Open Classroom Days Spring 2025

NYUSH Open Classroom Days - A Week of Pedagogical Sharing

NYUSH Open Classroom Days offer a platform for interdisciplinary exchange of teaching practices, fostering connections across classrooms, labs, and arts workshops. Faculty can engage in reflective teaching by opening their classrooms to colleagues or by stepping into the role of a student, experiencing and learning from each other’s teaching approaches. This collective engagement strengthens our teaching and learning communities through openness and collaboration.

Why Participate?

  • Reflect on Your Teaching: Observe colleagues and consider how different strategies can enhance your own practice.
  • Collaborate with Peers: Engage in meaningful exchanges of innovative teaching techniques.
  • Build Cross-Disciplinary Connections: Strengthen our faculty community through openness and shared learning.
  • Advance Teaching Excellence: Showcase effective classroom strategies and prioritize continuous improvement.
  • Identify Areas for Growth: Discover new ideas that can be explored in future workshops and professional development opportunities.

We invite you to be part of this initiative—whether by opening your classroom, visiting a colleague’s session, or both. Join us in fostering a culture of openness, reflection, and excellence in teaching!

Open Classroom Days 2025 | Key Dates

11 - 17 February Register as a Host
20 - 25 February Register as a Visitor
28 February  Open Classroom Goal-Setting Session
3 - 7 March NYUSH Open Classroom Days
5 March Teaching Excellence Lunch & Learn: NYUSH Student Perspectives on GenAI: Survey Insights on Academic Use, Motivations, and Impact RSVP HERE
11 March  Reflective Circles & Reception

 

NYUSH Open Classroom Days 2025 - How It Works

During March 3-7, 2025, faculty members will participate as either Hosts or Visitors in an open exchange of teaching practices:

  • Hosts invite colleagues into their classrooms, providing an opportunity to observe their teaching in action.
  • Visitors gain insight into different instructional approaches, student engagement strategies, and disciplinary perspectives beyond their own field.

To maximize the experience, participants will take part in two key sessions:

  • Pre-Event Goal-Setting Session: Before Open Classroom Days, faculty will have the opportunity to set personal learning goals and discuss what they hope to gain from the visits.
  • Post-Reflection Session: After class visits, faculty will come together to share key takeaways, reflect on what inspired them, and explore ways to integrate new teaching strategies into their own practice.
Guidelines for Open Classroom Days Participation

1. Voluntary Participation

Participation in Open Classroom Days is entirely voluntary for both Hosting and Visiting Faculty. The goal is to foster interdisciplinary exchange and reflective teaching practices in a non-evaluative setting.

For Potential Hosts:

  • Consider your comfort level and whether the class session is suitable for observation.
  • Do not host during sessions that involve student presentations, exams, or guest speakers.
  • This is an opportunity to showcase effective teaching strategies and contribute to the broader NYUSH teaching community.

2. Non-Evaluative Nature

  • This program is formative for Visitors and non-evaluative for Hosts. The focus is on learning and reflective teaching, not assessment.
  • Deans and Associate Deans are discouraged from observing within their own division.
  • Faculty should not observe colleagues they are involved in evaluating for tenure, promotion, or renewal.

3. Ensuring Student Comfort

  • Hosting Faculty must inform students in advance about classroom visits.
  • Communication should:
    • Explain the purpose of the observation.
    • Provide transparency about the process.
    • Ensure students feel comfortable with observers present.
  • Sharing class content in advance can help set expectations and address concerns.

4. Maintaining a Non-Disruptive Class Environment

  • Hosting Faculty have full discretion over the number of Visitors.
  • To maintain an optimal learning environment, we recommend limiting Visitors to 2–3 per session to avoid disruptions.

For Visitors

5. Encouragement of Interdisciplinary Visits

  • Faculty are encouraged to explore classrooms outside their own divisions.
  • Observing different disciplines can provide new perspectives and insights into diverse teaching techniques.

6. Visitor Briefing and Behavioral Norms

  • Pre-visit briefings will provide guidance on observation etiquette.
  • Visitors should:
    • Minimize disruptions and observe in a respectful, non-intrusive manner.
    • Use reflective worksheets to guide observations and focus on pedagogical takeaways applicable to their own teaching.