The Teaching Portfolio Cindy Finelli (cfinelli@umich.edu) Matt Kaplan (mlkaplan@umich.edu) March 27, 2006

Responses: What participants have learned about learning Students learn the most when instructors have high expectations Students tend to remember pictures rather than equations (variety of methods is important) Self-motivation is critical “Tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand”—Doing is the best way of learning Students have different preferences: Learning is easier by going to the lecture versus learning is easier by being involved Feedback facilitates learning When students teach others or reflect on their own learning, they learn the most—when students know they will have to learn the material, they are more likely to learn it March 27, 2006

Responses: What participants have learned about teaching It is helpful to break a lecture into smaller components to keep students engaged and “reset their clocks” An institution’s emphasis on teaching evaluations (or other evidence of culture) affects the rigor of the course Since a GSI is often “closer” to the students, it is valuable to have a good relationship with him/her There is a tradeoff between close consistency with text and different perspective—it is a challenge to reach a good balance It is good to provide a qualitative/intuitive explanation or context prior to describing theory Visual aids are important A lot of thinking is required to plan a class period (appropriate reading assignments, planning activities and lecture, etc.), but having a clear plan makes conducting the class period easier It is important to repeat critical topics and summarize or review previous material March 27, 2006

Teaching Portfolio “A teaching portfolio is a factual description of a professor’s teaching strengths and accomplishments. It includes documents and materials which collectively suggest the scope and quality of a professor’s teaching performance.” Seldin, P. (1997). The Teaching Portfolio (2nd ed). Bolton, MA: Anker. March 27, 2006

Teaching Portfolio Characteristics Systematic: Assertions and evidence Is representative, not exhaustive Includes reflection on practice = Context Easy to create and read March 27, 2006

Teaching Portfolio Benefits and roles Document teaching and its effectiveness Record teaching accomplishments Showcase a teacher’s skills, growth, range Profile a specific course Provide occasion for reflection Promote professional dialogue about teaching March 27, 2006

Teaching Portfolio Items often included Table of contents List/description of teaching responsibilities Reflective statement on teaching Breadth: Syllabi from range of courses Depth: Materials from a specific course Syllabi with revisions and reflection Assignments, exams, quizzes, projects Samples of student work, annotated to explain significance March 27, 2006

Teaching Portfolio Items often included (cont.) Student ratings Evidence of participation in curricular reform Indications of development as a teacher Scholarship of teaching and learning Letters from peers, students Goals for the future March 27, 2006

Perceived Usefulness of Items in a Teaching Portfolio Davis, J. T. & Swift, L.J. (1995). Teaching portfolios at a research university. Journal of Excellence in College Teaching, 6(1), 101-115. March 27, 2006

Teaching Portfolio Steps for constructing Write your teaching statement Summarize teaching responsibilities Collect items for the portfolio Select and arrange items into sections Prepare reflections on each section Create clear table of contents and organization March 27, 2006

Teaching Statement “Just because you have never written a statement of your teaching philosophy does not mean you do not have a philosophy. If you engage a group of learners who are your responsibility, then your behavior in designing their learning environment must follow from your philosophical orientation. What you need to do is discover what [your philosophy] is and then make it explicit.” Coppola, B. (2000). How to Write a Teaching Philosophy. American Chemical Society (ACS) Bulletin. March 27, 2006

Teaching Statement Reflecting on your teaching style A Typology of Teaching Styles March 27, 2006

Teaching Statement Guidelines Keep it brief (1–2 pages) Use narrative, first-person approach Make it reflective and personal Draw from your experience/practice Showcase you strengths/accomplishments Explain your specific context Refer to portfolio materials Discuss your growth and future goals March 27, 2006

Teaching Statement Possible components Beliefs about teaching-learning process Role of teacher How students learn/diversity of learning styles Goals for students Content and process goals (e.g., problem solving) Career and lifelong goals Evidence of implementation of philosophy Concrete examples Supporting materials March 27, 2006

Teaching Statement Possible components (cont.) Indications of growth and development in teaching Changes made and obstacles overcome Goals for the future Accomplishments in teaching Curricular efforts Professional development efforts Grants and scholarship of teaching and learning projects March 27, 2006

Responses: What did you learn from the sample teaching statements? Use of analogies to organize could be helpful Keep the document short and to the point Give some evidence of what you’re doing Provide evidence to convince reader (esp. quant data) Make it clear you’re reflecting on your teaching Don’t use buzzwords/jargon – give details on how and why Refer to appendices for further evidence Discuss impact of teaching on students and learning Be careful about grammar and structure (no errors) Use a unified statement to organize philosophy Describe innovative approaches Clearly organize the statement (e.g., separate methods, assessment, etc.) Use list, bullets, numbers to help organization Avoid boilerplate; make sure it is personal and has examples March 27, 2006

Next Steps Review related resources Refine your teaching statement (use the worksheets “Developing ideas for your reflective teaching statement” and Getting started on your reflective teaching statement”) Collect materials for teaching portfolio, compile, and provide annotation Consult with staff at CRLT North—schedule appointment March 27, 2006