OCN 750 Class #14: April 17 Teaching Philosophy Workshop

1. OCN 750 Class #14: April 17Teaching Philosophy Workshop • Housekeeping & announcements • Intro to teaching philosophy & discussion • Break • Teaching statement tips & class project guidelines • Independent work • Teaching statement OR class project • Regroup

2. Housekeeping & announcements • Announcements? Reports? • Assignment due today: • Upload online profile (email link to us) • Class LinkedIn network • Sign up for project presentation day (break) • Presentation order TBD by us & announced beforehand. • If you have special requests for presentation order, please tell us! Any questions or comments?

3. Teaching philosophy:some definitions • Teaching statement: • Short statement about teaching and learning • 1-2 pages, single-spaced • Requested in job ads (both teaching- and research-focused institutions) • Teaching portfolio: • “coherent set of materials including work samples and reflective commentary on them, compiled by a faculty member to represent his or her teaching practice as related to student learning and development.” – Cerbin and Hutchings, 1994. • Teaching statement is the centerpiece / backbone • Not common in job ads, but bring to interview • Also used for tenure & promotion, self-evaluation Credit: UW Center for Teaching & Learning (2005, 2011 workshops) LOTS of resources: http://www.washington.edu/teaching/

4. Examples of current job ads Assistant Professor of Marine Chemistry, U. Southern Mississippi: http://aslo.org/employment/jobs/2013-114.html Visiting Assistant Professorships in Biology, The Claremont Colleges: http://jobs.sciencecareers.org/job/99951/visiting-assistant-professor-positions-in-biology/ Instructor of Geology, Tarrant County College: https://jobs.tccd.edu/postings/3069 Assistant Professor of Environmental Health Science, U. of Georgia: http://chronicle.com/jobs/0000775306-01 application requires teaching philosophy AND full portfolio!

5. Why should you care about teaching statements? • Start early in career – gather materials for future positions • Become a better teacher/mentor in current role • Become a better teacher/mentor in FUTURE roles – help you set & evaluate personal goals • Great examples of how to reflect upon & market your experience – even if YOU don’t want a teaching job

6. Teaching statement, in detail Short statement about teaching and learning (1-2 pages): • Explains HOW you teach, and WHY you choose to teach that way • Paints a picture • Is reflective & personal • Avoids jargon • e.g., avoid using “active learning” as a buzzword, alone • use examples to show reader how you do this! • Is discipline-specific • see examples in class and on class directory • 3 full portfolio examples in class • Is self-explanatory • Includes what you’d want to talk about in an interview!

7. What do teaching statements look like? Form groups of 3-4 people and choose 1 example. • “UW_Teaching_Philosophy_Examples” – from faculty, grads #1: microbial ocn. #5: comm. college/diversity #2: zooplankton/coastal ocn. #6: earth science/humanities #3: earth systems #7: programming/fisheries #4: geology/geochem. “XXX” = to maintain anonymity • Discuss the following: • What types of experience does this teacher include? • How well does this person paint a picture of his/her classroom? • Does the statement describe HOW & WHY this person teaches?

8. Discussion of teaching statements • What types of experience does this teacher include? • How well does this person paint a picture of his/her classroom? • Does the statement describe HOW & WHY this person teaches?

9. Evaluation of teaching statements Rubric: (“UMich_Rubric” in “how-to guides” folder) • Goals for student learning • Enactment of goals (teaching methods) • Assessment of goals (measuring student learning) • Creating an inclusive learning environment • Structure, rhetoric, & language

10. More teaching statements • See class directory, “Examples from Web” • 6 examples, saved as Word docs (links at top) • Be transparent with your goals to current students: http://www2.palomar.edu/users/atrujillo/teaching_philosophy.htm • Very nice professional website: http://blayjorge.wordpress.com/teaching/teaching-philosophy/

11. Break

12. How do you get started?Teaching statement • Freewriting: write for xx minutes, without stopping or editing. • Describe a vivid moment you’ve had as a teacher OR student. • Describe your ideal teaching/learning moment. • Imagine how your students would describe your classroom. • What types of learning challenges do students face and how do you help them overcome these challenges? • Start organizing materials from your teaching & outreach experiences – go back to them later.

13. Teaching statement FAQs (from “UMich_Rubric”) • Should I write a new statement for each school? • Not necessarily, but good to customize • What if I don’t have a lot of teaching experience? •  Include mentoring, outreach, etc •  Describe your own experience as a student • Is it OK to send an unsolicited teaching philosophy as part of a job app? •  YES! • Are teaching philosophies original work? Can I use someone else’s? •  YES … and NO! •  Draw ideas from existing statements, but write your own statement. • Should I include student ratings or comments? •  Up to you … these can also go in a full portfolio.

14. How do you get started?Teaching portfolio (3 examples) Major components include: • Teaching statement • Teaching experience & responsibilities • Efforts to improve teaching • Evidence of student learning • Artifacts and appendices (reference within) • Syllabi • Examples of student work • Class assignments • Poster presentations or papers by undergrads you mentor on your research • Student evaluations – from department or personal request • Colleague/mentor evaluations – ask someone to observe you • List of outreach events • Your CV

15. Class project guidelines • Presentation (4/24 or 5/1) • 8 minutes max • ppt not required! • email ppt by 9 am on day (pdf if Mac) • Evaluation – (due 5/3: can incorporate eval of presentation) • 1 credit – optional evaluation • 2 credits (informal) – 1 polished page: • What went well? What might you do differently next time? • 3 credits (formal) – please confirm with us before preparing final eval report • Reflection #4 (due on day you don’t present) • 1. Briefly describe your project components and outcomes. In pursuing your project, how did you apply concepts & skills learned in class? • 2. How might you approach your current and future roles differently as a result of what you have learned through your project? • [Please limit responses to one polished page per question]

16. Presentation & evaluation days • Presentation order TBD; we will email you prior to day • 4/24: • 7 (max) class project presentations • Break • Departmental evaluation (1 hour) • 5/1: • 6 (max) class project presentations • Break • 4 (max) class project presentations • Our course evaluation (30 min) • Notes on evaluations: • We will not be present • Feedback is anonymous and will not affect your grade/credit

17. Independent work (‘til ~2:40 pm) Questions?

18. Next steps • Create a teaching “drop box” • Materials for portfolio or for writing teaching statement • Build your teaching experience • TA, lead workshops/journal clubs, do outreach, mentor, give guest lectures (UHM or comm. coll.), tutor, etc. • American Society for Microbiology and Burroughs Wellcome Fund Science Teaching Fellows Program: 10-month program for microbiologists http://www.asmgap.org/index.php/asm-bwf-science-teaching-fellows-program • Ask students & colleagues to evaluate your teaching!! • Class member resources (portfolios in progress) • Contact UHM Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) • TA training (August) – opportunities to lead sessions? • “Preparing Future Faculty” series • Teaching assessment – evals & classroom observations • Other ideas?