Teaching Focus Hours
Quiet, protected co-working time to make progress on your class prep.
Need uninterrupted time to finish course prep, draft rubrics, or get through grading? Teaching Focus Hours offers a dedicated, distraction-free space to turn intention into finished work鈥攔ight alongside your colleagues.
This is a high-focus, low-distraction work session modeled after writing accountability groups. We spend 10 minutes setting goals, 60 minutes in silent focus, and 5 minutes wrapping up. A strict, predictable rhythm allows you to enter and leave as your schedule allows without disrupting your colleagues.
Co-facilitated by Dr. Dawn Emerson, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Physical Education.
Every Tuesdays from 1:30pm-3:00pm. Starts September 8th. Fernald Hall, Room 102.
If you need to come late or leave early, that is fine – simply enter/exit the space and work respectfully.
Please register to receive the calendar invite and protect the time on your calendar. Your weekly calendar response will reserve your spot in the group – so you can commit to the weeks that work best for you.
We can provide Zoom links as needed for those weeks that meeting in person won鈥檛 work.
How Each Session Works:
First 10 Minutes: Brain Dump & Goal Setting (1:40)
Arrive, clear your mind onto paper, prioritize your top task, and commit to a single focus goal for the session: 鈥淲hat task are you completing today?鈥.
Focus Block (1:40-2:40)
Screens on/in-person silence, notifications off, and uninterrupted quiet work.
The Report-Out (2:40)
A brief 5-minute status check to share progress, celebrate what got done, and mark tasks complete.
Final 10 Minutes: Optional Discussion (2:40-2:50)
An optional space for quick teaching questions, low-pressure chat, and packing up so the room is cleared cleanly for the next group.