Teaching Assessment: Practices for Graduate Student Instructors
Feedback From Your Professor
Frequently during the semester, the GSI will have or will ask for the opportunity to receive feedback of his teaching from the supervising professor. This can provide an excellent opportunity for the GSI/professor relationship, as it helps the professor to expand the role of his "cognitive apprenticeship" with the GSI to encompass teaching.
The most useful feedback on teaching will come in the context of regular communication such as weekly conferences, and in the context of clearly articulated expectations for the GSI's teaching. For example, if several GSI's are teaching similar labs or discussion sections, there must be clearly established criteria for grading, attendance and other administrative matters. Also, if the professor has clear expectations for the role of the GSI in these situations, these should have been expressed at the beginning.
Whether or not these situations are set in place from the beginning of the semester, the observation and feedback session can be quite fruitful; it doesn't occur in a vacuum. For example, the professor and GSI should meet before the observation to establish the goals of the observation. Does the GSI have specific concerns that he'd like feedback on? Does the professor have certain criteria that he or she is looking for? These and other questions need to be established in advance. At that time, the particular checklist that is going to be used should be given to the GSI prior to the observation so that they will know how they will be assessed.
Second, the overall purpose of the observation should be established. Ideally, the GSI will have one or more opportunities to receive feedback that is formative and not evaluative. If observations are to be used for evaluative feedback (the type that may affect the GSI's job status of standing), it is recommended that it not be an initial evaluation, but rather that the GSI be provided an opportunity for formative feedback first.
The next component that is essential to a successful observation is the follow-up meeting. This provides an opportunity for the professor to share written and verbal feedback at the same time, and to also hear from the GSI about his perception of the session observed. If the session has been videotaped, then parts of the tape can be replayed during the feedback session. I usually like to informally ask instructors - what do you think went well and what, in retrospect, could have gone better. This allows the person being observed an opportunity to "contextualize" the observation with information on typical class dynamics, etc. This last point is important, because class dynamics are inevitably affected by the professor's or another observer's presence. Again, this points to the advantage of videotape over live observations.
If you would like feedback on your teaching and don't feel comfortable asking your professor for feedback, consider organizing some informal peer feedback sessions from fellow GSI's.