Teaching Materials for the Academic Job Search

1. Teaching Materials for the Academic Job Search

2. Job Ad Jargon • Statement of Teaching Philosophy, Statement of Teaching Interests, Teaching Statement • Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness, Teaching Portfolio

3. Resources • Delta Program at UW-Madison • http://delta.wisc.edu • Especially see Events>Workshops>workshop materials for each workshop • Coppola, B. (2002). Journal of College Science Teaching, 31 (7), 448-453.

4. Statement of Teaching Philosophy • What is it? What questions should I address? • What does it look like? • How do I write it?

5. What is it? What questions do I address? • A statement of your views on teaching and learning addressing: How does learning happen? What are your goals for your students? How do you teach? Describe your classroom. How do you assess student learning? Show reflection/growth of your teaching Examples are a key part of the statement!

6. What does it look like? • 1-2 pages long • Title/name • Quote if desired (optional) • Thesis statement • Narrative (focus on a few key points that you are sincere about with examples) • Teaching at X University (address job ad courses) • Summary/Reflection

7. How do I write it? • Reflect on your experiences as a teacher AND as a student • Reflect on your favorite teachers in the past, what did you like about them? • Read teaching statements (see Delta website) • Share, get comments, and REVISE! • Personal with examples is better than theoretical • Know your audience • Don’t disparage other methods of teaching!

8. Teaching Portfolios • What is it? • Why should I prepare it? • What does it look like? • How do I get started? • What is an “artifact” or “evidence of effectiveness?”

9. What is it? • A collection of documents reflecting your views and experiences in teaching and learning • Contains reflective statements and evidence/artifacts • Designed with a purpose/target

10. Why should you prepare it? • Some jobs require it for application – mostly teaching heavy positions • Pre-tenure, tenure, and post-tenure review processes • Helps you improve your teaching

11. What does it look like? • Packet of materials that may include some or all of these documents: • (Philosophy of education – what is learning?) • Statement of teaching philosophy • (Outline of learning goals) • (Relation of your goals to your teaching style) • Documentation and analysis of student learning and teaching effectiveness

12. How do I get started? • Start by writing your teaching philosophy – this portfolio should be a way to further support that document • Consider what qualities and skills you will highlight: • Intellectual skills (teaching approaches, innovation & research, knowledge base) • Motivational skills (what experiences reflect your motivation & how do you motivate students) • Interpersonal skills (how do you relate to your students)

13. Evidence & Artifacts • Evidence of students’ learning – copies of student work (with permission), syntheses of learning outcomes data • Documentation of professional development – workshops, observation of your teaching, course development, student feedback • Student evaluations – keep copies, write a summary, include student comments • Best items include: products of good teaching, materials developed, and assessment by others

14. Assembling the Portfolio • Each artifact/evidence should have an accompanying reflective statement explaining it and how it reflects your teaching • Make it pretty – consistent formatting, spend time on graphics • Can be digital or hard copy - consider a website as an option

15. Example Portfolios http://delta.wisc.edu/Certificate/certificate_recipients.html