As the modern world evolves with new innovations and technology, Saint Leo University remains steadfast in upholding the foundational Benedictine value of radical hospitality. By cultivating positive connections to everyone around us, students, faculty, and staff, our commitment to radical hospitality has become part of our identity. In our pursuit of retaining students and ensuring their success at Saint Leo, the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence is pleased to announce this Fall semester’s focus, The Courage to Care: Radical Hospitality in Teaching. 

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence is pleased to announce this Fall semester’s theme for Faculty Development Day: The Courage to Care: Radical Hospitality in Teaching.  Rooted in the ideas of Benedictine tradition and Appreciative Education, we’ll explore what radical hospitality means on our campus, in our classrooms and online. We invite you to submit a proposal and share your insights and strategies that enhance teaching practices and empower all students to succeed. 

Our virtual event will kick off with a guest speaker who will inspire us to examine the Appreciative Education approach to teaching and learning.  Subsequent concurrent sessions will focus on the principles and practices of Appreciative Education which include 

1. Fostering a positive and empowering learning environment. 
2. Promoting student-centered learning. 
3. Encouraging growth mindset. 
4. Teaching strategies that help students connect and engage such as active learning, collaborative learning, problem-based learning, and authentic assessments. 
5. Envisioning positive possibilities and empowering students to take ownership over their own learning. 

This faculty development day, let’s share our best practices and explore how we can help students have the “Courage to Be More.”