Professional Confidence and Enhancing Your Teaching Skills Cheryl Aschenbach, ASCCC North Representative Craig Rutan, ASCCC Area D Representative 2017 ASCCC Part Time Faculty Leadership Institute

Welcome How long have you been teaching? Less than one year One to three years More than three years How many colleges have you taught at? One Two Three Four or more

Teaching No matter what has brought you to teaching, we all want to do the best job that we can How do some teachers seem so natural when they are in front of a classroom? How do you keep the attention of your students, no matter how boring the topic? How do you go from being a part time to a full time faculty member?

Confidence Very few people enter a new environment with confidence Confidence is built upon years of training and experience to know that you will be able to adapt and adjust to the unknown No matter what situation you will encounter, preparation is the key to overcoming nervousness and fear

Everyone Starts Somewhere Very few people were born to be a teacher Becoming an effective teacher will take a lot of work and dedication Everyone has to teach their first class and no one is perfect the first time out When you are starting, be willing to admit to your mistakes and be willing to try something else

Each Class is an Opportunity Each class is an opportunity to engage with your students Students will disengage if you give the impression that you don’t want to be there, are nervous, or if you are not prepared Be willing to seek feedback from students on new activities or assignments Be professional and always be prepared for class! Whether you use prepared notes or not, plan out what you are hoping to cover that day. Don’t just wing it because they will know.

Respect Your Students Your students are there to learn and they need your help to get there Be yourself and be prepared Keep students engaged by asking them questions – make sure you learn their names because you expect them to learn yours Arrive early enough to greet students and engage with them individually as they arrive for class; engage with them during breaks and after class as appropriate Provide feedback throughout the semester Return graded work as quickly as possible!

Seek Help From Other Faculty Other faculty members in your department are there to help Ask for advice about the class that you are teaching Are there topics where students struggle? Are there some topics where you should spend more time? Are there some topics that are essential for the next class? Ask a faculty member you trust to come and observe your class. Get classroom advice from an experienced teacher Help with your natural anxiety about being observed Ask to watch other faculty members teach their classes, including in disciplines very different than your own

Expand Your Teaching We all have classes that we love to teach, but if you only ever teach a single class you are less likely to get a full time position Go to the department chair and make it clear that you are willing and wanting to teach any class Teaching new classes every semester requires more work, but it forces you out of your comfort zone and expands your repertoire Seek continual improvement of the classes you teach Make adjustments to content, delivery, and assignments Don’t let your class become static from semester to semester

Get Involved with the Department It is often difficult for part time faculty to be involved beyond the classroom, but try to be engaged Be an active part of SLO assessment and offer suggestions if you have any Give feedback on the curriculum and make suggestions for possible changes Attend department meetings if you are able. When you are visible, you will get a better sense of what it is like to be a full time faculty member Attend flex activities and committee meetings if you are able. Be visible.

Service Outside of the Department Some colleges welcome the participation of part time faculty as members of groups like the academic senate – some even offer compensation Whether you are able to be an official committee member or not, meetings like the academic senate are open and a great place to learn about the college and how college governance works Questions about committee work or governance could be part of your full time interview!

Professional Development As academics, we are always trying to learn Look for professional development opportunities in your discipline or around teaching Many colleges offer opportunities to attend conferences to part time faculty – make sure to let your dean know that you would be interested Whether you are seeking to be a full time faculty member or want to stay part time, we all have things that we can do better!

Summary Even when you are starting something new, you are the expert in the room It is natural to be nervous, even when you are an experienced faculty member Always be prepared and show your students respect Expand your teaching repertoire Get involved on campus Seek out opportunities to improve

Thank You for Coming Do you have any questions? Cheryl Aschenbach – caschenbach@lassencollege.edu Craig Rutan – rutan_craig@sccollege.edu