Teaching Excellence Learning Modules
Things to Know About Building
Confidence in Teaching
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If you are teaching a class that
is new to you, but has been offered at the University before,
discuss the class with other faculty who have taught it before.
If it is a class that is new to the university, review
literature on the topic and make yourself comfortable with the
material. If it is a class you have taught previously, review
past semesters and think about what was successful and what was
not in terms of those past semesters. Beginning the semester
with confidence about the class will help that confidence to
remain throughout the semester.
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Make sure that you feel organized
and comfortable with all the material you will be presenting at
each class. Think ahead of time about learning outcomes for
each class so that you know exactly what it is that you want to
get accomplished. Leaving a class feeling that you have
accomplished a goal will make you more excited and confident
about the next class and the weeks to come.
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Make sure the syllabus is clear
and organized. If students feel that they know “what they are
getting themselves into” before they actually are deep into the
semester, there will be few complaints, and the students will
feel as if they can trust you. It is especially important to
try to follow the syllabus as closely as possible to gain that
trust. If students feel comfortable in the classroom, you will
feel more comfortable teaching them.
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If you are an early career
teacher, talk with some of the more experienced faculty about
problems you may be having. Not only will they be able to give
some helpful advice, but you may find out they dealt with the
same issues early in their careers. It will help to know that
even the best, most experienced faculty have gone through their
own ruts at times.
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Finally, have fun!! Most
professors teach because they love the material and are well
versed in it. The more knowledge you can bring to the table,
the more interested the students will be, and the more fun they
will have in class. The more interested they are, the better
they will do, and the better you will feel about your teaching!!
Resources for
Building Confidence in Teaching:
The Character and Skills of the
Effective Professor:
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-1546%28197301%2944%3A1%3C41%3ATCASOT%3E2.0.CO%3B2-C
Teaching Resources-Building
Confidence:
http://tep.uoregon.edu/resources/faqs/issuesofrespect/buildconfidence.html
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