Class started Monday for some professors at SMU, but this timethey were not standing in front of a room full of students.

Professors became students at the 11th Annual TeachingEffectiveness Symposium, which prepared faculty for the upcomingsemester with panel discussions and breakout sessions.

While the 40 new faculty members were required to attend, 67returning SMU professors also attended the symposium.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the program, said Ron Wetherington, thedirector of the Center for Teaching Excellence.

After a light breakfast, the professors posed questions abouteffective teaching and learning strategies to a faculty and studentpanel.

Dawn Jenkins, a junior international studies major, participatedon the panel after being asked by her English professor lastspring.

Jenkins said she believed that students want to learn frompassionate teachers who show enthusiasm for their subject, theirstudents and their teaching.

“It was interesting and enlightening to hear what teachershad concerns about,” Jenkins said.

The rest of the morning consisted of breakout sessions, withtopics varying from academic honesty to making course expectationsclear to first-year students.

Excellent breakout sessions are one reason why Michael Dodds, anassistant professor of music history, looks forward to thesymposium each year.

It is a great opportunity to meet faculty in other parts of theuniversity, to gain the prospective of those professors, as well asmentally prepare for the upcoming year, Dodds said.

The symposium is designed for all faculty members, but newprofessors seem to benefit most, he said.

When he was a new professor, the symposium was a vital way forhim to learn about the teaching culture at SMU before beginning thefirst day of class.

“To see how SMU values teaching is stimulating andencouraging for younger faculty [members],” Dodds said.