“This was one of the best discussion classes I’ve had in a good while. The students were thoroughly engaged, and the instructor was warm and thought-provoking. She was neither overly aggressive, leading the conversation, nor was she overly passive, saying little and allowing gaps of silence during the class (a phenomenon rather uncomfortable and common in other discussion sections). I highly recommend her as an instructor.” (University of Virginia undergraduate, Psychology)
Over seven years, I have served in a variety of teaching roles. These have ranged from leading psychology discussion sections at the University of Virginia, to designing and designing summer courses for gifted middle-schoolers, to teaching ESL and training teachers in Brazil. Each of these contexts demanded different skills, since the subject content and student characteristics varied considerably. However, my basic aims and strategies were always the same: high expectations, dynamic classes and dedication to students.
University of Virginia, Department of Psychology
I have served as a TA in the psychology department for four semesters, in both introductory statistics and child development courses. Some semesters I played a supporting role: grading papers and writing exams for the 250-student lecture course in child development (cognitive, physical, and social), or leading review sessions for both child psychology and the 140-student introductory statistics course. In 2005, I taught my own discussion sections for child psychology. My three classes had 20 students each, and met weekly as a supplement to the lecture course (not a review) with independent readings and assignments. The lecture professor set the readings, but each of us serving as TA structured her own activities and policies. Since I was the only developmental psychologist in the group of five TAs that semester, I also served as unofficial head TA: organizing meetings to standardize grading and to discuss requirements for the final project. Finally, in 2007, I led a workshop session on “Teaching the First Days of Class”, at the University’s August Teaching Workshop (designed for new faculty and graduate students).
Summer Enrichment Program, University of Virginia
I designed and taught two courses at this intensive program for gifted middle and high school students. Courses met daily for two weeks, in three consecutive sessions each year. In 2005, I taught a main course, with 3-hour classes, homework, and a final project. Called “Psychology: Breakdown of the Mind,” it focused on cases when minds don’t function well (such as optical illusions), and what those reveal about adaptive systems that usually do work. Topics included false memory, social conformity, and stereotyping. I brought guest lecturers from UVa (researchers in each area), and took students to visit their labs; students also conducted independent research. In 2006, I designed a seminar (“The Science of Memory”), where students met for 1½ hours daily and participated in a final competition. We covered such areas as amnesia, prodigies, and Alzheimers, using hands-on demonstrations and multimedia. Students also learned practical strategies to improve their memory, and tested these at the final “Memory Olympics.”
ESL (Teacher and Director of Studies), Brazil
While living in Brazil, I decided ESL was the most useful teaching contribution I could make, so I learned to teach it and taught for three years in two language schools. Such schools (typical in Brazil) offer 4- or 5-year sequenced English courses, both on a semester schedule and in intensive vacation courses (3-4 hrs/day, for a month). My students were adolescents and adults (mixed), and I taught all levels from beginning to advanced. The schools set the curricula, but I created my own classroom activities. In my last year in Brazil, I was asked to serve as Director of Studies. As Director, I was responsible for hiring, training, and supervising a faculty of 6-9 teachers, as well as monitoring student satisfaction and progress. I also designed and oversaw extracurricular activities/events, along with a host of administrative responsibilities.
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