Reflective Teaching Communities (RTCs) are a Community of Practice program built around peer observation, conversation, and reflection. Working in small interdisciplinary cohorts, participants visit one another's classes, exchange ideas, and explore new approaches to teaching in a supportive, non-evaluative environment. Created by UMSL's Teaching Excellence Taskforce, RTCs focus on professional growth, collegial connection, and recognizing the strengths we bring to our teaching.
Participation is open to full-time and part-time faculty from all UMSL colleges and disciplines. Cohorts are organized around instructional contexts and teaching interests to support relevant conversations and productive peer observations.
Spring 2027 RTC Information Session
Interested in learning more before applying? Join the Center for Teaching and Learning for a brief overview of the RTC experience, program expectations, and benefits of participation on Thursday, November 24, 2026 at 2:30PM via Zoom. A recording will be posted after the session has completed.
Participation is open to full-time and part-time faculty from all UMSL colleges and disciplines. The Spring 2027 cohort is limited to approximately 9-12 participants to support meaningful collaboration and discussion. Please submit your application before December 14, 2026 for priority consideration. Applications will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis until all spaces are filled.
About the Program
Reflective Teaching Communities (RTCs) provide faculty with an opportunity to learn from one another through peer observation, conversation, and reflection. Working in small cohorts, participants visit colleagues' classes, exchange ideas, and explore new approaches to teaching in a supportive, non-evaluative environment.
Inspired by the Teaching Squares model and informed by appreciative inquiry, RTCs focus on identifying and building upon teaching strengths. Throughout the semester, faculty engage in classroom observations, guided reflection, and facilitated discussion while forming meaningful connections with colleagues across disciplines.
Participants complete the program with new insights into their teaching, a broader understanding of student learning experiences, and documentation of their professional growth that can be used in annual review, promotion, and tenure materials.
Eager to gain insight into how to be more effective in the classroom, I signed up for RTC at the beginning of the fall 2024 semester. By the end of the semester, I received thoughtful feedback that validated things I do well, received suggestions on ways to enhance delivery, observed excellent engagement and interaction in the classroom by my peers, and strengthened my bond with my colleagues. I greatly appreciated my experience with the RTC program and encourage faculty to participate if possible!
Visiting Trey's class and seeing elements (no pun intended, Trey) of what was discussed regarding cellular processes and how that connected with my course content was incredible. [I was] seeing the scaffolding of concepts across a student's potential academic program.
