Building Successful Teaching Opportunities
October 16, 2019
Teaching is a valuable, sought-after skill, but how do you get started? Together with the USU Empowering Teaching Excellence (ETE) program, this GrTS hosts a panel of recognized and awarded student teachers to discuss their teaching experiences, best tips, and how they were able to create their own teaching career.
Why is teaching important?
The graduate landscape is changing. Even if you’re not looking to go into teaching, learning how to teach is a critical skill. With your graduate degree, you will be (at some point) teaching people to do things. How to structure a lecture, how to structure a course, mentoring, etc.
What has been a beneficial education opportunity that has been monumental in your development as a teacher?
Mike: Had the chance to move a course from in-person to online which included designing the new course and teaching the it online. ETE (Empowering Teaching Excellence) conferences were a giant help in that process.
Beth: I sunk the first time I was a TA. The second time I had a great mentor who loved teaching.
Lacee: During my pedagogy training, using ETE was the best thing I did. I joined a learning circle and was able to network with other instructors in different disciplines.
April: Take classes that reflect different teaching styles. Online, in class, hybrid, off campus, etc. Learn other approaches to learning and how to adjust in different circumstances.
Joshua: Observe teachers you hear are outstanding. Ask often, “How can I build my teaching skills?” How do other instructors form their lectures?
Eric: Observe the students to learn their level of understanding. Watching the instructor to see if they’re meeting and matching the students learning level. This helps me become more self-aware. Students give immediate feedback to teaching quality in real-time during a lecture.
To what extent have you sought out teaching mentors? How did you find them?
Anthony: Teaching outdoor skills courses, our philosophy is that students are customers. If you have poor teaching skills, they will walk away with no skills and they won’t refer the course to their friends. Treat the student like a customer.
How do students get into learning circles?
It was offered by ETE on their website.
What is the ETE (Empowering Teaching Excellence) Program all about?
They provide services on all things “improving teaching.” Students can even acquire a Teaching Scholar Certificate. They organize learning circles, which consists of a group of people (faculty and students) who explore an idea, implement those ideas, and discuss the results of their ideas. This provides great networking opportunities to learn from other people.
How do you balance workload between teaching and being a student?
April: A certain personality likes to be pushed. We may complain about the stress, but this is what we love. You do however, need a break. If you don’t take a break, you will feel like you’re loosing a piece fo yourself. Take care of your body with good food and give yourself time to decompress. Detach from academia for a while.
Laura: Getting thorough the week is essential. I am really organized and know where everything is always. I had to find an outlet – I had a strong group of friends who I could vent to. I stress bake. I draw. I have a list of things I’d love to research “later.” Learn got prioritize what you even think about. With my kids, I never let them see me do homework. They could see me read, but my work time was when they were asleep so I could be present.
Lacee: Stress eating. You do gain PhD weight. I run and train for marathons to keep myself sane. I run in the mornings so when I get to school/work I’m ready to go. Add academic content to your social feeds so you stay in tune.
What is the balance between formal and informal teaching? Do you see distinct differences? What is the overlap in the venn diagram?
Laura: I mentor other teachers. I can watch how they apply things I’ve taught them. I will have moments to customize my teaching for individual students. Let the students evaluate you too.
Beth: Smaller work settings will let you see what motivates each individual. This will grant you more patience for each student. This will change your teaching style to not just hand out knowledge, but that this will help each student improve their life.
Darcie: Non formal environments allow you to make real connections with students.
Anthony: How many of those powerpoint presentations do you actually remember? If you’re outside the formal classroom, those are the experience you truly remember.
Joshua: Classroom perspective, and individual perspective. With many different hats, I think of it as working with a “system.” I try to incorporate students feedback about what they actually want to learn more about. They give valuable feedback about what they’re genuinely interested in.
How do I help students stay motivated when they think they’re doing grunt work?
April: Help people understand there is an end goal in mind. You need to experience grunt work because someone else will have to do it when you’re not anymore, and because you’ve had that experience before, you’ll be better able to motivate.
Eric: Its important to help students understand what the next steps are with the data/info after the grunt work is accomplished. It seems like data entry isn’t important, but they need to know that this data is the foundation of something greater, and a pivotal step in the process. Help the students see the end point.
Mike: Let them know much they’ll miss the mundane work when they start having to write!
Darcie: Stay connected and follow up with students about mundane projects. Consistent follow up will provide more accountability and the student will find extra motivation.
April: Don’t be afraid of course correction when mistakes are made. Be real, and be present, so they don’t end up down a wrong path and then ask, “Why didn’t you help me avoid this?”
Richard: Understand the reason behind the big question. If they don’t understand the question, they won’t see value in the grunt work.
What has been your biggest disaster in teaching and what have you learned from it?
Jack: I sometimes have extremely low expectations of myself as a new teacher. That’s been helpful advice for me. Don’t spend too much time on the course, otherwise you can overthink what it is you’re trying to do with your students. You don’t just have responsibility to convey information correctly, but that a student learns that information.
April: Seniors are hard to teach and they’re really tired. They don’t want to help. Learn the value of no. Don’t take more than you can handle, because there will be repercussions. Learn to say no so that you can actually provide help to your students.
Lacee: Empathy for your students will allow you to feel their pain, but also hold them to a higher standard.
What are specific ETE resources?
ETE offers specific learning circles for grad students who are teaching courses will be coming in the near future (spring semester). They will discuss things they can apply in the classroom, then execute them, and review results.
ETE hosts events/workshops/seminars that all grad students can participate in.
Badging Program: You can earn various ETE badges for attending educational events. There are lots of opportunities to earn those badges. Once you accumulate a certain number of badges, you acquire a Teaching Scholar Certificate.
The ETE Canvas course provides the chance for students to submit their badges. It’s free to join. When a student gets10 badges, they culminates into a certificate. Badges are divided into three categories: Engage, Implement, and Contribute. This certificate is something valuable to add to a LinkedIn profile or a CV.
ETE has a whole library of recorded education events on their website students can watch. You can view these resources at http://www.empowerteaching.usu.edu/
Lacee: When you are aiming to get hired, employers want to see how you’re actively trying to become a better teacher. Find out everything you possibly can about things you can participate in on campus so you can show how you are trying to get better.
What do you do to record your teaching and your reflections? How do you make sure that you’re implementing your feedback?
Laura: I keep a section of notes at the end of every lesson’s subject matter. When I pull it up the next semester I can look at what things I want to adjust in the future.
How do you maintain empathy while maintaining strong professional interaction? Especially when you’re close in age to the students?
Being humble and honest is really important. Be truthful when you don’t know the answer.
Josh: Have an attitude that there is always something to learn. Help communicate that to your students so they have greater understanding. This helps stimulate conversation in the course, and empowers students to generate ideas and thoughts on their own. Develop a “we learn together” atmosphere.
Lacee: Harness their questions. Be aware of different student “lenses.”
How do you balance when a student pushes boundaries with “friend” relationships between student/teacher?
Jack: Maintain open lines of communication. Any time there is conflict, it’s because of a lack of communication. Maintain professional distance, but always be open to communicate.
Laura: You have to detach personal relationships especially when grading papers. You could say, “During this block of time I have to think of you differently – more as a student.” Be clear and upfront.
Darcie: Define equal opportunity for the students – logistically all students should have the same opportunity to reach out to you.