Teaching Mentors

The Sherrerd Center for Teaching & Learning has had two teaching mentors since 2018–19 whose job it is to share innovative practices and strategies with colleagues.

Our Teaching Mentors program continues through the 2026–27 academic year with two mentors: Patty DiBartolo (PSY) and Maleka Donaldson (EDC). Both Patty and Maleka have been involved with the Sherrerd Center in a variety of capacities and are eager to help all members of our community with their teaching, so if you wish to schedule a meeting with either of our mentors, please fill out this form. Please note that teaching mentors will be available beginning September 1, 2026 for consultations. In the meantime, please email sherredcenter@smith.edu with any questions or needs.

The Sherrerd mentors are available to faculty and staff to talk about anything related to your teaching. A conversation can happen once or can be ongoing through the year or semester. Please know these conversations are confidential and not evaluative. These consultations are an opportunity to talk with a colleague about some aspect of the teaching-learning process. Conversations may be philosophical, operational, or anything in between. Topics may include syllabus design, addressing GenAI with your students, sequencing a course or lesson, getting students to be more aware of their own learning, assessment, grading, designing group activities, establishing norms, or making sense of student feedback.

Teaching Mentors for 2026–27

Patty DiBartolo

Professor of Psychology

Patty has been at Smith College for many years and has held many leadership positions and roles, including being a past teaching mentor for the Sherrerd Center, as well as interim director for the center and even associate dean of the faculty/dean for academic development. Her long standing research interests focus on investigating the definition and phenomenology of perfectionism across development and race. In more recent years, her research has expanded to include effective and equitable programs and pedagogy in higher ed.

Patty DiBartolo

Maleka Donaldson

Associate Professor of Education and Child Study

Maleka is an associate professor, teacher educator, researcher, former classroom teacher, and author. She teaches courses in the learning sciences and elementary STEM methods. In her research, she studies teacher and student responses to making mistakes, including how classroom interactions shape instruction in real-world contexts.