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Overview of Teaching at Overview of Teaching at Penn StatePenn State
James SellersJames Sellers
[email protected]@math.psu.edu
First Things FirstFirst Things First
• Welcome!
• Who is this guy?
James SellersJames Sellers
• PhD, 1992, Penn State University
• 1992 – 2001: Mathematics Professor, Cedarville University (Ohio)
• 2001 – Present: Director of Undergraduate Mathematics and Associate Professor, Penn State University
James SellersJames Sellers
• Research: number theory (related to partitions), combinatorics
• Teaching (at Cedarville): precalculus, calculus, differential equations, combinatorics, elementary number theory, “math for liberal arts majors”
James SellersJames Sellers
• Teaching (at Penn State): first year seminar, “math for liberal arts majors,” first year calculus, elementary combinatorics, elementary number theory
• Extracurricular: racquetball, basketball, church activities, time with my wife and kids
Your Roles at Penn StateYour Roles at Penn State
• Student– This is familiar territory
• Researcher
• Member of a team – You are a colleague in the department,
especially in your role as teacher
Your Roles at Penn StateYour Roles at Penn State
• Teacher– An integral part of the department!– Our department services the entire university
(engineering, business, liberal arts, etc.)– We offer the second most credit hours on
campus (behind the English Department). – Teaching mathematics is an extremely
important endeavor; it should be viewed as a primary task while you are here.
Your Roles at Penn StateYour Roles at Penn State
• Teacher– There will be many tasks to juggle as you
teach in our department • Much of this semester’s training will focus on this
– We value teaching (awards, recognition, etc.)– We provide a great deal of support (Mentoring
Program, GTA Oversight Committee)
Your Roles at Penn StateYour Roles at Penn State
• Classroom Manager– Next semester, you will probably be in charge
of a classroom full of students. For many of you, this will be a first!
– In a number of our sessions this semester, we will strive to get you ready for this.
A “Top 10” List For Your A “Top 10” List For Your ConsiderationConsideration
• Know your audience and know the goals of your course– Aim the content correctly
• Always go to your class prepared (to teach, to return graded materials, etc.)– This takes time outside of class– Again, we will give you lots of advice this
semester
A “Top 10” List For Your A “Top 10” List For Your ConsiderationConsideration
• Always conduct yourself in a professional manner in class– Never go to class looking or acting like you
just got out of bed – “TA came to class in pajamas”– Remember that students call parents and
parents will get involved. (“I pay lots …”)
A “Top 10” List For Your A “Top 10” List For Your ConsiderationConsideration
• Never demean your students or colleagues– “No such thing as a bad question”– We will talk more about this later this
semester
• Always contact your coordinator or me if you have any questions about your class!
A “Top 10” List For Your A “Top 10” List For Your ConsiderationConsideration
• Always give students the opportunity to see their quizzes, midterms, and final exam after grading
• Remove as much uncertainty as possible– Try to give students as much detailed
information throughout a course as you can– Exception? Don’t give too much information
about specific exam problems during review
A “Top 10” List For Your A “Top 10” List For Your ConsiderationConsideration
• Never ignore student requests for meetings or clarification on grades– Return emails or phone calls!– If you don’t know the answer, direct them to
your course coordinator; just don’t ignore them
A “Top 10” List For Your A “Top 10” List For Your ConsiderationConsideration
• Always strive to find a substitute for a class rather than canceling class (again, student focus on tuition lost, etc.)– Again, you are a member of a team, and
many in the department are willing to help
A “Top 10” List For Your A “Top 10” List For Your ConsiderationConsideration
• And my all-time favorite: Never say “Wow, that was a hard exam” or “Wow, am I glad I did not have to take that exam” to your own class! – This really happened
– This really got the parents calling me
Overview of Teaching at Overview of Teaching at Penn StatePenn State
James SellersJames Sellers
[email protected]@math.psu.edu