CELT Notes for March 4, 2026:  Teaching All Students, Part 1

Note from Assistant Director, Christy Vrtis

Hey, everyone.

Today kicks off the second CELT Notes series for Spring 2026: Teaching All Students. For this series, I’ll share some key tips for improving inclusion and equity for all of our students in our courses. Some of this will probably be review – cool, skip it– then check out the programming opportunities below. The goal for these themed series are to give you tried-and-true, low effort tips that you can integrate into your next class session and hopefully see some positive results. 

Now, on to Teaching All Students: Part 1

In Enhancing Inclusive Instruction: Student Perspectives and Practical Approaches for Advancing Equity in Higher Education, authors Tracie Marcella Addy, Derek Dube, and Khadijay A. Mitchell began with student voices to add to the discussion of inclusive practices in higher education. Up until this point, student voices were mostly missing from the scholarship. 

Today, I’d like to focus on Chapter 4, “How My Instructors Conduct Class Inclusively” and share some of the tips for incorporating the themes that students identified into our own classrooms.

Classroom management as a whole is not something that we often take time addressing, particularly once we’ve been teaching in higher ed for at least a few years. However, I do find that it is one of the most important areas for improvement that has a significant impact on student learning. 

In this chapter, the authors share four themes for conducting class inclusively. Today, I’m going to focus on the first theme: using varied approaches to learning.

Theme 1: Use Varied Approaches to Learning

Core idea: students are provided with learning environments where instruction is presented in more than one sensory mode or pedagogical form. 

What this might look like: 

• Lectures broken up into segments with active learning or breaks in between. A common one-hour class session could look like this: 5-minute warm up/wonder/question activity; 20 minute-lecture; 5-minute write/pair/share on muddy points; 20 minute lecture; 5-minute exit ticket; 5-minute wrap up and review homework for next session. 
• Microlecture to start the class session, followed by relevant active-learning activity. This could take the form of a case study group activity, wherein each member of the group has a specific role and the group shares their findings with the whole class at the end of the class session, or other active learning or hands-on activities. See the list linked below for ideas.
• Discussion-based class sessions, as we know, can be extremely non-inclusive, especially if the same “frequent flyers” are the only voices heard. Instead, practicing different approaches to discussion, which I covered earlier this semester in this CELT Notes, can help all students engage in discussions. 
• Active learning centers on the learners in the class and allows each to have hands-on experience with their learning. Now, there are about a billion ways to include active learning in your classroom. Here is a list of 226 compiled by the Iowa State University’s CELT, that includes options for large lectures, small lectures, individual students, pairs, and groups, and so much more! 

The key point here is to make these learning experiences inclusive. How do we do that? 

• Circulate and engage with each student/pair/group as they work
• Give students some choice or control over who they work with, at least sometimes
• Know our students in each class and work with their diverse needs to ensure access to all activities
• Set clear boundaries and expectations for group work
• Oversee group projects/group work in class and respond to situations that are not working effectively in real time 

I’m trying to be responsive to feedback from the CELT Survey last fall and not write so much each week, so that’s it for now! Next week I’ll be writing about Assessment as a way to improve inclusion and equity for our students, and the AI and Assessments Workshop on Thursday, March 12, will go into Assessments in much more detail. You can sign up for that workshop below.

Have a good week!

Warmly,

Christy

1:1 Consultations | vrtich01@luther.edu | Valders 240 | 563-387-1587 | Mobile: 804-201-1688

Upcoming Spring 2026 CELT Programming

Note: This spring we are returning to scheduling CELT workshops during shadow block on Thursdays in response to faculty time constraints and scheduling. Pop-up programming will be added on the days/times that work best for the program leader. 

March Workshops

Sign up for March Workshops here. Please register 48 hours before the workshop begins. Workshops/programming with 2 or fewer registrations may be canceled. 

“Dispatch from the Ruins” essay reading and discussion (Anna Peterson, History)

We’re starting March off with a reading and discussion of one essay from poet, essayist, professor and Farwell Distinguished Lecturer and keynote speaker for the 2023 Luther College Writer’s Festival, Ross Gay. The essay, titled “Dispatches from the Ruins (School: The Eleventh Incitement)” comes from Gay’s 2022 essay collection Inciting Joy. From the publisher: In these gorgeously written and timely pieces, prizewinning poet and author Ross Gay considers the joy we incite when we care for each other, especially during life’s inevitable hardships. Throughout Inciting Joy, he explores how we can practice recognizing that connection, and also, crucially, how we can expand it. 

“Dispatches from the Ruins” addresses hardships, inciting joy and practicing connection in higher education. Read the essay before you come (linked above) and come ready to chat!

Thursday, March 5, 9:45 a.m. – 10: 45 a.m.; CELT Conference Room, Valders 242.

Sign up for March Workshops here. Please register 48 hours before the workshop begins.

Teaching & AI: Assessments, led by Christy Vrtis and Erin Zidlicky

In this workshop, we will learn the basics of AI-resistant and AI-inclusive assessments with examples. Then, participants will have the opportunity to create or revise one course assessment to make it more AI-resistant OR AI-inclusive. 

Thursday, March 12, 9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m.; CELT Conference Room, Valders 242.

Informal CELT Programming

Friday Flow

Friday Flow is an opportunity to gather in the CELT Office and write. What you write is up to you, and the possibilities are boundless. Think of Friday Flow as your accountability partner or the friend that says “hey, you CAN take 30 minutes to reflect on the week – or write a poem – or outline your journal article – or work on your novel!” There will be snacks and drinks and, at points throughout the semester, time to share your work. No registration needed.

Friday, March 6, (Drop-in anytime, 1-4 p.m.; CELT Office, Valders 240)

Wellness Wednesday

Join Christy for a walk around campus (weather permitting). No registration needed.

Wednesday, March 11 from 11:10 – 11:30 p.m.; CELT Office, Valders 240.