This resource is a filterable list of best practices to help your students become better learners and to promote a culture of wellbeing in your learning environment. All the ideas originate from your fellow instructors and have been positively received by students. These best practices are all guided by principles that we think are effective in helping our students be the best learners they can be: Teaching the whole student, normalizing help-seeking behaviors, asking for feedback, assisting students in clarifying their sense of purpose, and building a community where all feel they belong.
Not every idea will work for every class. Discover what works for you. We also hope you will contribute to the list if you have a new idea that showed promise! If you would like to discuss any practices on this list, or have ideas of your own, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Regardless of age and experiences, expressing gratitude is something that does not come easily to many. It also has been proven to improve wellbeing exponentially when practiced regularly. Beginning, or ending, each class with an exercise where everyone can express what they are grateful for can help students build a healthy habit. This can be…
Sometimes mental health issues can show up in the classroom. When they do, it can feel overwhelming, on top of everything else that needs to be coordinated and managed. Learning about the early signs of distress can help to alleviate some worry and know where to turn. Resources Resources to recognize and respond to students…
Some departments have begun implementing Student Advisory Boards. They meet monthly and volunteer to represent the undergraduate or graduate community by providing feedback to the department about classes, events and other initiatives that help with both a sense of community and academic excellence. Resources Email template for recruitment?
Creating a channel on an open forum, such as Slack or Piazza, for students to give informal access to one another and the staff/faculty/administrator(s) can help to build community and relationships. Think about creating different channels for different topics–academic or fun! Some topic ideas outside of academics can include memes, pictures of pets, or a…
Small group lunches with faculty/instructors from the department provide an opportunity for student/instructor connection, as well as peer to peer connection for students. Resources Activities/Discussion Topics Suggestions
Providing opportunities for students to socialize or connect with one another outside of their academic coursework helps facilitate connections for students and helps promote a sense of belonging. If faculty, instructors, and staff attend, it can be a nice way for students to get to know their departments better too. Resources Communication Template
Department-level in-person or virtual office hours allow students to get a variety of questions answered and also share concerns or feedback with departmental leadership. Resources Template Communications
Students have appreciated diverse alumni panels where they can hear from graduates in their major. The alumni panels can be hosted virtually or in-person. Alumni can be prompted to share some of their difficulties at MIT, as well as how they moved forward into graduate programs and/or careers. Students shared that alumni can help them…
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