10 New Year's Resolutions for an Academic Teacher of Economics
Welcome to 2017! It's the perfect time to start with your New Year's resolutions and see what you want to learn, change or improve this year. Get inspired by our list of 10 goals created especially for university teachers of Economics. We hope it will help you make 2017 even more successful than the previous year!
1. I will read more and keep up to date on events in my field – and in related fields like business, finance, and sociology.
You're busy enough as a teacher, with lessons to plan, lecturers to give, and essays to mark, but try to make some time to stay informed about the latest news and developments in your field, so that you can give your students the best possible information.
2. I will make time for as many of my students as possible – even those who are struggling or who aren't good at asking for help.
It's no problem to help a student who visits during your office hours and asks clear, direct, and easily-answered questions. But also try to reach out to students who seem like they might be struggling, and let them know that you're there to help. That might be the confidence booster that they need.
3. I will give out information about assignments as early as I can, so that my students have time to prepare.
Schedules and timetables are always changing, and it's not always possible to give out all the information on your course right at the beginning. But if you can, give your students information about their classes generally and their assignments specifically as early as possible, so that they can plan and do their best work.
4. I will encourage my students to speak up in class, to debate with each other, and to keep learning outside of the classroom.
You know that teaching is much more than just sharing information – it's about encouraging independent and critical thought too. As much as you can, plan your lessons to give students practice at these important life skills.
5. I will be as responsive to student emails as I can be – even if my replies are only brief.
Email is the bane of many a teacher! With some students sending in emails which are unprofessional or which ask for information which is clearly in the course handbook, it can be frustrating and it's tempting to ignore these messages. But try to respond to emails in a timely manner, even if your reply is just a few words telling them where they can find the information they need.
6. I will take on a formal or informal mentoring role to help younger academics and teachers to develop their skills.
One great thing to do for the success of your field as a whole is to help more junior academics or teachers in your department. You can join a mentoring program or informally offer advice to share your knowledge with others.
7. I will make my expectations of my students explicitly clear, and show them what they need to do to get good grades and to succeed in my class.
As a teacher, it can seem like the requirements of your classes are very obvious – show up on time, listen and pay attention during lectures, do the assigned reading, and get the assignments handed in on time – but new or younger students might not quite get this. So make your expectations really clear and let everyone know exactly what they must achieve to do well in your class.
8. I will work to ensure that my teaching assistants are as informed and well-trained as possible. I will look into whether they are being paid a living wage, and support them in campaigning for it if not.
Teaching assistants do vital work but are often shockingly poorly paid and face difficult working conditions. Find out if this is the case in your department, and use your influence to support them if you can.
9. I will encourage the quieter, shier, or less confident students in my class to participate, and try not to have the same few students taking up a large amount of class time.
It's easy for some more confident students to be the ones to answer questions and offer opinions in class, but try to make space for all of your students to respond, and encourage those who are less confident.
10. I will continue to find ways to expand my own knowledge about my field, to consider new ideas, and to build my own passion for learning.
Finally, as a teacher you never stop learning – so always be open to new ideas and continue to learn and grow as you think more about your own subject.
1. I will read more and keep up to date on events in my field – and in related fields like business, finance, and sociology.
You're busy enough as a teacher, with lessons to plan, lecturers to give, and essays to mark, but try to make some time to stay informed about the latest news and developments in your field, so that you can give your students the best possible information.
2. I will make time for as many of my students as possible – even those who are struggling or who aren't good at asking for help.
It's no problem to help a student who visits during your office hours and asks clear, direct, and easily-answered questions. But also try to reach out to students who seem like they might be struggling, and let them know that you're there to help. That might be the confidence booster that they need.
3. I will give out information about assignments as early as I can, so that my students have time to prepare.
Schedules and timetables are always changing, and it's not always possible to give out all the information on your course right at the beginning. But if you can, give your students information about their classes generally and their assignments specifically as early as possible, so that they can plan and do their best work.
4. I will encourage my students to speak up in class, to debate with each other, and to keep learning outside of the classroom.
You know that teaching is much more than just sharing information – it's about encouraging independent and critical thought too. As much as you can, plan your lessons to give students practice at these important life skills.
5. I will be as responsive to student emails as I can be – even if my replies are only brief.
Email is the bane of many a teacher! With some students sending in emails which are unprofessional or which ask for information which is clearly in the course handbook, it can be frustrating and it's tempting to ignore these messages. But try to respond to emails in a timely manner, even if your reply is just a few words telling them where they can find the information they need.
6. I will take on a formal or informal mentoring role to help younger academics and teachers to develop their skills.
One great thing to do for the success of your field as a whole is to help more junior academics or teachers in your department. You can join a mentoring program or informally offer advice to share your knowledge with others.
7. I will make my expectations of my students explicitly clear, and show them what they need to do to get good grades and to succeed in my class.
As a teacher, it can seem like the requirements of your classes are very obvious – show up on time, listen and pay attention during lectures, do the assigned reading, and get the assignments handed in on time – but new or younger students might not quite get this. So make your expectations really clear and let everyone know exactly what they must achieve to do well in your class.
8. I will work to ensure that my teaching assistants are as informed and well-trained as possible. I will look into whether they are being paid a living wage, and support them in campaigning for it if not.
Teaching assistants do vital work but are often shockingly poorly paid and face difficult working conditions. Find out if this is the case in your department, and use your influence to support them if you can.
9. I will encourage the quieter, shier, or less confident students in my class to participate, and try not to have the same few students taking up a large amount of class time.
It's easy for some more confident students to be the ones to answer questions and offer opinions in class, but try to make space for all of your students to respond, and encourage those who are less confident.
10. I will continue to find ways to expand my own knowledge about my field, to consider new ideas, and to build my own passion for learning.
Finally, as a teacher you never stop learning – so always be open to new ideas and continue to learn and grow as you think more about your own subject.
For more advice for economists, see these articles:
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