MCC Daily Tribune

TCC: Welcome to the Spring 2025 Semester!

The Teaching and Creativity Center (TCC) welcomes you to the Spring 2025 semester. We had a very successful week of professional development last week, including the Winter Teaching Institute, Adjunct Kickoff, and Faculty Consultant Training. Please review the programming for Spring 2025 below. If you are interested in joining the Spring 2025 programs, please fill out the Spring 2025 participation form or email me at Melis Kural (mkural@monroecc.edu). If you have anu questions, or suggestions, always feel free to contact me. I wish you a wonderful Spring Semester.

Our Mission

The TCC’s mission is to continually work toward equitable outcomes for a diverse student body by increasing teaching effectiveness, inspiring innovation, and improving student learning. We foster a supportive environment where we can continuously improve our teaching practices throughout our careers. The TCC promotes the scholarship of teaching and learning, encourages reflective dialogue, applies current research to practice, and connects teaching and learning to institutional initiatives.

Adjunct Faculty Professional Development Program:

Monday, February 24, 2025
Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Spring 2025 Book Groups:

Punished for Dreaming by Bettina L. Love
- Contact: Christina Lee
Equity by Design: Delivering on the Power and Promise of UDL by Mirko Chardin and Katie R. Novak
- Facilitator: Melis Kural
Games: Agency as Art by C. Thi Nguyen
- Facilitator: Robert Muhlnickel
Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice by Maryellen Weimer
- Facilitator: James Downer
The New College Classroom by Cathy Davidson and Christina Katopodis
- Facilitators: Susan Noonan & Bill Hunt (Please contact regarding time and scheduling)
- Facilitator: Jason Szymanski (Thursday session)

TCC Conversation Series: Please save the following dates for the TCC Conversation Series. Details will be posted in the Daily Tribune.

Monday, February 10, Noon (TCC Room & Zoom)
Tuesday, March 11, Noon (TCC Room & Zoom)
Wednesday, April 23, Noon (TCC Room & Zoom)

TCC Brown Bag Series:

Scholars’ Day Information Session
- Date: February 3, 2025
- Time: 12:00 PM to 12:50 PM
- Location: TCC Room & Zoom (Brighton)
AI in the ESL Classroom
- Date: February 5, 2025
- Time: 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
- Location: TCC Room & Zoom (Downtown Campus)
Engagement & Connection
- Date: April 2, 2025
- Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
- Location: TCC Room & Zoom (Brighton)
Faculty Mentor Information Session
- Date: April 4, 2025
- Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
- Location: TCC Room & Zoom (Brighton)

Reflective Practice Groups (RPGs) Reflective practice groups are a nationwide professional development model established to improve student learning and success by supporting educators in reflecting on and improving their practice. RPGs are led by trained facilitators and use structured protocols to examine curriculum, teaching dilemmas, student work, peer observations, and pivotal moments, allowing participants to provide each other with specific and actionable feedback. If you are interested in joining an RPG group, please contact the facilitators.

Reflective Practice Group (RPG) with Focus on Assessment

Facilitators: Susan Hall & Melis Kural
Save the Date: March 19, 2025

If you are interested in joining the RPG, please contact Melis Kural (mkural@monroecc.edu).

Workshop Schedule: Please review the current workshop schedule and stay tuned for more events. We have some very exciting workshops coming up. If you would like to facilitate a workshop, please contact Melis Kural (mkural@monroecc.edu).

OER Workshop #1

Date: February 12, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: TCC Room (12-201)

Student Engagement Tips

Date: February 26, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: TCC Room (12-201)

OER Workshop #2

Date: March 12, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: TCC Room (12-201)

New at TCC:

TCC Coffee & Chat: The most effective ideas and conversations often come with coffee. Join the Teaching and Creativity Center coordinator for an exciting community-building event, "TCC Coffee & Chat," at Deja Brew. This networking program is open to all faculty and professional staff and provides a great opportunity to learn more about the resources and programs offered by the TCC while enjoying a cup of coffee. Please review the save-the-date details.

January 29, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (Brighton Campus)
March 3, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (Downtown Campus)

Deep Learning Dialogues (MCC, Downtown Campus)

This new in-person program is specifically for our downtown faculty and professional staff. Throughout the sessions, attendees and facilitators will choose webinars and podcasts relevant to their teaching and work experiences at MCC. Topics may include, but are not limited to, student engagement strategies, work-family balance, active learning strategies, and equity and social justice. There will also be an informative session about the program. If you are interested in learning more about the program, please email Melis Kural (mkural@monroecc.edu).

Coffee Talk (Equity Focus)

In this program, facilitators and attendees will select articles, podcasts, webinars, or research articles on the topic of equity in higher education. Using the Coffee Talk (Equity Focus) protocol, attendees will discuss selected research and scholarship in equity and social justice, providing an opportunity to reflect on their perspectives. There will also be an informative session about the program. If you are interested, please email Melis Kural (mkural@monroecc.edu).

More at TCC:

Open Classroom Week: Open Classroom Week will be held from March 3 to March 14. Please stay tuned for an announcement about this event.

Consultations: Watch for an upcoming Tribune announcement for details about requesting a confidential teaching consultation from one of our many trained consultants.

Melis Kural
Teaching & Creativity Center
01/22/2025