Could we commit ourselves to finding ways of making it easier and more attractive for members of the faculty to enroll in one another\’s courses for a term or a part of a term?
The spouse of a colleague enrolled in a course that I taught in the autumn. Her presence in the classroom added much to my experience and to the experience of her classmates. The younger students recognized her discipline and the effectiveness of her approach. They clustered around her. Her sharper focus and greater assertiveness enabled her to ask the questions that helped me understand when I needed to adjust my pace, introduce a different example, or engage my students in a different way.
Work with our colleagues in the classroom will increase opportunities for sharing ideas about curricula and pedagogy. Some professors might initially feel some reluctance to let colleagues see their teaching or to expose their ignorance of a colleague’s subject when a guest in the colleague\’s class. I think that we could find a way to reassure and encourage and help all see the benefits of open doors.