Resources Technology Workshops Services

Collaborative Research Model

First Time Teaching

Teaching FAQ's

Effective Assessment

Inclusive Classrooms

Large Class Teaching

Library and Links

Beginnings

Resource Exchange

Campus Spotlight

GTF Teaching Award

Faculty Showcase Podcasts

Search TEP site

 

 

 

  Home > Resources > Teaching FAQ's > From the Veterans > GTF/Professor Relationships

GTF/Professor Relationships

• I have a couple suggestions. One thing that I ran into my first term of teaching labs was a misunderstanding between myself and the professor I was working for about the grading scale that would be applied to the students. I assumed a straight scale (90-100 = A, 80-89 = B,etc.), but the professor curved the grades, despite the small class size. This led to problems after the final grades were given out. So it is very important to be clear on the grading scale so you don't misinform students about the grade they will receive.
  
  
• It's important to have a discussion of what your role is as a GTF (i.e. to reinvent pedagogy as practiced at the UO, or to do as your professor tells you even if it runs counter to your own beliefs about good teaching.)
  
  
• Relations with professors are very important. The politics of this relationship are very important, too.
  
  
• TEP does a good job of training GTFs to work with teachers, but no one shows the teachers how to work with GTFs. As a result, many are unprepared to tell us what they expect and how to help them. I think the GTF must take the initiative and have her or his own class plan ready.
  
  
• Expand your professor contacts outside of your department. This will allow you to seek advice from external sources, if you feel uncomfortable within your own department.
  
  
• Find out from your professor what s/he thinks discussion sections are for. Find out how s/he wants you to grade (which concepts are more important than others).
  
  
• Talk to the other GTF's about the professor. What is the teaching and communication style of the person? What are the unwritten expectations of the professors.
  
  
• Try and learn why you got the GTF? What were the internal departmental politics that enabled you to be awarded the GTF. Understand this so you do not get blindsided for future GTF's when another professor votes against you, because her/his favorite student did not get a previous GTF.
  
  
• Also, establish connections with your other GTFs as soon as possible, especially the other people GTFing for the same class as you. Calibrate your grading, with the professors help, if possible.

 

---