by Mitch Lorenz, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center The Reinert Center’s Resources Revisited series highlights existing resources available to the SLU teaching community that may be especially timely or useful at certain points in the academic year. This month, we are revisiting resources on culturally responsive teaching. Culturally responsive teaching is the application of the cultural… Continue reading Resources Revisited: Culturally Responsive Teaching
Category: Teaching Today’s Students
A New Resource Regarding Classroom Disruptions
by Robert Cole, Program Director, Reinert Center Some members of the SLU community have experienced abrupt disruptions in their classrooms. Some students are being confrontational, filming the confrontation or parts of class, or otherwise taking time away from the learning of other students and the teaching in which we were engaged. The Reinert Center has… Continue reading A New Resource Regarding Classroom Disruptions
An Optimistic-ish Welcome to 2026
by Mitch Lorenz, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center 2026….2026?! That can’t be right. It feels like I just finished submitting grades at the end of the fall 2022 semester. Alas, time marches on with little concern for my denial or lack of temporal awareness. While I’m not one for resolutions, I am resolved to bring optimism… Continue reading An Optimistic-ish Welcome to 2026
AI, Productivity, and Learning in a World That Won’t Slow Down
by Nicole States, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center We live in a world that celebrates constant motion, where productivity is a badge of honor and “busy” is a personality trait. In this culture, it’s no wonder Generative AI (GenAI) feels both thrilling and threatening. For many of us, our livelihoods and everything we value about learning… Continue reading AI, Productivity, and Learning in a World That Won’t Slow Down
Hope and Connection: Themes from the Ignatian Pedagogy Institute
by Mitch Lorenz, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center The Reinter Center recently hosted the 2025 Ignatian Pedagogy Institute. The theme of the institute was how our courses can fulfill the Universal Apostolic Preference: “to accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future.” The quickly changing political landscape, and the recent disruptions to grant funding… Continue reading Hope and Connection: Themes from the Ignatian Pedagogy Institute
Book Review- A Light in the Tower: A New Reckoning with Mental Health in Higher Education
by Nicole States, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center Mental Health and well-being among students have been put in the spotlight since the COVID-19 lockdown. However, mental health concerns in higher education did not begin during the pandemic. Katie Rose Guest Pryal emphasizes this point in her book, A Light in the Tower: A New Reckoning with… Continue reading Book Review- A Light in the Tower: A New Reckoning with Mental Health in Higher Education
Teaching Authentically: Strategies to Remain Present in Uncertain Times
by Christopher Grabau, Program Director, Reinert Center Educators in higher education are navigating an increasingly complex landscape, where faculty and graduate student instructors must balance demands ranging from maintaining academic integrity and designing effective assessments, to fostering meaningful student engagement. These challenges are compounded by broader societal stresses and uncertainties, which affect both students and… Continue reading Teaching Authentically: Strategies to Remain Present in Uncertain Times
Supporting Neurodiversity Using UDL: An Exercise in “Where Do I Begin?”
by Mitch Lorenz, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center Winter break approaches and, with it, comes the Reinert Center’s annual Winter Institute. This half-day institute is tailored to match the Reinert Center’s annual theme. This year’s theme is “Teaching, Learning, and Neurodiversity” and the Winter Institute will focus on applying Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to support… Continue reading Supporting Neurodiversity Using UDL: An Exercise in “Where Do I Begin?”
Kindness at Thanksgiving
by Beth Petitjean, Ph.D., Digital Learning Specialist, Reinert Center Whew, a lot has been going on in the world and in SLU’s little corner of it this semester. It’s time for a breather and in a couple of days we’ll get one with the Thanksgiving holiday break. Thanksgiving was always my favorite holiday as a… Continue reading Kindness at Thanksgiving
Preparing for Election-Related Discussions in the Classroom
by Christopher Grabau, Program Director, Reinert Center Political and global affairs often enter our learning spaces. While these discussions can be challenging to navigate, they offer a unique opportunity to engage with and develop critical reflection. As we anticipate potentially challenging but crucial conversations in the classroom, it's essential to approach these moments with intentionality… Continue reading Preparing for Election-Related Discussions in the Classroom
The Notebook 