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GSI
TA Talk Highlight
Planning for Next Semester
by Joanne Holladay
As you finish your semester, it is a great time to begin thinking about the upcoming semester and make plans for changes you would like to make. Below are some ideas to consider when reviewing and planing for next semester.
- Reflection: Although examining our own teaching can be uncomfortable, it is important to do this in order to discover what needs to be changed. First of all, ask yourself some key questions: What went well for you this semester? What did not go well for you? Consider some of the following areas when reviewing your semester:
- Grading: Do you need to make any improvements in your grading efficiency? Are you reliable and accurate? Do you give your students useful feedback?
- Office Hours: Were your office hours useful and productive to both you and your students? What changes would you like to make for next semester?
- Relationship with students: How did you get along with your students? Are there any aspects of this relationship that you would like to change?
- Relationship with supervising professor: How did you get along with your supervising professor? Are you responsibilities well defined? Will you be working for the same professor next semester?
- Syllabus: Do you need to make changes in your syllabus? Was everything clear for the students?
- Teaching: What is your opinion of your teaching this last semester? What did you like and what did you dislike? What areas would you like to improve? Will you have new responsibilities next semester?
- Other dimensions not listed: Is there anything else not listed that
you might like to change for next semester?
- Identify goals for next semester. After taking an
inventory of the things that you liked and did not like this semester,
take a few moments to identify some goals for next semester. Remember
to make these goals specific, realistic, and measurable. Also, be sure
to commit yourself to a timeline. For instance, a goal such as "I'd
like to get to know my students better" might not specific enough.
A better goal would be "I will learn the names of my students by
the 4th week of class." Setting specific goals will help you to
see if you are making the specific changes you envisioned for yourself,
especially when the semester is over.
- Implementation: Develop a plan to help you reach
your goals. To do this, you might need to consult outside resources.
The following is a list of possible resources readily available to you
on campus:
- Attend the Expanding Your Tools for Teaching Seminar for Experienced TAs/AIs on January 25th, 2003. Hone your teaching skills! Find out how your TA/AI position will help in your career after grad school, academic or non-academic. Learn about negotiating relationships with your students and supervising professor. Learn about the latest technology used in college classrooms. Meet colleagues in other departments. Registration information will be available on the CTE homepage soon!
- There are some wonderful books written to help you hone your
teaching skills. Resources such as these can help with classroom
management, motivation, instructional design, creating a syllabus,
writing a test, grading, and other aspects of teaching, Three books
that we would recommend are the following (All are available at
the University Coop):
Tools for Teaching by Barbara Gross Davis.
Teaching Tips by Wilbert McKeachie
Classroom Assessment Techniques by Thomas Angelo and K. Patricia Cross. - Take time to talk to colleagues. Do you have a support network of colleagues who are willing to share their experience and wisdom? Have you ever considered visiting their classes. Your colleagues can be an excellent resource to help you improve your teaching next semester.
- Consider a midsemester evaluation. Why wait until the end of the semester to get feedback on your student's opinions? CTE has various forms you could use available at the following link: http://www.utexas.edu/academic/cte/getfeedback/. It is possible to make improvements in your teaching during the semester. Make your plans now so you can be sure to get the appropriate feedback well before Course Instructor Surveys are administered at the end of next semester.
- CTE Consultations. Would you like someone from CTE to
observe your class and meet with you to give you feedback? Have
you ever seen yourself on videotape? If so, contact Mark Decker,
GSI Program Coordinator at markl.decker@mail.utexas.edu.
- Evaluate your progress. How will you know if you are meeting your goals next semester? How will you know the changes that you have made are helping your students to learn? Be sure to check in and see how you are progressing and make needed modifications as the next semester progresses.