Documenting your Teaching

(for Academic Job Applications)

CITL | Memorial University | June 2020

Contents

1. Properties of Good Teaching | 1

2. Categories of Teaching Tasks | 2
3. Definitions: Teaching Dossier/Portfolio and Teaching Philosophy | 3
4. Suggested Framework for a Graduate Student Teaching Dossier | 4
5. Writing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy | 5
6. Teaching and Learning Strategies | 7
7. Sample Teacher-designed Feedback Forms:
Mini-Quest: Questionnaire for Evaluating an Instructional Unit | 8
Specifically, What Needs Improvement? | 9
8. Questions Asked in an Academic Job Interview | 11
9. Online Resources | 16
References
2
 Properties of Good Teaching
In his book, Learning to Teaching in Higher Education (2nd ed.), Ramsden (2003) summarizes
the research findings on good teaching in a list of 13 discrete attitudes and behaviours that are
important properties of good teaching.

• A desire to share your love of the subject with students

• An ability to make the material being taught stimulating and interesting
• Facility for engaging with students at their level of understanding
• A capacity to explain the material plainly
• Commitment to making it absolutely clear what has to be understood, at what
level, and why
• Using teaching methods and academic tasks that require students to learn
thoughtfully, responsibly, and cooperatively
• An ability to improvise and adapt to new demands
• Showing concern and respect for students
• Commitment to encouraging student independence
• A focus on key concepts, and students’ misunderstanding of them, rather than on
covering the ground
• Using valid assessment methods
• Giving the highest-quality feedback on student work
• A desire to learn from students and other sources about the effects of teaching and
how it can be improved

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 Categories of Teaching Tasks
In their framework for evaluating teaching practice, McAlpine and Harris (2002) identified seven
categories descriptive of the major tasks used to define teaching.

Category Definition

1. Subject matter expertise Grasp of the field, sub-discipline,

and discipline
2. Design skills Conceptualization, planning, and
organization of instruction at the course,
programme, or curriculum levels
3. Delivery skills Implementation of instructional plans
including instructional strategies,
evaluation techniques, and availability
to students in courses as well as those
one is advising
4. Management skills Organizational abilities necessary for
instruction to move smoothly
5. Mentoring students The one-on-one relationship between
academics and the students they are
supervising in undergraduate honours
papers, graduate theses, and credited
practica
6. Personal/professional Ability to conceptualize and carry out
development activities which further personal growth
in teaching
7. Departmental development Participation in activities and creation of
policies that further the quality of teaching
in the unit

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 Definitions
Teaching Dossier/Portfolio

…a way for faculty to document their teaching, both for improvement and
personnel decision-making purposes. A portfolio consists of documents,
photographs, videotapes, or other artifacts that describe the teaching of its
composer. Teaching portfolios can concentrate on only one course or they may
span much longer time periods and teaching situations. The main advantage of a
portfolio is that it presents information holistically. A good portfolio is woven
together by narrative commentary from the faculty member that describes the
context for the documentation and presents reflections on the teaching self. It
presents multiple sources of evidence, chronicles the development of the
instructor, and projects a future vision. (Chism, 1999)

Teaching Philosophy

…one’s conception of teaching, as well as one’s rationale and justification for

how one teaches and why. (Goodyear & Allchin, 1998, p. 110)

…communicate[s] your goals as a teacher and your corresponding actions in the

classroom. (Ramani, 2009, p. 17)

…addresses the issues of how faculty members carry out their teaching
responsibilities from the standpoint of why they do what they do. (Seldin et al., 2010,
p. 28)

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 Suggested Framework for a
Graduate Student Teaching Dossier

Title Page
Table of Contents
Preface/Introduction
1. Teaching and Teaching-related Experience
2. Teaching Philosophy
3. Effectiveness in Teaching and Supporting Learning
• Teaching Strategies
• Instructional Materials
• Student Assessment and Feedback
• Course Design
• Course Evaluations
• Feedback on Teaching
• Teaching Awards
4. Professional Learning and Development in Teaching
5. Teaching Service, Leadership, and Scholarship
• Service on Committees Related to Teaching and Learning
• Participation in Research on Teaching and Learning
• Contribution to the Professional Development of Peers
• Community Education
6. Teaching Interests and Goals

Appendices

4
 Writing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy
Developed by: M. Dunne and A. Hajek, Distance Education, Learning and Teaching Support, Memorial University

A teaching philosophy
• states your beliefs about teaching and learning;
• provides a critical rationale for why you hold those beliefs;
• describes your teaching goals and methods and the principles or values that guide them; and
• reflects a sensitivity to the contextual factors in which you teach.

When writing your teaching philosophy

• be brief – for novice teachers, a one page teaching philosophy is the norm
• avoid technical terms and jargon – use language and concepts that can be broadly understood
and appreciated
• be reflective and personal – provide a creative, vivid portrait of yourself as a person who is
intentional about teaching and committed to student learning
• use first-person, narrative approach

To get started try

• using a quote about teaching and/or learning;
• telling a story or describing a critical incident related to teaching or learning;
• developing a metaphor for your teaching; or
• developing personal thesis statement about the nature of teaching and learning.

Guiding Questions
Those who have researched statements of teaching philosophy have found similarities in the
components contained within the statements (Chism, 1998; Goodyear & Allchin, 1998;
Schönwetter et al., 2002). The below list identifies the common components and presents some
question to help stimulate your thinking about that component. You are not meant to answer all
these questions in a teaching philosophy. They are provided as a reflective tool only.
1. Conceptualization of Learning
• How do I believe learning occurs?
• Why do I believe my students want to learn?
• How should I intervene in the learning process?
• What role do students play in my classroom?
• How do I measure learning outcomes?
2. Conceptualization of Teaching
• What is my definition of teaching?
• Why do I teach? What do I value about teaching?
• What are my teaching goals?
• What personal characteristics influence the way I approach teaching?
• Which aspects of teaching do I enjoy most or find most rewarding? Why?
• How do I facilitate the learning process?
• How do I intellectually challenge students?

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3. Goals for Students
• What knowledge, skills and attitudes do I expect my students to obtain?
• What is the rationale behind these expectations?
• What role do student play in my classroom?
• How do I prepare students to use the knowledge learned in class to solve real-world
problems?
4. Student-Teacher Relationship
• What kind of student-teacher relationship do I strive to achieve?
• How do I interact with students in and outside of the classroom?
• How do I encourage students to connect with me?
• How am I a role model for students?
• How do I motivate students?
• How do I support students in their learning?
• How do I give students feedback?
• What values do I impart to my students?
• How do I want to make a difference in the lives of my students?
5. Integration of Responsibilities
• How has my research influenced my teaching?
• How has my teaching influenced my research?
• How do I disseminate what I have learned?
• Why is it important for me to keep current in my discipline?
• What excites me about my discipline?
• Why do I want my students to be excited about my discipline?
• Why is the study of my discipline important?
• In what ways do I want to improve the education of students in my discipline?
6. Implementation of the Philosophy
• What is the link between my teaching philosophy and classroom activities?
• What kinds of activities take place in my classroom?
• How do I make decisions about content, resources, and methods?
• How do my teaching strategies help me achieve my teaching goals?
• How do I create a safe and supportive learning environment for students?
• How is my teaching philosophy integrated in my student assessment strategies?
7. Professional Growth Plan
• What have I learned about myself as a teacher?
• How has my approach to teaching changed? Why?
• How do I evaluate the effectiveness of my teaching and other interactions with students?
• How do I plan to grow and develop in teaching over the years?
• What goals have I set for myself as a teacher? How will I achieve these goals?

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 Teaching and Learning Strategies
Advance organizer Cartoon Blog
Brainstorm Chart Creative writing
Checklist Concept map Freewrite
Chunking Diagram Journal
Key words Film Log
Outline Flow chart Minute paper
Paraphrase Graph Report
Review Graphic Writing
Summary Mind map
Photograph Debate
Analogy Video Discussion
Example Visual Forum
Illustration Lecture
Narrative Demonstration Guest speaker
Story Exhibit Interview
Observation Panel
Analysis Specimen Think-pair-share
Case study
Comparison Dissection Assignment
Decision making Experiment Portfolio
Problem solving Field trip Position paper
Question Game Presentation
Laboratory
Application Manipulative Reading
Apprenticeship Model
Clinical Practice Reflection
Fieldwork Role play Think time
Internship Simulation
Practicum Research
Performance Feedback Survey
Service learning
Humour

Questions to answer:
• In what context is the strategy used?
• Why do you use the strategy?
• What learning outcome does the strategy accomplish?
• What do you do?
• What do students do?
• What resources are used?
• How do you know it’s successful/effective?
• What artefact can be used to provide evidence of the strategy’s use and effectiveness?

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 Sample Teacher-designed Feedback Forms

Mini-Quest: Questionnaire for Evaluating an Instructional Unit

Student Evaluation of an Instructional Unit

Date Material Title

Course Title Instructor

Please circle the most appropriate alternative.

1) INTEREST 2) PACE
This unit was: This unit was:
(1) very uninteresting (1) much too fast
(2) uninteresting (2) a little too fast
(3) interesting (3) just right
(4) very interesting (4) a little too slow
(5) much too slow

3) LEARNING 4) CLARITY
I learned: This unit was:
(1) nothing (1) very unclear
(2) very little (2) unclear
(3) a fair amount (3) clear
(4) a great deal (4) very clear

5) IMPORTANCE 6) GENERAL
What I learned was: Generally, these materials were:
(1) very unimportant (1) poor
(2) unimportant (2) fair
(3) important (3) good
(4) very important (4) excellent

7) Please indicate any questions raised by the unit.

8) Please write a least one specific comment here about the unit. (Use the back if necessary.)

Thank you!

Diamond, R. (2004). Preparing for promotion, tenure, and annual review: A faculty guide (pp. 46-47). Bolton, MA:
Anker Publishing.

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Specifically, What Needs Improvement?
INSTRUCTIONS: Help your instructor identify areas where efforts to make this course better
ought to focus. Specific recommendations for changes in the area can be indicated in the space
provided. Please answer and make recommendations recognizing that certain limitations (like
class size and meeting time) may be imposed on the instructor by campus authorities.

1. Stimulates interest of the students in the subject matter

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Suggestions for stimulating interest:

2. Exhibits knowledge of the subject matter

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Areas in which the instructor needs to be more knowledgeable:

3. Encourages more vigorous class discussions

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Suggestions for encouraging discussion:

4. Conveys enthusiasm for the course

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Suggestions for conveying enthusiasm:

5. Individualizes instruction for self-paced study

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Ways instruction might be individualized:

6. Relates the subject matter to student interests and experiences

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Suggestions for relating the subject matter to student interests and experiences:

7. Provides opportunities for non-classroom learning

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Examples of appropriate non-classroom learning opportunities:

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8. Uses media and technology in the course
CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Examples of ways media and technology might be incorporated in the course:

9. Clarifies course objectives

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Suggestions for clarifying course objectives:

10. Sets and maintains appropriate academic standards in the course

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Suggest what standards ought to be raised (or lowered, if that’s the problem):

11. Includes student participation in setting course goals

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Suggestions for increasing student participation:

12. Fairness of testing and grading policies and practices

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Suggestions for improving testing and grading:

13. Treats students as adults

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Ways to improve treatment of students:

14. Presentation skills of the instructor

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Suggestions for improving presentation skills:

15. Provide course assignments and out-of-class activities

CLASS DOES WELL CLASS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Ways to improve course assignments and out-of-class activities:

Weimer, M., Parrett, J., & Kerns, M. (1988). How am I teaching: Forms and activities for acquiring instructional
input (pp.89-92). Madison: Magna publications.

10
 Questions Asked in an Academic Job Interview
Compiled by: Nanda Dimitrov, Associate Director, Teaching Support Center, University of
Western Ontario from contributions from colleagues across Canada and the US through the
Educational Developers’ Caucus and the Professional and Organizational Development Network
in Higher Education listserv. December 12, 2007. Used with permission.

Questions about Research:

• Describe your current research. Will you be continuing in this research track? What are
your future research plans?
• How would you involve graduate/undergraduate students in your research?
• Where do your research strengths lie? (Quantitative/qualitative, etc.) Why? What are
your research weaknesses? And how will you improve?
• Your current research requires more technological support than this institution is able to
provide. How will you deal with this?
• We see that you have done a lot of conference papers and presentations; we have limited
professional development funds. How do you feel about that as a limiting factor? (Will
you continue to go and pay your own way—stop doing research? Resent the limitations?)
• Could you tell us about your dissertation?
• What audiences are you addressing, what are the other hot books or scholars in your
field, and how does your work compare with theirs?
• What is the cutting edge in your field and how does your work extend it?
• How will you go about revising your dissertation for publication?
• What is the broader significance of your research? How does it expand our historic
understanding, literary knowledge, humanistic horizons?
• Can you explain the value of your work to an educated layperson?
• Tell us how your research has influenced your teaching. In what ways have you been able
to bring the insights of your research to your courses at the undergraduate level?
• How would you balance your teaching duties and your own research plans?
• If you were organizing a special symposium or conference on your research topic, which
scholars would you invite?
• In what journals do you expect to publish your research?
• Would you be able to take on a graduate student immediately?
• Tell us briefly what theoretical framework you used in developing your research?
• If you were to begin it again, are there any changes you would make in your dissertation?
• What facilities do you need to carry out your research?
• How does your research address culture, language, race, ethnicity, socio-economic
factors?
• What is left out of the talk?
• What is the most significant piece of research that you have read in the last year?
• What do you envision for creating a research program here?
• Do you plan to apply for research funding?
• What is the funding record of your field?

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 • We have a large teaching load here—12 hours per term; how would you manage this and
still work on doing research and publishing?
• Tell us about a research project in which you’ve been involved that was successful and
one which was not. Why do you think these were the outcomes?

Questions about Teaching:

• What is your philosophy of teaching?
• What do you consider your teaching strengths/weaknesses?
• If you have a student who is doing poorly in your class, but has not missed classes and
appears to be a good student, what would you do?
• There is a strong move to infuse interdisciplinary work into the curriculum. With what
other disciplines could you work (teach/research)? Have you done such work in the past?
• What classes could you teach in our program?
• How would you plan a course in __________? What texts would you use? What topics
would you cover?
• How would you evaluate student learning?
• How do you assess your students’ performances?
• Have you ever conducted formative evaluation or an SGID?
• How do you bring diversity into your day to day teaching?
• What is the difference between collaborative and cooperative learning?
• Could you tell us about your teaching experiences?
• How have you used technology in the classroom?
• How do you feel about teaching students of mixed abilities?
• If you could teach any course you wanted, what would it be? What would you teach next
if you could teach two of them?
• How would you organize a freshman composition course?
• How would you organize an upper division course in your field?
• How would you organize a senior seminar in your field?
• How would you organize a graduate course in your field?
• If you could teach your dream upper level specialty course, what would that be?
• What critical approaches do you find most persuasive? How do they translate into your
teaching?
• What kinds of essays do you want your students to write?
• How do reading and writing interact in your classroom?
• How do you feel about teaching… (composition, calculus , public speaking—substitute
course from your field)?
• How do you know you’ve been successful in teaching… (composition, calculus, public
speaking)?
• How would you teach a major work in your field? (They may name one.)
• Can you think of a specific example of when a student you were teaching really seemed
to learn something that you regarded as worthwhile? Briefly describe what happened.
What thing or things did you do that contributed to that student learning? Why, do you
think, did these actions of yours work?

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 • Take course __________, as you would teach it, what three goals would the course
achieve? When students had completed your course, what would they have learned that is
of lasting value?
• What experience have you had teaching at the community college level? How if at all do
you think teaching at a community college differs from teaching at a four year college or
university?
• What experiences have you had teaching diverse students? (Well prepared, under
prepared, full-time, part-time, students with full-time jobs and/or family care
responsibilities, students representing different ethnic groups and races, religions, ages
and genders) What teaching methods have proved effective with such students?
• How well prepared are you to teach the following five basic level courses? (Insert
appropriate courses from your field.)
• Describe your familiarity and experience with different teaching methods such as
collaborative learning, learning styles adaptation, and classroom assessment.
• Tell me about your teaching techniques (e.g., group projects, case method, etc.).
• What is your favorite lecture and why?
• Tell me about your industry experience (if you have any)? How would you bring that
industry experience into the classroom?
• If you have no industry experience, how do you expect to be able to teach students about
the field if you have never worked in it?
• What is your favorite theory or theorist to teach?
• How do you motivate your students?
• How would you encourage your students to major in our field?
• How would you work with our students as opposed to those at your current institution?
• What would you change in an undergraduate/graduate/teacher education curriculum?
• How do you address culture, language, ethnicity, race in your courses? Give me an
example or an activity that helps teachers/researchers talk about these issues.
• How should teacher education programs be set up so that prospective teachers are
prepared to teach?

Questions about Department and Community Involvement:

• Institution __________ is dedicated to providing a liberal arts/spiritually based/holistic
education. How would you describe your place within that vision?
• You’ve seen our mission statement. How would you see yourself contributing to our
mission and campus atmosphere?
• We have instituted a community service requirement for all undergraduates—how would
you see yourself interface with such a program?
• Could you tell us about your long-range plans and commitment to this department?
• What is your opinion on single sex education? (if it is a Women’s University/College)
• How will you fit in as a department member and what kind of contribution will you make
to our community?
• Why do you especially want to teach at University __________? How do you see
yourself contributing to our department?
• Apart from the obvious financial reasons, why would you like to join the Faculty of Y at
University X?

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 • We conceive of our campus as one large community. What non- or extra-academic
activities would you be interested in sponsoring or participating in?
• What is your perception of the responsibilities of a full-time faculty member in a
university/college? …to the department? …to the division? …to the university/college as
a whole?

Questions about Career and Personal Choices:

• Describe your goals and plans for professional development as a university/college
instructor?
• Where do you see yourself professionally in five years? In ten years?
• What are some of the specific things you would like to address/learn in your own
professional development? How is this connected to your work as an academic?
• What about our position is particularly attractive to you?
• What do you do when you are not working? (Modern equivalent of “What are your
hobbies?”)
• How long do you plan on staying at University __________?
• What is the last book that you read for fun?
• How do you feel about living in __________ city?
• I understand that your partner is completing his/her PhD. What if you receive job offers
in different locations?
• What kind of salary are you looking for?
• Why have you changed jobs so frequently?
• If you get more than one job offer how will you decide between them?
• Who else is interviewing you?
• How did you go about researching/preparing for the interview for this position?
• What questions do you have for us?

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Resources
The Chronicle of Higher Education, Chronicle Careers, Mary Dillon Johnson, “The Academic Job Interview
Revisited”. chronicle.com/jobs/2004/10/2004101501c.htm
The University of Georgia, Teaching Assistant Resources, “Job Search”.
ww.ctl.uga.edu/o_taresources/jobsearch.html
University of Maryland College Park, Department of American Studies, Mary Corbin Sies, “Academic Job
Interview Advice”. www.otal.umd.edu/~sies/jobadvice.html
Michigan State University, University Teaching Assistant Programs, K. M. Johnson, “Talking about Teaching in the
Interview”. tap.msu.edu/workshops/2007/oct.htm#101807
The University of Michigan, Division of Student Affairs, The Career Centre, “Interview Questions – Academic Job
Search”. www.crlt.umich.edu/gsis/Interview_QAcademic_JS.pdf
University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences, Department of English, Michael Gamer and Anne K.
Krook, “Job-Interviewing Handout”. www.english.upenn.edu/mgamer/interview.html
San Francisco State University, Department of Mathematics, Julia Aguirre, “Academic Interview Preparation
Resource Document”. math.sfsu.edu/hsu/interviewprep.doc
The University of Texas at Austin, Trina Sego and Jeff L. Richards, “Ph.D. Interview Preparation Guide for
Positions in Academia”. advertising.utexas.edu/JR/InterviewPrep.html
The University of Western Ontario, Teaching Support Centre, Graduate Career Day Handout October 2007,
“Entering the Academic Profession”. www.uwo.ca/tsc/future_professor.2007-2008.html?id=79
University of Minnesota Centre for Teaching and Learning, Preparing Future Faculty Retreat Handouts (2001).

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 Online Resources
Cover Letter

How to Write a Cover Letter for Academic Jobs: An eBook with Tips and Examples to
Create the Perfect Cover Letter. Carr, L., jobs.ac.uk (n.d.)
https://www.jobs.ac.uk/media/pdf/careers/resources/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-for-academic-
jobs.pdf

Cover Letter Guide for Graduate Students/Postdocs. Career Services, University of Pennsylvania
(2019)
https://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/gradstud/coverletterguide.php

Teaching Philosophy

Writing A Statement of Teaching Philosophy for the Academic Job Search. O’Neal, C., Meizlish,
D., and Kaplan, M., Centre for research on Learning and Teaching, University of Michigan
(2007)
http://www.crlt.umich.edu/sites/default/files/resource_files/CRLT_no23.pdf

Academic Job Search

Application Materials for Academic Jobs. Career Services, University of Pennsylvania (2019)
https://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/applicationmaterialsforacademicjobs.php

Curriculum Vitae and Academic Job Search, Student Life, Memorial University (n.d.)
https://www.mun.ca/student/student-success/career/career-
resources/cvandacademicjobsearch.php

Find Academic Work. Career Exploration and Education, Student Life, University of Toronto
(2019)
http://www.studentlife.utoronto.ca/cc/academic-work#node-1039

What not to do when applying for an academic job. Falk, B., University Affairs (2018)
https://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/what-not-to-do-when-
applying-for-an-academic-job/

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References
Chism, N.. (1998). Developing a philosophy of teaching statement. Essays on Teaching Excellence, 9 (3), 1-2.
Chism, N. (1999). Peer review of teaching: A sourcebook. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing.
Diamond, R. (2004). Preparing for promotion, tenure, and annual review: A faculty guide (pp. 46-47). Bolton, MA:
Anker Publishing.
Goodyear, G. E. & Allchin, D. (1998) Statement of teaching philosophy. To Improve the Academy, 17, 103-22.
Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press.
McAlpine, L. & Harris, R. (2002). Evaluating teaching effectiveness and teaching improvement: A language for
institutional policies and academic development practices. The International Journal for Academic
Development, 7(1), 7-17. doi: 10.1080/13601440210156439
Ramsden, P. (2003). Learning to teach in higher education (2nd ed.) (pp. 86-87). London: Routledge Falmer.
Schonwetter, D., Sokal, L., Friesen, M., & Taylor, L. (2002, May). Teaching philosophies reconsidered: A
conceptual model for the development and evaluation of teaching philosophy statements. The International
Journal for Academic Development, 7(1) 83-97. doi: 10.1080/13601440210156501
Weimer, M., Parrett, J., & Kerns, M. (1988). How am I teaching: Forms and activities for acquiring instructional
input (pp.89-92). Madison: Magna publications.

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