Individual Teaching Assessment Inventory
- How important to your self-image is your rose as teacher?
- If asked to use a metaphor for your role as a teacher, what would it be? (e.g., midwife, coach, and so forth)
- How did you learn to teach?
- What are your most distinctive teaching methods?
- How does your teaching differ from that of other teachers?
- What have been the most challenging problems you have encountered as a teacher?
- What difficulties have you had with particular groups of students?
- How did you handle them?
- What difficulties have you had with individual students?
- How did you handle them?
- What do you say to students who have failed or who are having difficulty?
- What do you do to assist them?
- What are your strengths as a teacher?
- What are the areas in which you need to improve?
- What are you doing to improve as a teacher?
- What do you do to make your students independent?
- How do you convey your expectations for (a) literacy, (b) ethical behavior, (c) accuracy?
- How do you know when your teaching is successful or unsuccessful?
Questions from Successful College Teaching: Problem-Solving Strategies of Distinguished Professors, Sharon A. Baiocco and Jaime N. DeWaters, 1998
Teaching Imperatives: How To Improve Your Class
- Resolve even before the first day of class to be in command of both your subject matter and your presentation of course material. This commitment will require that you search for material and for activities designed to motivate students and arouse their interest.
- Try to identify what is unique about your course--and what is specifically and identifiably your own. Ask yourself: How can this class be different and unique? What can I alone contribute as the teacher of this course?
- Reach out to your students. Make yourself as accessible as possible. Talk to each student and pay attention to them. If they are sitting there glassy-eyed, whatever you are doing may not be working effectively. Show that you are willing to answer questions instead of rushing off once class is over.
- Come prepared to class. Students usually can tell when you are faking it.
- Foster free and open inquiry. Encourage students to be thoughtful and reflective. be receptive to divergent responses.
- Try to provide constructive and prompt feedback on all student activities.
- Expect to fail sometimes. Keep a sense of perspective and balance: not everything you try out will necessarily work. Adjust accordingly, and try something else.
