Gina's draft TPS

Re: Gina's draft TPS

by Gina Bennett -
Number of replies: 1

Thanks so much for your detailed & helpful feedback, Sue! I realized from the start that this draft was too general & vague -- your observations would certainly help me to tighten it up, drop some parts & flesh out others. Organizing my thoughts into sections with clear themes & sub-themes would definitely improve it, wouldn't it?? Good observation!  

The more I think about this process, however, the more I think audience is critical. I'd need to know who I was writing for in order to revise it properly. If I were applying for a job back in the ABE math classroom, I would include examples, assessments, & key events to illustrate how I work in that environment. But if I were applying for a curriculum development opportunity, perhaps helping a group of faculty to incorporate more varied online practices, I would certainly choose different examples & events to communicate my philosophy. And I'd choose different ones again if that same curriculum gig were to be delivered to a group of community developers in Kenya. 

I'm reminded of a workbook or guide I read some time ago (no idea of the reference at this late date), about how to develop an academic portfolio. The guide recommended first putting together a "portmanteau" portfolio: a collection of certificates, letters of recommendation, assessments you'd created, results of your teaching evaluations, notes from students, you name it. Then, when you are required to apply for a job or otherwise describe your teaching skill, you pick & choose items from your portmanteau to fit the bill. I wonder, for those of us with a hodge-podge of education-related experience, if such an approach might help when putting together a TPS... separate sections to fit different educational work & roles, from which you can pick & choose when you have a specific teaching job or audience in mind. What do you think? 

Regardless of audience, you've given me an excellent overview of the level of detail, organization, and style that might be expected in a formal TPS. Thanks again for all the work you put into this (for all of us!)

In reply to Gina Bennett

Re: Gina's draft TPS

by Sue Hellman -

You've got it exactly right, Gina. People think they can write a one size fits all TPS, but it just doesn't work unless you're always applying for similar work. Some people are like that. They do essentially the same job wherever they go for their whole careers (especially in high school math departments). I may want to borrow some of this reflection if I do the course again -- if that's OK with you. 

I was going to suggest somewhere that people imagine a reader, but so many stated that they wanted to do relective pieces for portfolio purposes that I chose not to. I think there might be something to that. In a reflective piece you would want to share a smattering of all different experience that illustrate who you are as a teacher. You could pick 1 big signature idea and show how that is expressed in different contexts. The result would be a useful document to keep as a starting place for any application, but it would also be a snapshot of you right now. 

This course has been a labour of love & learning for me. If you want to keep sharing, you can reach me at suehellman.edu@gmail.com once these forums have closed. 

-S