Adult Learning Book Launch Webinar (Laura Bierema, Monica Fedeli, and Sharan B. Merriam, August 05, 2025)
Activity #1: Prompt
1. On the top of a blank paper, write, “When I teach, I…” Write statements that describe your present teaching.
2. Once you have developed a list, consider what beliefs and values lie beneath your statements. If you are doing this exercise in a group or even with one other person, share your list and encourage this person to write what beliefs and values seem foundational to your statements about teaching.
3.What beliefs and values underlie the statements you wrote down?How closely do your actions match your values and beliefs about teaching?
Small Group Activity:
Dr. Carole Elliott at The University of St Andrews
United Kingdom
Dr. Jeonghwan (Jerry) Choi at The University of Maine at Presque Isle, USA
Dr. Julie Gedro, Dean and Professor of Business, SUNY Empire State University
Aligning Teaching Practices with Core Values: Curiosity, Expertise, and Hidden Potential
This activity invites participants to reflect deeply on their teaching practice by writing, at the top of a blank page, “When I teach, I…” and then listing statements that describe their current approach. Once the list is developed, participants are encouraged to explore the underlying beliefs and values shaping those statements. When done in pairs or groups, this exercise also allows colleagues to identify and share the values they observe in one another’s reflections, creating a collaborative and insightful dialogue about teaching philosophies.
From this process, three key themes emerge. First, curiosity, as highlighted by Carole Elliott, serves as a driving force in effective teaching. It prompts both educators and learners to question, explore, and co-create knowledge rather than simply consume it. Second, content knowledge, expertise, and the creation of a safe space for learning, as emphasized by Jule Gedro, reflect the importance of mastering one’s subject while fostering an inclusive environment where students feel supported to take intellectual risks. Finally, recognizing hidden potential, as described by Jerry Choi, underscores the transformative role of teaching in helping learners uncover capabilities they may not yet see in themselves.
The activity concludes by asking educators to critically examine the alignment between their stated values and their actual teaching practices. This reflection may reveal gaps but also offers opportunities for growth, encouraging teachers to bring their actions closer to their core beliefs and, in doing so, create richer and more meaningful learning experiences for their students.
One-Sentence Takeaway:
Teaching thrives when educators nurture curiosity, apply expertise to create safe learning spaces, and help students uncover their hidden potential in ways that align with their core values.
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Initially Archived, 2025.08.05
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