What is Big Red Teaching Days?

Big Red Teaching Days (BRTD) offers Cornell faculty the opportunity to informally observe their colleagues in the classroom and learn how they approach teaching and learning. Now held annually, this week-long program is meant to foster collegiality and connection across a range of courses and learning environments. 

Faculty can participate by hosting — voluntarily opening their classroom to colleagues — or by signing up to visit their fellow faculty’s classroom(s) as a guest. The goal is to spark ideas and deepen conversations about the good teaching happening at Cornell, and serve as a reminder that innovation in the classroom can come in many forms.

Registration and Deadlines

Host registration: Monday, August 31 through Wednesday, September 16, 2026.

Guest registration: Monday, September 21 through Friday, October 2, 2026.

Program runs: Wednesday, October 14 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026.

Who Can Participate

Tenure-track and tenured faculty, as well as Senior Lecturers and Lecturers, will be invited to open their classrooms to their peers.

All Cornell faculty and instructors may sign up to visit their peers’ open classrooms. 

How it Works

For host faculty opening their classrooms:

• Complete the sign-up form (sent via email).
• After the guest registration period closes, you’ll receive, via email, a list of guests planning to visit your class.
• Teach your classes as usual.

For faculty visiting classrooms:

• Sign-up for open classes during guest registration. Availability is first-come, first-served.
• Receive a confirmation, via email, listing the classes you registered to attend.
• Visit the classes on your list.

Additional Information

• There is no need for special preparation to open your class or visit classes you registered for.
• Faculty opening their classrooms may determine how many faculty guests they would like to welcome.
• Faculty may visit classrooms that are similar to or different from their own, or to experience a teaching strategy they’d like to consider adopting.
• Note: The goal of Big Red Teaching Days is not peer review or peer evaluation — the goal is to spark informal conversations about teaching and provide opportunities to visit colleagues’ classrooms and observe a range of teaching styles.