Giving Compass' Take:

• Bonnie Stachowiak is a teacher and EdSurge columnist who writes an advice column on how teachers can improve their instruction.

• Why is it helpful for teachers to receive constructive feedback from other fellow teachers?

• Read about the new way to train teachers so as to increase retention.

Despite this being my 14th year in higher education, I still feel nerves at the start of a semester. My hopes are high for creating experiences that will challenge and encourage learners.

Since the Fall of 2014, I have been having weekly conversations on the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast with people I consider to be magnificent educators. They challenge me to experiment with new approaches and to keep pushing to be more more effective in my teaching.

I have grappled with issues of social justice and equity in my teaching after talking with experts like Bryan Dewsbury, Viji Sathy and Kelly Hogan. I reluctantly built up some resilience through my conversations with Kerry Moore, as I dealt with a family member suffering from cognitive decline.

I’m regularly being reshaped by these conversations. There’s always something new I discover to help me better live out my beliefs about teaching.

This Fall, I am starting something else new, beyond my teaching and my director roles: I’m launching this advice column for EdSurge’s higher education space.

However, I have had the opportunity to speak on a weekly basis with expert educators from around the world for more than four years now.

We have talked about grading and assessment, digital literacy, open education, caring for students, cultural competence, how people learn, and productivity. The Teaching in Higher Ed Slack community is another avenue for seeking out guidance from individuals who are engaged in this important work. I’m launching this advice column for EdSurge’s higher education space.

Read the full article about teacher improvement by Bonni Stachowiak at EdSurge