\n
<\/a><\/p>\n in the\u00a0u.s., university students may come from very different backgrounds and\u00a0may take courses for very different reasons.\u00a0in some countries, university students take courses only within their chosen major.\u00a0 in the u.s., however,\u00a0universities value a liberal arts tradition that emphasizes study across many disciplines.\u00a0 students\u00a0therefore take courses in a variety of disciplines to fulfill general education requirements in addition to taking\u00a0courses within their major. because of their varied backgrounds and\u00a0varied reasons\u00a0for taking a course, differences among students can be pronounced, especially in introductory courses.<\/p>\n typical high school preparation<\/strong><\/p>\n generally, at the high school level, u.s. students take a broad variety of classes without special emphasis in any particular subject. students are required to take a certain minimum number of mandatory subjects, but may choose additional subjects (\u201celectives\u201d) to fill out their required hours of learning. mandatory subjects typically include: science, math, history, english, and social sciences.<\/p>\n the families of u.s. undergraduates pay large amounts of money for costs associated with college (tuition, supplies, room and board).\u00a0 the total costs for a vanderbilt undergraduate for the academic year 2019-20 was $58,340.<\/p>\n student privacy students ask questions and share opinions <\/strong><\/p>\n in general, the learning environment in the united states and at vanderbilt is\u00a0highly interactive, and teacher-student relations and communications tend to be relatively informal. as a result, u.s. students ask more questions and give their opinions more freely than in many other higher-educational systems.<\/p>\n teachers encourage students to have independent opinions and to make the course relevant to their own interests and goals. students are often casual with teachers, especially those they like and respect. they also appreciate the chance to discuss viewpoints that do not necessarily agree with the teacher\u2019s ideas.<\/p>\n the classroom environment tends to be informal. the informality of dress, posture, and speech, especially the common use of the first name, can be shocking to some international students, staff, and faculty. it is not uncommon for students to use slang\u00a0in the classroom, or as a part of their\u00a0ordinary\u00a0conversations with\u00a0instructors or other students. this list can help you understand some of the common slang you might hear your students using.<\/p>\n there is also a vernacular that is specific to vanderbilt<\/a> that might be helpful to know. this said, students should respect whatever names and honorifics their instructors request them to use, in addition to any professionalism or decorum you believe necessary for classroom civility. please be direct in asking them to honor this language, or better, open a dialogue with them about cultural differences and how you might create a classroom culture than honors everyone\u2019s expectations and needs.<\/p>\n many international students and staff comment on informal dress on u.s., which is generally very casual.\u00a0you will see students going to class in shorts and t-shirts. instructors\u2019 clothing may also be informal, although it is typically more formal than that of the students.<\/p>\n students expect instructors to appear friendly and open to interaction. <\/strong>students in the u.s. respond well to \u201cimmediacy cues,\u201d or verbal and nonverbal communication that reduce the psychological and physical distance between instructors and students (legros and faez, 2012).\u00a0u.s. students\u00a0tend to respond well to instructors who make eye contact, smile and nod, or use other nonverbal means to indicate that they are listening carefully to the student (teven and hanson, 2004). students also tend to respond well to positive verbal cues, such as inviting students to speak or verbally rewarding students\u2019 contributions (neuliep, 1997). students can perceive instructors who do not exhibit these cues as being unfriendly or uninterested in the class or the students\u2013and can therefore be less willing to learn (fitch and morgan, 2003).<\/p>\n in addition, feedback in the u.s. tends to be affirmative and non-authoritarian. although it\u2019s important to correct students\u2019 misperceptions, instructors often do so by noting something positive before giving the corrective feedback. there\u2019s some evidence (cohen, steele, & ross, 1999) that providing so-called \u201cwise feedback\u201d can increase student success. this feedback consists of an affirmation that a student can meet the high standards of a course along with specific, constructive suggestions to help the student meet those standards.<\/p>\n instructors strive to make classroom communication clearly structured and accessible to all students. <\/strong>instructors in the u.s. tend to use \u201clow context\u201d communication, or language that does not assume a high level of knowledge about the subject (eland, 2001; legros and faez, 2012). instructors assume responsibility for student understanding; failure of a student to understand is often perceived as the instructor\u2019s failure to be clear rather than the student\u2019s failure. this feature of the u.s. classroom results in part from the varied backgrounds of u.s. students. it\u00a0can be dramatically different from classroom practices\u00a0in some other cultures where high context communication assumes that listeners bring a similar set of knowledge and experience to the classroom.<\/p>\n instructors in the u.s. also tend to use language and nonverbal cues that are structured to promote easy understanding (chaudron and richards, 1986). lectures in the u.s. classroom are often peppered with discourse markers that alert students to the expected progression of the class period as well as the most important elements of the lecture. for example, an instructor might say something like, \u201ctoday, we are going to begin by reviewing material from the last class; we are going to highlight the three most important <\/em>elements of your reading; and we are going to briefly discuss your homework assignment.\u201d this type of structure differs dramatically from that observed in some cultures, but can be very helpful when working with u.s. students (tyler, 1992; williams, 1992).<\/p>\n students expect multiple assignments throughout a semester. <\/strong><\/p>\n in some countries, the only \u201cassignments\u201d given to university students are end-of-semester final exams; students are therefore expected to manage their own studies during the semester.\u00a0 in u.s. college courses, students are typically given more structured activities and assignments during the semester, both to help the students manage their studies and to give students and instructors ongoing\u00a0information\u00a0about student learning. you may see basic quick facts about vanderbilt\u2019s enrollment, student demographics, and other information here<\/a>, \u00a0one important piece of information is that vanderbilt enrolls over 12,000 students from all 50 u.s. states and over 90 foreign countries in four undergraduate and six graduate and professional schools.\u00a0vanderbilt undergraduates account for over half of the total student population. vanderbilt students are a increasingly diverse group, representing a wide array of backgrounds, identities, and ideologies. it therefore can be challenging to grasp all of the nuances of vanderbilt\u2019s student life.\u00a0 however, because of its growing diversity, vanderbilt students are accustomed to living and working on a dynamic campus.<\/p>\n all vanderbilt students are governed by the honor system of 瑞士vs喀麦隆走地.\u00a0 if an instructor believes a student has violated the honor system, then the instructor is obligated to either issue a warning to the student or report the violation to the honor council.\u00a0 instructors are not allowed to punish students themselves.\u00a0syllabi and other course communications should make clear to students how the honor system applies in a particular course.\u00a0 see the undergraduate honor council<\/a> web site for sample syllabi statement and other advice on this topic.<\/p>\n most of the cases that the that honor council investigates involve plagiarism or cheating.\u00a0plagiarism cases are usually more straight-forward than cheating cases \u2013 about 80% of these can be detected with a simple google search.<\/p>\n the purpose of the honor code is not just to punish wrongdoing.\u00a0 it\u2019s primarily about educating students about academic integrity.<\/strong> that\u2019s why students who are found guilty usually aren\u2019t expelled from vanderbilt.\u00a0 they may receive an f in the course (the minimum penalty in most cases), but they\u2019re given a second chance.\u00a0it\u2019s very important to prevent\u00a0situations like this through clear communication of expectations for student work.<\/strong><\/p>\n resources for students in distress<\/strong><\/p>\n listening to a student in distress is important.\u00a0 the student might have serious problems that require professional help.\u00a0 an instructor or ta should not rule out the possibility that the student has a more serious problem without first listening to the student.\u00a0if the student says anything about hurting him\/herself or not being able to go on, then you should seek immediate assistance, either by walking the student to a hospital or to the university counseling center (ucc)<\/a> or by calling the ucc.<\/p>\n since the ucc can help students with a variety of difficulties (poor study skills, learning disabilities, emotional and mental health issues), it is a useful place to send student in distress.\u00a0 every fulltime vanderbilt student can receive counseling at the ucc for free.<\/p>\n faculty duties and responsibilities<\/strong><\/p>\n roles and responsibilities of faculty instructors at vanderbilt may vary by appointment and context, but generally are outlined in the faculty manual, which you may find here<\/a>.\u00a0 you may give special attention to part iii on university principles and policies, which discusses, among other principles, the honor system, privacy rights of students, consensual and familial interpersonal relationships, and nondiscrimination, to name a few. \u00a0generally, as a faculty instructor, your responsibilities include all elements of teaching, including but not limited to the following:<\/p>\n you may also consult the chair of your department or program, the deans of your school, or the provost\u2019s office for further guidance on specific issues or circumstances.<\/p>\n ta duties and responsibilities<\/strong><\/p>\n roles and responsibilities of teaching assistants at vanderbilt vary greatly from department to department. while your specific duties might differ from this list, here is an overview of some of the most common responsibilities a ta might have:<\/p>\n most departments have general guidelines for the number of hours you\u2019ll be expected to spend on ta duties including class preparation, in-class teaching and office hours for students. ask for clarification if these guidelines aren\u2019t provided. grading<\/strong><\/p>\n grading can be a source of stress for instructors of all ranks. how do you know if you\u2019re being fair in your assessment of student work? what do you do when a student questions a grade? how will you find the time to read all of those student essays or grade those problem sets? you can establish grading criteria and rubrics, provide written feedback to students, make grading more time efficient, and talk to students about grades. to overcome this challenge, you can read the cft\u2019s teaching guide on\u00a0grading student work<\/a>.\u00a0 more importantly, especially if you have instructor responsibilities, consider your assessment plan more generally to ensure it conforms to your goals for the course and that you are assessing student learning in ways that are equitable, generative, and rigorous.\u00a0 to begin this process, please consult the cft\u2019s teaching guide on assessing student learning<\/a>.<\/p>\n early in the course, you should acknowledge that english is not your first language, and ask your students to let you know when you speak too quickly, quietly, or if students don\u2019t understand something. throughout the course, you might keep these tips in mind:<\/p>\n sexual harassment if a student reports being sexually harassed to an instructor, the instructor has a responsibility to make sure the incident is reported to the title ix equal access office.\u00a0 the instructor may opt to encourage the student to report the incident to title ix, then follow up with title ix to make sure the incident has been reported.\u00a0 alternatively, the instructor may report the incident to title ix directly.<\/p>\n consensual relations<\/strong> speaking with confidence<\/strong><\/p>\n one of the most important things you can do to establish a good tone in your class is to speak with confidence. some tips that may help:<\/p>\n asking & answering questions<\/strong><\/p>\n dealing with student questions is a recurring challenge for international instructors in the classroom, lab, and during office hours.\u00a0knowing certain phrases that are often used to used in structuring a question can help you identify students\u2019 questions and to ask questions to students.<\/p>\n asking questions<\/strong><\/p>\n here are some useful opening expressions that lead up to questions:<\/p>\n often, when you ask a question, you may not get enough information in reply, or not get the answer that you intended\/expected.\u00a0 this result means you will have to ask for additional information or to ask your question in a different way (rephrase it) so that it is better understood.\u00a0 you could say:<\/p>\n when you are asking a question, it is important to give students 7-10 seconds to answer.\u00a0 you may have to restate the question or offer other prompts or tips in order to direct them.<\/p>\n you should ask your students questions throughout your lesson. don\u2019t wait until the end of your lesson to learn if your students have understood the topic you\u2019re teaching. pause at the end of each main idea and ask them a few questions to see if they can apply what you\u2019ve taught them. ask them to provide an example, to work a sample problem or to supply some missing information.<\/p>\n answering\u00a0questions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n there are a number of conventions that can be useful in answering questions. for example, you may need to\u00a0delay answering a question while you think for a brief moment or look at your notes, etc. here are some expressions for when you need to delay your response:<\/p>\n if you do not know the answer, you may want to say:<\/p>\n or, if you think the question is not directly on topic:<\/p>\n or if you do not understand the question:<\/p>\n additional resources for asking questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n office hours<\/strong><\/p>\n holding office hours is an important responsibility for many instructors at vanderbilt, yet many international instructors are unfamiliar with this type of instructor-student interaction. \u00a0office hours are generally held weekly in 1 or 2 hour blocks of time when class does not meet. you should announce your office hours at the first class meeting, and repeat them throughout the semester. you can also request that students make an appointment to see you during office hours once or twice during the semester.<\/p>\n the office hours tips below are from\u00a0teaching matters: skills and strategies for international teaching assistants<\/em><\/a>, which is available at the peabody library.<\/p>\n engaging in chitchat and getting to the point using pencil and paper<\/strong><\/p>\n as you discuss a topic with the student, writing down unclear points can help to resolve communication problems. you can then give the paper to the student to take with him\/her. you can also draw a diagram on paper can clarify a concept, or ask the student to do so to demonstrate his or her understanding.<\/p>\n expressing disagreement\/saying \u201cno\u201d politely bringing closure additional resources for office hours:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n in your department:<\/strong><\/p>\n on campus:<\/strong><\/p>\ncharacteristics of the u.s. classroom<\/h2>\n
![\"quote](\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-sub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2021\/08\/19140813\/political-science-ita-quote.png\")
<\/a>the u.s. university system commonly consists of four years of study at a post-secondary institution. these years of study are at the \u2018undergraduate\u2019 level and are commonly called freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years, though you might sometimes hear freshman referred to as \u2018first years.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-sub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2021\/08\/19140814\/student-privacy-scenario3.png\")
<\/a><\/strong>university costs & payment<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>the family educational rights and privacy act (ferpa) protects the privacy of students\u2019 academic records. grades and other academic information are to be given to individual students only, and they alone can approve the sharing of their academic information with third parties.\u00a0all incoming students are given the opportunity to sign a release form allowing vanderbilt to share their academic information with their parents or legal guardians.\u00a0 an instructor cannot discuss a student\u2019s grades with that student\u2019s parents without first confirming that the student has signed the release. please note that sending grades to students via email is not considered secure enough for ferpa. \u00a0instructors should make students aware of this and request permission to send grades by email. if the students grant the instructor permission to send grades via email, then the instructor may do so.\u00a0 another option is to post grades to blackboard, which is considered more secure than email.<\/p>\ngeneral characteristics of the\u00a0u.s. classroom<\/h3>\n
\n<\/strong>although there are many differences in social, economic, and educational levels in the u.s., there is an ideal of equality that runs through social relationships.\u00a0the notion of equality leads students to be quite informal in their general behaviors and relationships with others.<\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\nthings to know about vanderbilt<\/h2>\n
![\"scenario](\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-sub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2021\/08\/19140811\/ita-scenario-2.png\")
<\/a>honor system at vanderbilt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
\n
![\"quote](\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-sub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2021\/08\/19140810\/physics-ita-quote-box.png\")
<\/a>tas are usually under the direct supervision of the professor of record for the course in which the ta is assigned. it\u2019s important to think carefully about the role you\u2019re being asked to perform and to clarify any questions you have with the professor of record. you can use this expanded list:\u00a0questions tas might ask their supervisors <\/em><\/a>as a basis to clarify your roles and responsibilities with the professor you\u2019re working with before the course begins, but you might start with:<\/p>\n\n
\n(or specific issues to look for in grading papers) or will i\u00a0be expected to generate them myself?<\/em><\/li>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\ninternational instructor issues in teaching<\/h3>\n
![\"quote](\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-sub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2021\/08\/19140807\/astronomy-ita-quote-box3.png\")
<\/a>talking about your command of english<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
maintaining proper boundaries<\/h3>\n
\n<\/strong>sexual harassment is any unwanted, unsolicited, or undesired attention of a sexual nature and is a violation of federal law.\u00a0 the title ix equal access office<\/a> provides resources for victims of sexual harassment and is responsible for investigating claims of sexual harassment at vanderbilt.<\/p>\n
\nconsensual sexual relationships are prohibited between a student and any instructor who teaches that student.\u00a0 since an instructor is in a position of power over a student, any relationship would either be a conflict of interest or give the impression of a conflict of interest.\u00a0to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, instructors are advised to keep their office doors open when consulting with students.
\n<\/a><\/p>\nimportant teaching skills<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
![\"quote](\"https:\/\/cdn.vanderbilt.edu\/vu-sub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2021\/08\/19140806\/ita-political-science-quote-box2.png\")
<\/a>greeting student when they arrive at your office<\/strong>
\nmake the student feel welcome by using eye contact, smiling, gesturing toward a chair, and appearing eager.\u00a0 as you get to know students, your openers can be adjusted to their personalities.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/strong>briefly engage in chitchat to help the student feel welcome and comfortable.\u00a0 but generally, this type of exchange is brief and you may need to direct students to the point of their visit.\u00a0 usually, it is best not to assume that you know why the student has come to see you unless an appointment was set up for a specific purpose.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/strong>sometimes students want to question a grade you have assigned.\u00a0 or a disagreement might arise when a student cannot solve a problem and feels frustrated by the course material.\u00a0 control these situations by acknowledging the student\u2019s viewpoint while maintaining your position.\u00a0 use polite phrases so that \u201cno\u201d doesn\u2019t sound so strong.\u00a0 present good reasons for your decision so the student will understand your point of view.\u00a0 if the disagreement is serious, or the problem cannot be resolved, it may be best to terminate the meeting.\u00a0 reschedule for a later time when the student has had a chance to think about what the two of you have discussed.\u00a0 remain calm, even if the student is angry or begins to cry.\u00a0 politely bring the meeting to a close.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/strong>close the meeting by guiding the discussion to an end.<\/p>\n\n
\n
additional resources<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n