New Faculty Teaching Newsletter # 5 (September 4, 2009)
“Getting to know you, getting to know all about you.” One of the famous songs from “The King and I,” which leads us to our topic:
Getting to Know Your Students
One of the most important things you can do early in the semester is to get a sense of who these people are who are sitting in front of you. What experience do they have in your field, what interest? Are you teaching a required course? An elective? Are there students from other majors in the course? A variety of levels? Information like this helps you to figure out not only how to present your material, but often what material to present. And beyond those details, getting to know your students in general, and helping them to get to know you, enhances the whole classroom experience.
1. Many faculty hand out a questionnaire or a quiz on the first day or second day of class. (It’s not too late to do it now.) These can be used in various ways, the primary one being to find out students’ background in or knowledge of the material. We have collected a number of surveys used by faculty from throughout campus. These range from the very simple to the complex, from finding out what students know about the topic of the class to what outside interests they have. If you’re interested in getting some information from your students, looking over these samples should give you some good ideas.
2. Learn as many names as you can, even in large classes. The Gold Standard: there are several faculty on campus who learn the names of all the 100+ students in their lecture courses.
3. Don’t forget that on your class bSpace site you can find pictures of most of your students.
Some faculty bring a digital camera to class and take pictures of all of their students or ask their GSIs to do this in section. One faculty member then puts the name on the back of each photo, and keeps a stack of them on the podium. He uses that stack to randomly call on students by name. At Berkeley there are faculty who do this not only in small classes but in very large courses as well.
4. In her large introduction to the English major class, Professor Kevis Goodman asks every student to come to her office and recite the first eighteen lines of the Canterbury Tales. Goodman says, “I know that it will make their own silent reading of Chaucer's fourteenth-century English less alienating in the coming weeks, but if that fails (it usually doesn't), then at least I know that by the next class I may seem less alien.”
5. In addition to your getting to know your students, you should find ways to encourage them to get to know each other (Professor Marian Diamond asks them to introduce themselves and to chat for a few minutes with those sitting around them), to form study groups (on teaching.berkeley.edu there’s a great flier for students on forming study groups) , and in general to have someone to talk to about the ideas in your course.
Numerous studies have shown (no, I’m not going to cite them—just believe me) that students who feel connected, by meeting faculty, studying with other students, and participating in campus organizations, do better and have a much more rewarding undergraduate experience. At teaching.berkeley.edu, here’s good information on how to encourage study groups—as well as other kinds of groups in class.
Before we end, one head’s up. I’m copying here from the Office of the Registrar’s website:
“Midterm Status Grades
What are midterm status grades?
You are required to submit a midterm status grade for any undergraduate in your class who, at midterm time (end of 8th week in the semester), is earning a D, F, or NP. These grades are only for the purposes of informing students that they are earning a deficient grade, but they are not recorded on the student's permanent record.
Entering Midterm Grades
During the 8th week of the semester, Monday through Friday, log into eGrades, through Bear Facts. You will only be able to view the undergraduates in your classes. Enter grades only for students earning a D, F or NP. The students will be able to view their midterm grades Tuesday of the following week.
If you cannot enter the grades, you should notify those students who are earning a deficient grade of their status.”
It’s very important, then, that you provide some feedback to students before midsemester. Ideally, you provide it long before then, before drop deadlines kick in.