Faculty Workshops
Presented in collaboration with the Mellon Humanities grant and the Crown Center for Teaching
Open to all faculty and staff.
To ensure we have enough food, please RSVP using the Google Form under each workshop description.
Creativity and Innovation Workshops for all faculty AY 2024-25
When: 3rd week of the block
Where: in C&I’s Honnen classroom (101)
Block 1 Thursday 9/12 12:30-2:00
Multiple Narratives, Kris Stanec
Multiple Narratives lays a foundation for the creative process by valuing students' lived experiences and cultural identities as they construct knowledge collaboratively. This method promotes active listening and inquiry. It can be easily adapted for check-ins as well as integrated with course content to get students thinking metaphorically and creatively about the class.
Block 2 Tuesday, 10/8 12:30 – 2:00
Ten questions, Jessica Hunter
This problem-finding activity is designed to help us think through messy, ill-defined problems where the parameters aren't clearly specified and the goal isn't clear. The Ten Questions exercise asks participants to practice using divergent and convergent thinking to generate multiple questions surrounding their problem, then choose the question that best fits what they want to explore.
Block 3 Thursday 11/7 12:30—2:00
Lyrical Questions, Kris and Jessica
Lyrical Questions is a community-building experience that can have a profound bonding effect. The interviews give participants insight into one another in a surprisingly short time. For groups that will be working together in an ongoing way, the exercise creates a foundation of respect and empathy, which makes all the work go more smoothly. It may also allow people with differing perspectives to engage in generative and respectful conversations.
Block 4 – no formal workshop – find spaciousness
Give yourself the gift of an hour that you don't fill with work- alternatively, during this time, experiment with finding ways to connect to something that you find uplifting. What kind of spaciousness can you create in this now unplanned hour? What possibilities can you explore that might put you in a positive "place" - physical or metaphorical? How can you stay open to whatever happens? We see this practice as a radical act of self-compassion, and we hope you take the hour to be creative in ways that bring you joy during a busy time.
Block 5 Thursday 2/6 2:00-3:30
Perception and Creativity at FAC– Jessica Hunter
Although remaining open and receptive when faced with ambiguous situations is a component of creative thinking, we typically make decisions about unfamiliar things quickly. This session features exercises designed to help build participants’ tolerance of ambiguity so they might eventually make more creative decisions.
Block 6 Thursday 3/6 2:00-3:30
Polarity Thinking – Kris Stanec
Polarities, also called dilemmas, tensions or paradoxes, are differences between two alternatives. Each pole brings something positive to the interdependent pair and each pole becomes a liability without its pole partner. This workshop will explore this phenomenon and the dynamics by which it functions to more creatively and effectively leverage its energy.