So, in the very limited time that I have had today (Most of Monday is teaching, office hours, and today, meeting with 7 students so far), I have been working on revising my teaching statement. When I was in graduate school, PFKA made me feel as though I couldn't write at all. PFKA heavily edited everything I wrote. While this over-editing helped me improve grammar and stylistically, it took away from my voice. I was so afraid going out on the job market that no one would hire (or even interview me), I let him take a heavy hand to the style and voice of my teaching statement. Well, that time is over. I am a big girl. Today, I am re-writing my teaching statement in my voice, saying mostly the same things (my teaching philosophy isn't vastly different than it was 2 years ago), but in my own voice. I have a spin to it that I think I really like. It needs polish and cutting, clarity and flow, but it is on it's way--and I feel good about that.
My only regret of the day is that I didn't have more time to put into it. Talked to a friend who's teaching style is very respected (she gets off the charts good evals) and shes going to give it a read once its cleaner. Found two quotes I like (that I cannot use in my statement, so I share them here). The first:
"By learning you will teach, by teaching you will learn." - Latin Proverb
I would alter a bit to say: My teaching informs my research and my research informs my teaching. My main reason for not being at a R1 school, is that I wouldn't get tenure with the publication standards, but I also want to do both teaching and research. Here at TBU, I am limited in what research I can accomplish and so I am hoping this years job search will help me find a place where I can be the complete version of me (teacher and researcher).
The second quote:
If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job. ~Donald D. Quinn
Just too funny. And true.
