When students feel supported and regard themselves as a part of a learning community, they learn best. A strong class community supports students' meaning-making processes and the cultivation of their voices. In this session, attendees will investigate strategies to foster a strong class community and raise student voices that will benefit both the instructor and students. Together we will discuss topics such as forming learning communities, building trust, creating equitable learning spaces, and providing opportunities for students to share their voices. Additionally, attendees will have a chance to consider next steps in fostering class community and student voices in their courses.

Learning Outcomes:

Participants will 1.Consider how class community fosters student voices 2.Outline various methods to foster class community and support student voices. 3. Select and plan strategies to use in your own course to support the class community

Presenter Bio:

Lauren Fletcher is a doctoral candidate in the College of Education and Human Development. Her current research investigates undergraduates' meaning-making processes within the college classroom. Before coming to Louisville, Lauren taught internally in the Philippines and Azerbaijan in addition to Oregon and Kentucky in the US for eight years. She has taught undergraduate courses at Louisville within the CEHD for over two years and, each year, has been nominated as a faculty favorite. As a course instructor, she fosters active learning and provides students ample opportunities to explore their voices.