What New Faculty
Members Need to Know
Rob Jenkins
rjenkinsgdp@yahoo.com
Rob Jenkins
Associate Professor of English
Georgia Perimeter College
Background
• 26 years teaching experience
• Land-grant university, small rural
community college, large
metropolitan community college,
suburban technical college
Background
• PT faculty, FT faculty, department
chair, academic dean
• Served on 15+ search committee,
chairing more than half
• Evaluated hundreds of faculty,
observed dozens
Background
• Chronicle of Higher Education
“Two-Year Track” columnist and
“On Hiring” blogger
• Frequent speaker at conferences
and on university campuses
Background
• Author of Building a Career in
America’s Community Colleges
(AACC/Community College Press,
2011)
http://www.aacc.nche.edu/Publications/Pages/
Product.aspx?Product_Id=863
Overview
• Developing a teaching philosophy
• Succeeding as a classroom teacher
• Managing the classroom
environment
• Succeeding outside the classroom
• Moving beyond the classroom
My Teaching Philosophy
• Developed as both student and
teacher
• Learned what to do and what not to
do from my own teachers
• Also learned from colleagues
How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy:
http://chronicle.com/article/How-to-Write-a-Statement-of/45133/
My Teaching Philosophy
• Idealism: “perfect classroom”
• Reality: what has worked and what
hasn’t
• Constantly evolving
My Teaching Philosophy
• College students are adults
• Teaching is performance art
• Great teachers are born; good
teachers are made
• You don’t have to be a jerk
• Love is all you need
Teaching philosophy examples:
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/philosophy/samples/index.html
Students are Adults
• People rise to level of expectations
• Treat students like adults, and they’ll
act like adults
Students are Adults
• This means granting certain
freedoms
• With freedom comes responsibility
• Burden to “keep up” on student
Teaching is Performance Art
• Foundational belief
• “Sage on the stage”
Teaching is Performance Art
• How we teach as important as what
we teach
• Good performance = student
engagement
• Good performance requires planning
and practice
Great Teachers are Born. . .
• Teaching is a talent some are born
with
• It’s also a skill that can be developed
• Very best teachers have talent and
develop it
. . .But Good Teachers Are
Made
• Hard work can overcome lack of
ability
• Not that different from learning to
play a musical instrument or a sport
You Don’t Have to Be a Jerk
• Jerk: someone who consistently puts
his/her interests ahead of others
• Passive jerk: doesn’t return papers,
keep office hours, meet with
advisees, etc.
You Don’t Have to Be a Jerk
• Active jerk: berates students,
arrogant, always takes hard line
• “We have to be hard on students.”
Really?
All You Need Is Love
• Love of students in general
• Not hating students is a start
• Love of subject matter
All You Need Is Love
• Inspires students and instills that
same love
• Students can tell
Your Teaching Philosophy
• Ultimately, it must be your own
• You can borrow bits and pieces from
others
• Conduct your own “teaching
experiments” in every class
Your Teaching Philosophy
• Be true to yourself—don’t try to be
someone you’re not.
• Remain flexible and open-minded
• Philosophy will evolve
Succeeding in the
Classroom
Five Tips for New Teachers
Five Tips for New Teachers
• Appear confident from day one
• Be consistent
• Don’t take yourself
too seriously
• Keep your distance
Five Tips for New Teachers
• Remember whom you’re
teaching
Appear Confident
• Act like you know what you’re doing
• True or False: Starting your very first
class with “This is my first day” or
“I’m kind of new at this” is a great
way to demonstrate empathy with
students.
Appear Confident
• “Appear” not the same as “be”
• For students, confidence equals
competence
• Screw up your courage
Appear Confident
• Remember Stuart Smalley:
“I’m smart enough, I’m good enough,
and doggone it, people like me.”
Be Consistent
• Most important thing you can do
• Indecisiveness screams “rookie”
• Students will take advantage of a
“soft touch”
Be Consistent
• Construct detailed syllabus—policies
and schedule—and stick to it
• If you have to change, make reasons
clear
• Don’t make changes that create extra
work for students: “bait and switch”
Yourself Too Don’t Take Seriously
• Every instructor thinks his/her
subject is most important
• Students likely to be unimpressed
• Don’t treat every assignment like life
and death
Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously
• Lighten up: tell a joke, make fun of
yourself and your subject
• Students are more likely to believe
some things are important if you
don’t act like everything is.
Keep Your Distance
• Friendly vs. inappropriate
• Most err on one side or the other
• Dress like an adult
Keep Your Distance
• Ask students to address you by title
• Don’t socialize with students outside
of class
Remember Whom You’re
Teaching
• Mostly underclassmen/women
• Not majors
• Make tests and assignments
appropriate
Remember Whom You’re
Teaching
• Not “watering down”
• Realistic expectations
Classroom Management:
Setting the Tone
• Purpose
• Faculty expectations
• The syllabus
Classroom Management:
Setting the Tone
• The first day of class
• Follow-through
Purpose
• Anticipate and head off potential
problems
• Create positive learning environment
• Avoid career issues and liability
Faculty Expectations
• How do you expect students to
behave?
• What will you and won’t you tolerate?
• What compromises or “concessions to
reality” are you willing to make?
(Examples: smart phones, laptops,
sleeping)
Faculty Expectations
• Remember:
college
students
are adults
• Be true to
yourself
The Syllabus
•
•
•
•
Cover all bases: rules, penalties
Be realistic
Be clear and specific
Follow college policy
The Syllabus
• Leave yourself some leeway
• Make sure everyone has a syllabus
(new additions)
• Signed agreements?
The First Day of Class
• Cover syllabus thoroughly
• Clarify and expound
• Be candid and direct
The First Day of Class
• Use effective tone and body
language
• Dress appropriately
• Remember: It’s easier to start out
tough and lighten up than vice-versa
Follow-Through
Quiz: What’s the single worst thing you
can do as a classroom instructor?
a) Come to class barefoot
b) Talk about yourself incessantly
c) Argue for your personal politics
d) Change your syllabus
Follow-Through
• Frequent reminders, as needed
• Do what you said you would do!
• Follow syllabus
Follow-Through
• Adjust as necessary
(remember leeway?)
• Any changes require detailed
explanation
Dangerous Students
Iona College: “How to Recognize
Warning Signs for Troubled and
Dangerous Students”:
(http://www.iona.edu/studentlife/cou
nsel/guide/troubledStudent.cfm)
Succeeding Outside the
Classroom
The Five Characteristics of Successful
New Faculty
The Five Characteristics of
Successful New Faculty
• Be humble
• Be willing
• Be organized
The Five Characteristics of
Successful New Faculty
• Be collegial
• Be low-maintenance
Be Humble
• Don’t be smarter than the
room
• Assume you know next to
nothing
Be Humble
• Watch,
listen, and
learn
• Find an
experienced
and willing
mentor
Be Willing
• Willing to do anything, within
limits
• Virtually limitless opportunities
for “volunteering”—or being
volunteered
Be Willing
• Plus all the regular chores
• There are limits: learn to say no
• But there are no “extras”
• It’s not “exploitation”—it’s part of
the job
Be Organized
• Only way to cope
• Organization = time
management
Be Organized
• Organization = paper management
• Find a system that works
Be Collegial
• Friendly
• Not a jerk
• Open to sharing
Be Collegial
• Willing to help out
• Not just other faculty:
everyone on campus
Be Collegial
Quiz: The most important person on
campus, as far as you are concerned, is
a) Your department chair
b) The dean
c) The cafeteria lady
d) The department secretary
Be Collegial
• Don’t forget the department
secretary!
Be Low-Maintenance
• “High maintenance” one of worst
labels you can have
• “High maintenance” = always
needy
• Give help before you ask for help
Be Low-Maintenance
• Don’t expect chair to hold your
hand
• Learn to fend for yourself (typing,
copies, etc.)
• Reputation will stick
Beyond the Classroom
Consider Administration
• Colleges need good
administrators
• Lots of retirements coming
• Satisfaction in helping faculty and
students
• Financial and career rewards
Prepare Academically
• Probably need a doctorate
• Ed.D., online degrees OK
• “Higher ed leadership” versus
academic discipline
Gain Experience
• Any leadership opportunity
• Student clubs and societies
• Large departmental and college-wide
committees
• Faculty Senate
Be Open to Opportunities
• Peruse openings on campus
• Talk to administrators
• Assistant chair or dean?
• Willing to move?
Be Patient
Program Director or Assistant Chair
Department Chair or Division Dean
Campus or Discipline Dean
Vice President
President?
Questions?
Contact Me
Rob Jenkins
rjenkinsgdp@yahoo.com