A message from the Center for Leadership, Teaching, and Learning

Skidmore College
Center for Leadership, Teaching, and Learning

Featured Events

Dr. Bettina L. Love is a professor and scholar whose research seeks to understand and contextualize the educational experiences of marginalized youth, and focuses on the intersection of race, education, abolition, and Black joy. She is also the author of the recently published We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom, which encourages teachers, parents, and other community leaders – in their attempt to reform education – to approach education through the eyes of an abolitionist.

Dr. Bettina Love

For more information on who Bettina L. Love is, visit her website. RSVP is required for this event; please use this link.

 A special thanks to the co-sponsors: American Studies, Black Studies, Education, IGR, Latin American and Latinx Studies, Sociology, the Dean of Faculty’s Office, and the Presidential Racial Justice Initiative Fund.

Featured Faculty/Staff

Mariel Martin

Mariel L. Martin (they/she) is the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Campus Life & Engagement. Since joining the Skidmore community in 2005, Mariel has served as director of Student Diversity Programs for eight years and Title IX Deputy Coordinator for nearly six years and worked in Residential Life for two years. Mariel has taught courses about oppression in the U.S., a Peer Mentor seminar, and a First-Year Seminar Course about the history of diversity at Skidmore and within higher education.

 

Mariel currently chairs the Bias Response Group and serves as a member of the Committee on Intercultural and Global Understanding (co-chair from 2012-2015).

Mariel Martin

Mariel’s research and academic background focus on educational experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth. They have created and facilitated local LGBTQ+ youth and adult support groups in Harrisburg, PA, Chicago, IL, and Saratoga Springs, NY. Throughout their time at Skidmore, Mariel has been deeply invested in student movements, protests, and demonstrations related to diversity, social justice, and inclusion at the College. Mariel has three feisty chickens, Cece, Jinkx, and Maisey, and their rescue dog Jude works as a therapy dog on campus.

Featured CLTL Student

Erica Smith '22

Erica is a Junior from Brooklyn, New York. She is a sociology major and the current President of the UJIMA club at Skidmore. Erica is passionate about UJIMA’s core values of friendship, support, and being a safe space for all students especially students with marginalized identities.

 

Erica is a proud plant mom and really enjoys cooking for her housemates. She spends her days trying to perfect her yoga skills. And last but not least she lives for Tabitha Brown and her YouTube videos (if you don’t know her look her up you won’t regret it).

Erica Smith '22

When Erica feels down she writes herself little notes to remind her that she is enough and that’s something that keeps her going. She doesn’t have a set path for when she graduates but, she always strives to help others in any way she can. Erica wants to focus on low income communities and the different ways she can aid and fight for them.

Student Voices

What has your experience been with in-person classes so far this fall? Do you have any inclusive pedagogical advice on this topic?

 

"This semester has definitely taught me about my own learning as I’ve had to take responsibility for directing my own learning in the framework created by my professors. It has also made me pay more attention to my online presence in class and be more attentive to working collaboratively with my peers and my professor. Normally in a classroom the professor is able to be at the center of learning and class activities, transitioning to online learning has provided an opportunity for students to more involved in leading class discussions. In terms of inclusive techniques, my social work class created “ground rules” which act as expectations for both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Recording material is also super important and helps to makes sure professors are actively working to create their course schedule with student needs in mind."

 

"This semester has been filled with me feeling like I am always trying to catch up. When I had in-person classes I felt like I really knew what was going on and how I would go about showing up for things, but now everything feels so different. All of my classes are online and sometimes when I am very confused or lost, I just turn the camera off and zone out *laughs* and the professor keeps going because they don’t know that I’m lost. Something that I wish that my professors would do is kind of make it sort of mandatory to have a one-on-one meeting with them mid-semester. If we were in the classroom it would be different because they can visibly see if someone is completely zoned out, but in zoom I have the ability to become invisible when I am lost and that worries me. Online classes are so different I need there to be more regard for students who aren’t used to learning from a screen."

News and Resources

In accordance with our liberal arts mission, Skidmore College’s Center for Leadership, Teaching, and Learning (CLTL) partners with faculty, staff, and students on campus to promote excellence and innovation in teaching and learning through inclusive, evidence-based, and student-centered practices. [read more]

Contact

 

Kristie Ford

 CLTL Director

  

(518) 580-5425

Skidmore College

 

 815 North Broadway

 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

 518-580-5000