Teaching for Tenure and Beyond: Strategies for Maximizing Your Student Ratings

Acquaints graduate students who are preparing for a career in academia, as well as those already teaching, with strategies for maximizing their student ratings. In order to gain tenure, it is necessary to teach effectively, and judgments about one’s teaching abilities are based in large part on student ratings. This book provides graduate students, junior faculty, and others with the information they need to develop an adequate teaching record for tenure. Topics discussed include the importance of communicating course goals and requirements, enhancing students’ motivation, presenting subject matter clearly, establishing an examination and grading policy that students are likely to regard as fair, utilizing class time well, being available and helpful to students outside of class, encouraging students’ curiosity and facilitating research, and selecting textbooks.