Visiting Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning in DC

My visit to Transformative Teaching & Learning center at St. Andrew’s was really interesting! Seeing the Chinese classes in action gave me a lot of ideas for my own teaching. Daphne Clyburn, the Language Department Head, shared some great insights into their language program, and watching Lan Yao's Mandarin classes was really eye-opening. I really like that they use desks with wheels so you can easily rearrange the room. Also, at the beginning of each school year, they update each teacher's profile and post it outside of classrooms, with informations like: Passions, What I'm Reading, Research-Informed Focus and why, etc.

I also got to hang out with the CTTL team, including Glenn Whitman, the Dreyfuss Family Director, and Dr. Ian Kelleher, the Dreyfuss Chair of Research and Associate Director. They had some fascinating research and teaching methods to share. Having lunch with Lan Yao and chatting with Lorraine Martinez Hanley (the Director of Professional Growth and Studies and CTTL Diversity, Equity and Belonging Research Lead), and the Mandarin students was a highlight as well.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience exploring language teaching and research at St. Andrew’s. I learned a lot and had a great time!