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…
Creating a space for students and instructor(s) to share mistakes they have made on projects and or assignments can help to normalize them as part of the learning process. This can be done in the classroom through discussions or virtually using a forum platform such as Slack or Piazza. The instructor(s) can try to get…
The syllabus sets the tone for the semester and may encourage students to reach out for help or clarification when they are struggling. Having a welcoming syllabus has an impact on the student experience, particularly because students revisit elements like grading policies at stressful points in the semester. Consulting with someone in GradSupport, S3, or…
Students in 2.00b were assigned a week to be the class supporter. During their assigned week, students send an outreach email to support their classmates. The supporter feels good for helping their peers and the classmates appreciate the uplighting message. Students should be taught to refer students who they are worried about to a…
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…
Encouraging students to focus on their physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing within the academic space highlights the interconnectedness of their wellbeing and success. PIES is an acronym for how one might be feeling Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Spiritually. During the beginning of each class the instructors can ask students to do a self-check on…
The Do Less, Better tool was developed by Professor Mike Short in Course 22 and helps students track how many hours they spend on each class each week. If students are spending more time than a class is supposed to take, this tool can help the faculty adjust the workload, or help the students adjust…
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
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