Follow-up Information from the Teaching/Learning Workshop

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 16:56:56 -0400
blackboard, cgs, counseling, deluty, prof-it, promise, skillsoft

Dear Graduate School Community,

Thank you to the students who took time to come to our seminar, thank you to the "Top TAs" who took time out of their schedules to be panelists, and thank you to all of the speakers who spent time with our community today.

1. “TA Training/Teaching and Learning Workshop”

http://my.umbc.edu/groups/promise/events/12437

2. Life/Work Balance Lunch Seminar with Dr. Robert Deluty

http://my.umbc.edu/groups/promise/events/12438

Here are some highlights and follow-up points.

1) WORKING WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: The handout that accompanies Vice Provost Cynthia Hill's talk on "Working with students with disabilities" can be found here: http://my.umbc.edu/system/shared/attachments/d3aaa37f65812ec1795d5a06403030f2/5037dd38/group-documents/000/002/346/64ff7983a47d331b13a81156e2f4d29d/8-24-12%20-%20Working%20with%20Students%20with%20Disabilities%20-%20Teaching%20and%20Learning%20Workshop%20for%20TAs%20and%20Graduate%20Students.pdf?1345838384. It is also attached at the bottom of this message.

2) DR. DELUTY'S TALK: Dr. Deluty's books are available in the bookstore. Take care to remember his "Perfectionist" poem. It is a favorite. Remember that your comfort should not be brief ... don't stifle the hope of lasting relief!

3) TEACHING A FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR: More information about the IHU and teaching one of those courses can be found here: http://www.umbc.edu/undergrad_ed/ihu/. Assistant Vice Provost Jill Randles is the contact person.

4) PROF-it opportunities will be listed here throughout the year: http://promisesuccessseminars.wordpress.com/professors-in-training-prof-it/, however, Dr. Judith Pollack maintains the PROF-it Blackboard site with all of the latest information. Go to Blackboard, look under "organizations" and type in "PROF-it." The group is listed under PROF-it: Professors-in-training.

5) QUOTE to remember from John Fritz (DOIT) about Blackboard: "Students who get a 'D' or 'F' use Blackboard 40% less than students who get a 'C' or higher."

6) SKILLSOFT: Jill Wardell from UMBC's Training and Organization Development unit is working with us to pilot SkillSoft e-learning tools and preparation for certifications that can enhance your career. Please take the poll to let us know about your interests: http://my.umbc.edu/groups/promise/discussions/4964.

7) DELUTY: Paraphrased quote from Dr. Deluty: "If you get a 'C' or less and have to take a course again, don't view it as a failure, view it as an opportunity to master the material."

8) PROF-IT: Save the dates for other upcoming PROF-it seminars: Fridays from 12 noon to 2:00 PM on October 5, November 2, and December 7 in Commons 329.

Topics: Creating a Syllabus, Using Groups in the Classroom, Learning Styles. NOTE: Students who want to apply for the $2000 UMBC/CCBC Teaching Fellows program must attend each of the seminars.

Guests include Dr. Linda Hodges (leader of today's "Teaching Disciplinary Thinking" session), and Dr. Anne Spence of Mechanical Engineering/Engineering Education. A supplemental workshop on teaching a class, overcoming fear, and getting your point across will be led by Dr. Pollack.

9) Office of Human Relations Programs: http://www.umbc.edu/humanrelations/. Refer to Stephanie Lazarus' "Got Conflict" handout for other resources.

10) UMBC's Counseling Center: http://www.umbc.edu/counseling/

Best wishes for a successful semester!

Kind regards,

Renetta Tull

Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Development

Director of PROMISE: Maryland's AGEP