Faculty Development Groups

A Pedagogy of Kindness by Dr. Catherine Denial articulates a fresh vision for teaching—one that centers on ensuring justice, believing people, and believing in people. Drawing on evidence-based insights and her own rich experiences as a professor, Denial offers practical strategies for reshaping syllabi, assessing student performance, and fostering trust and belonging in the classroom. Her suggestions for concrete, scalable actions outline nothing less than a transformational approach to education—one in which we create bright, compassionate spaces where all those engaged in teaching and learning can truly thrive.

Book Link:

A Pedagogy of Kindness by Dr. Catherine J. Denial (University of Oklahoma Press, 2024):
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/kbcc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=30858598

Meeting and Reading Schedule

 All meetings will be held in a hybrid format, with in-person attendance in the KCTL Conference Room (M391) and virtual participation via Zoom.

Thursday, 9/18 at 3:00pm: Session 1 - Introduction, Pages 1-14
Thursday, 9/25 at 3:00pm: Session 2- Chapter 1 "Kindness toward the Self", Pages 15-39
Thursday, 10/9 at 3:00pm: Session 3 - Chapter 2 "Kindness and the Syllabus", Pages 40-58
Thursday, 10/16 at 3:00pm: Session 4 - Chapter 3 "Kindness and Assessment", Pages 59-80
Thursday, 10/30 at 3:00pm: Session 5 - Chapter 4 "Kindness in the Classroom", Pages 81-100
Thursday, 11/13 At 3:00pm: Session 6 - Conclusion/Review and Reflection, Pages 101-104

 Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7672388001?omn=87594406680

Download A Pedagogy of Kindness-Page information PDF

 

About the facilitator Gabrielle Kahn, Professor of English

Gabrielle Kahn, Professor of English, received her EdD in Applied Linguistics from Teachers College, Columbia University, and has been on the KCC faculty since 2006. Her work in classroom discourse has been published in the Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research, L2 Journal, and Learning Communities Research and Practice. A member of the KCTL advisory board, she has co-facilitated Faculty Inquiry Groups titled: Strategies for Success with ESL Students Across the Curriculum, and Valuing Students’ Voices to Make Assessment Meaningful. She is continually exploring sociocultural approaches to education that are grounded in building knowledge collaboratively and meeting individuals’ unique needs.

For more information, please contact Professor Kahn ([email protected])