This teaching tip comes from Lana Povitz of the History Department, who last spring, after the great disruption in mid-March, turned to Weekly email letters to help develop a strong sense of community among her students. Lana notes that it’s important to be clear that students should share to the extent that they feel comfortable. That said, she has found that inviting some level of “the personal”  made a huge difference, even if students are just talking about a podcast they listened to or sharing a photo of something they cooked.

Weekly Letters Assignment

You are responsible for two Weekly email Letters. Update your peer about your life (to the extent you feel comfortable!) and ask them questions. Although we cannot be together in person, staying connected remains essential! Letters can provide some camaraderie. Please take them seriously.

• You will be paired at random with a different classmate each week. I will send the pairings through Announcements before each new week begins.
• In addition to any life updates you can share, your initial letter should discuss the readings (highlights, critiques, questions, associations). Your response to your peer’s letter should engage what they shared as fully as possible. 
• Keep the letters shortish – around 500 words – and feel free to check in about how you’re doing.
• Initial letters should be sent by Tuesday midnight (EST). 
• CC me on letters or send me a summary of the academic parts if you’d rather keep other content private.
• Responses should be sent after optional Zoom meetings (even if you did not attend).

Have a teaching tip you’d like to share with your Middlebury colleagues? Email CTLR Director Jim Ralph at ralph@middlebury.edu. For additional faculty resources see go.middlebury.edu/ctlr including a list of past Teaching Tips.