically have them check their progress throughout the semester.

UNO’s Office of Student Leadership, Involvement, and Inclusion (SLII) provides an inclusive space and opportunity for all students to elevate their college experience. Located in the Milo Bail Student Center, SLII provides scholarship aid, academic support, and personal connections.

Encourage students to join one of SLII’s many student organizations and to participate in upcoming cultural celebrations. The spring semester includes these heritage months:

• Black History (February)
• Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage (April/May)

You can get Durango Discounts at businesses across Omaha by simply showing your MavCard. Enjoy savings at restaurants, for entertainment, and on a variety of products. Participating businesses are listed on the Durango Discounts website.