The UWP treats your evaluation as an aspect of professional development. Simply put, the primary purpose of the evaluation is to help you become a better teacher.
Instructors in the UWP are evaluated every semester. For TAs, this semesterly evaluation is a requirement of the GAU contract. But much more than a requirement, it is a chance for you to get feedback on your work and for us to encourage your growth and development as a professional in the field. The basis for the evaluation will be either a class observation or a teaching portfolio that you submit toward the end of the semester.
Observations are typically three-parted:
- Pre-Observation Meeting. You will be asked to meet with the observing faculty member before your session to explain the context of the lesson, your goals and methods, and the specific lesson plan. This pre-observation meeting helps the faculty member understand your purposes and better take in what happens in the classroom. Provide the faculty member with any handouts, readings, or presentation materials that you plan to use.
- The Classroom Observation. It is a good idea to introduce the observing faculty member as a guest in your class.
- Follow-up Meeting. You should meet with the observing faculty member within a few days of the observation to discuss the class.
Your letter of evaluation will be given to you during the follow-up meeting or made available later. Sign the original for your personnel file and make a copy for your own records.
For the teaching portfolio, you will be asked to provide the following information bound in a folder and labeled:
- teaching philosophy
- syllabus
- handouts that show the character and/or method of your course
- major assignments and exercises used in daily work
- 5 marked and graded papers, including a broad range of grades and preferably corresponding to the assignments included above
- student evaluations for all courses taught at UF
Example teaching portfolios are kept on file in the UWP office.