Detailed notes are so helpful. So are thoughtful reflections. The more energy you put into carefully observing, and later contemplating, the more your [faculty partner] will get out of this program.
[Your] role in this process is to provide information/data.
Our feelings don’t get hurt easily – feel free to offer critiques and suggestions.
Find a way to make this project your own. Have something in mind that you want to have a result for at the end of the process. Make a list of goals. See if the goals are/are not met.
Take the development of the bond between the [student partner] and [faculty partner] seriously – nurture it so that you feel good about being open and being tough with one another.
Your ideas are valuable and your voice is important. In your unique role as a student [partner], you have the opportunity to shape the way a course progresses. Your faculty partner is interested in your ideas and opinions, and has as much to learn from you as you may have to learn from them.
Be clear about your goals and objectives before participating in the partnership.
Yes it is a partnership, but the faculty member is still the faculty member. Thus, do not be offended if the faculty member does not adopt all of his or her suggestions.
Don’t be afraid of your faculty partner. Faculty that participate are certainly most willing to listen to students… we self-selected ourselves into this program after all!
Don’t be afraid to give honest feedback! If the professor is open, they will take your feedback to heart and try to implement it. If they aren’t open, that’s on them (they’re in the program for a reason, they signed up for it).
Be bold. Don’t be afraid to say the hard things. Your faculty Partner will thank you for your bravery and honesty (and if they don’t, that’s on them, not you).
Trust your instincts! Lead with enthusiasm and goodwill. Stay organized throughout and try to think across many weeks of observation so that you can give comprehensive feedback.
It seemed as though a surprising amount of feedback from [my student partner] was quite positive. I would suggest that “constructive criticism” is just as welcome (and perhaps even more helpful).
Be honest with your faculty member. Everyone else around them is probably just telling them what they want to hear, but if they really want to improve as a teacher, they need someone to be honest with them. That someone can be you! You have unique and valuable insights to provide.
Keep using the “observation notes”. They were useful and effective.
Don’t hold back in being honest with feedback but also being kind.
By adopting a posture of inquiry, the potential for communicative conflict is lessened.
Advice from Students to Students:
Be patient with the program and the benefits are not always immediately apparent. It is important to keep in mind that progress in being made.
Reflect on the relationship with the professor at the beginning of the term compared to where they are in the program.
You get out what you put in. The program only works if the students take it seriously and do the work required. Taking the program seriously is what really provided the benefits.
Be very specific with your professors and your students, as well as with yourself and your own goals. This makes them much easier to take account of and achieve.
Take time to establish a relationship with your faculty partner. Having a good relationship between the two allows the observation feedback meetings to go smoother. If you do not feel comfortable telling a professor how they can improves, it may cause a person to not effectively give good feedback out of fear or any bias.
Sometime criticism can be intimidating to give to someone in a higher position than you are.
Build a good relationship with their faculty partner early on and stay on top of everything.
Always write your reflections the same day as you record your observations, it will save you a ton of time and will likely be more conclusive (where it needs to be).
Keep a binder to stay organized.
Don’t be afraid to take the lead in your meetings with your partner, figure out an organized, concise way to present your reflections without having to read thoroughly through them. Do this, have a relaxed discussion, and leave your written reflections with your partner for them to reflect on afterwards.
Be open with your professor about what their goals are, why they are doing this program, and what they want to get out of the student’s observations.
Set realistic goals, but don’t be afraid to go back and change your goals
Don’t just let the faculty set goals. You have to have your own too
When there comes a stumbling block in communication, dedicated yourself to figure out how to get around
Be open to your ideas not always getting implemented. Don’t take it personally.
Be okay with not having huge things you can change. Having small simple goals is okay. I was going in expecting grandiose things.
Be prepare for faculty who don’t know what they want you to look for but still appreciate you being there.
Find a way to be personally invested in what the professor teaches. Ask questions about what you find interesting. You have their attention for an hour. You might just as well go in and mine their brain.
Easier to get involved in the class than sit in the back quietly.
Always sit in the back.
Switch up your positions. (depends on the room set up)
Tell your faculty partner when you learn something new form observing.
Experiment with when you write your observations. Some the moment after; some after a couple of days.
Ask you partner what she plans to teach the next week, and go and think ahead (maybe consider relevant activities).
If it’s a class that’s two hours a time, switch up the hours you decide to take your notes.
Write your most important response in the moment (so you don’t forget it)—in a different color.
When you meet with your partner, ask them how they feel about the class before sharing what you have to say. They can see the “mirroring” in your comments
Meetings go so much smoother when I let the faculty partner first say what they felt about the class. Then I highlight something.
One of fears of a faculty partner is losing power. When you listen, they see they still matter.
Get to know your partner outside of the classroom setting. Change up where you meet. Not always in their office (their turf, territory).
Thoughts for Students who are both the TA and Student Partner:
Working for my boss has helped my relationship. She asks for help not only on classes I’m observing but also different ones.
Depends on who you are before you start the partnership. IF you have a good relationship and are good at your job . . .
Clear on the relationship dynamic
I could only see a conflict if someone is taking it personally
I’ve really enjoyed it being the same. I’ve learned so much about the discipline after graduation and fields that are tangentially related to mine. I went into it in a way that I notice things that I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. On the other hand, the professor is moving on, so there was never the fear of a future relationship. I had good relationship before, so it wasn’t an issue. In my case, it worked really well.
I liked being the same. I paid much better attention because it’s in my field. That’s made that part easier.
I love my subject so much, I think it would be interesting to see how I could help make it engaging for the other students.
If you are in the same discipline, or if you are a TA, there has to be a level of trust beforehand, and you have to know people.