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Teaching Portfolio: Unlocking the House of Wisdom

Appendix2

Table of Contents

I. Summary 3

II. Teaching Has Changed My Philosophy 4-7

III. Reflections on Chair and Student Feedback 8-14

Appendix

A: Year One Learning Improvement Project 15-16

B: Year Two Learning Improvement Project 16-18

C: Year Three Learning Improvement Project 18-20

D: Peer Partnership 20-22

E: Idea Survey Results (Graphed) 23-24

F: Grade Distribution Results (Graphed with Comments/Reflection) 25-28

G: Honors 28-31

H: Responsibilities 31-32

I: Professional Development 32-35

Appendix3

Summary

In the past three years, I’ve taught many different courses in the ENGL/WL Division and

taken on different college responsibilities as well. As a teacher, I have focused my energy on

ways of improving past projects that are already successful as well as trying to integrate more

technical media like CE6 and podcasts into my pedagogy. I’ve taught ENGL 097, 115, 121, 122,

203, 204, 205, 207, 210, and 215. Eager to take on a leadership role, I served as ENGL 121

Coordinator for my first year and a half. When the opportunity came to transition to a role that

allows me to use more of my strengths, I took on the position of Literature Coordinator, and

I’ve loved filling this role. As a colleague, I have mentored and observed several adjunct faculty

and currently mentor one new full-time faculty member. I collaborated with one of our

outstanding adjuncts to create a video that attempts to express the mission and values of our

division. I’ve also served on two search committees because I wanted to play a role in selecting

my future colleagues. In the service of students, I advised students for my first year and a half.

I returned to work in the Silas Craft Collegians Program, which I started in as an adjunct years

ago. Seeking new challenges, I joined the Advising Team of Phi Theta Kappa and became the

Assistant Director of the Schoenbrodt Honors Program during my second year. Honors has

been a good fit for me because of my background as an honors student. My background as a

member of a military family and experience with special learning communities has prepared me

well for the most recent endeavor, which is teaching at the Howard County Police Academy. I

think I’ve enjoyed my time and excelled at HCC because I continually find opportunities to use

my strengths and feed my interests.

Appendix4

Teaching Has Changed My Philosophy

"The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind." - Khalil Gibran

As a student, especially as a graduate student, I remember thinking that my professors

were brilliant – I felt like they knew everything. I remember one in particular: Dr. Orrin Wang.

He taught the Romantics course at the University of Maryland, College Park, and he’s probably

the most intelligent teacher I ever had. We spent plenty of time in “the house of his wisdom.”

But I am uncertain if he ever knew or cared much about what we thought as students and

emerging scholars. He loved to lecture, and he was good at it; I still learned from him, but that

was not the best experience of my academic career. I came out of his class in some ways less

knowledgeable than I was when I entered; I knew exactly what Dr. Wang thought of the

Romantics but not what I thought about them. As time has gone on, I have realized that while

Dr. Wang is a brilliant scholar, he probably is not the best template or example for me as an

instructor. Getting students to think, not just listen, has become my primary goal. I want

students to question how something challenges their preconceptions or how it resonates with

something they already know. For me, this is one of the greatest things about a humanities or

writing course: there’s little that is right and little that is wrong, but we all certainly have an

experience when we read a text or write about a subject, and what we do with that experience,

how we connect it, is what matters most.

I didn’t start out with these goals in mind. When I started teaching full-time, I wanted to

be like those graduate school instructors. I wanted to give students a lot of information and get

them from A to B, but I sometimes failed to ask them to contribute enough to our experience in

the classroom. That was a big mistake. The repercussion of that approach was that while I

Appendix5

could be certain that students would leave my class knowing more about Hamlet than when

they came in, they might still fear and dislike reading Shakespeare. It took me a little time to

realize how much I could learn from my students and how much students want to contribute to

the conversation. That was a key turning point for me: thinking of the classroom, whether it is

a writing class or a literature class, as a place where we have conversations. Learning more

about the First Year Experience helped me change my mindset. I adopted the philosophy that a

successful instructor is a successful communicator and facilitator within a classroom

“community.”In the beginning of the semester, I try very hard to establish some rapport with

my students. It has taken some time to find the balance between being in control of the class

and letting the class flow. My class works best once we settle in and talk to one another as a

community of scholars rather than have a static lecture.

My idea for how to foster this community of scholars is to design creative projects that

require students to work together. A good example is the “Contemporary Prologue” we do in

my English 203 course. Students have to create modern variations of Chaucer’s pilgrims who

travel together toward a common goal. The exercise explores class divisions along with

connections between ourselves and those literary ghosts. The assignment is valuable because

it requires students to work together closely early on in the semester, and that tends to make

students comfortable with one another. It’s the kind of assignment that lets me challenge

students intellectually while they also do something they like. The way this assignment has

changed for me is an indication of how my teaching philosophy has changed. I used to look at it

as a fun way of doing something with a text. But most recently, I have come to see this

assignment as a critical component of the course. I added a new aspect to the assignment that

Appendix6

asks students to not only do the creative work and oral presentation, but also to reflect in

writing about the process and how the process inspired them to think more critically about the

original text. The assignment puts the students in charge of the class session from start to

finish; they control what issues we raise, what we discuss, and what we learn. I always learn

from these kinds of sessions, for my students see connections where I never have. More

importantly, the students see how much they can learn from each other, and that gives them

the kind of confidence that a lecture can never inspire.

It’s great when a class relaxes because it raises the level of verbal interaction in the

class, but of course verbal expression is not the ultimate goal. At the end of any course, I want

students to meet the objectives of the course, to be able to express themselves in writing, and

to be critical thinkers. To come to know how the literature we read or the topics we cover

affect them – and why they should care about it. In this, writing is my most important

assessment tool. I believe it more accurately illustrates synthesis and application – it shows

critical thinking and mastery of knowledge. The way I teach writing has changed and continues

to change. I used to value the final product the most in any writing activity, but the more

experience I gain, the more I value every kind of writing, big or small. Students have formal

writing assignments and informal journal assignments that ask them to respond to what they’ve

just read. I see journaling as another form of participation that gives everyone an equal

opportunity to express a point of view. I know that the most outgoing student is not always the

best student, and that often the quiet student in the back who seems to glare at me while I talk

is the one who really gets it. I know this because I was that quiet student not that long ago.

And I know it because I see it in their writing. Writing, especially the informal writing like

Appendix7

journals and short surveys, is just one more way that I can communicate with students and

build connections.

As I teacher, I have evolved and my goals have evolved. When I first started, I wanted to

come in and challenge students and hold them to high standards and show them how much I

know. But sharing time with my students has changed that. I know that the most valuable

knowledge in the community doesn’t necessarily reside in me. My scholars have a lot to

contribute. I want to make sure I give students a chance to teach in our community using their

own knowledge and abilities. My best teachers have always been able to do this, to meet

students where they are. In addition to Dr. Wang, I also had many teachers who challenged

me but valued me and made me feel like a scholar. Over time, I’ve learned to appreciate what

those teachers, like Dr. Peter Mallios, taught me about teaching. I want to build a collaborative

relationship with students and I want to make it interesting and challenging. Those goals are

not exclusive. I can still have high standards, but I have tried hard to make everything we do in

class – from writing the first essay to reading Hamlet – less of a mystery. I want them to go

from dreading the process of writing an essay to owning the process of writing an essay. I want

them to believe in the merit of their own scholarship, to believe that they are scholars, and to

realize that the best way to get anywhere or “know” anything is by learning to think for

themselves. I want them to wander around in metaphor and express hyperbolic praise for the

journey of traveling from A to the mystical land of B where we reach, I hope, the threshold of

the mind. At the end, thinking begins.

Appendix8

Reflections on Chair and Student Feedback

"The ideal conditionWould be, I admit, that men should be right by instinct; But since we are all likely to go astray, The reasonable thing is to learn from those who can teach." - Sophocles

The process of reviewing, collecting, and synthesizing student feedback and feedback

from my formal observations is daunting, but in reflecting on everything students provided,

some common themes emerged for me to consider. Over the course of all the evaluations

there were some areas that appeared randomly in a single section, but the ones listed below

were the most consistent. Student handwritten comments and comments from the ENGL/WL

chair in the formal observation process also touch on these areas.

The most frequent responses to Strengths to Retain include:

“Stimulated students to intellectual effort beyond that required by most courses”

“Inspired students to set and achieve goals which really challenged them”

“Asked students to help each other understand ideas or concepts”

“Displayed a personal interest in students and their learning”

“Gave projects, tests, or assignments that required original or creative thinking”

Recurring responses to Increase Frequency of Use include:

“Demonstrated the importance and significance of the subject matter”

“Related course material to real life situations”

One of the strengths students commented on was my effort to challenge them to put

forth intellectual effort. My primary goal is to get students to think, and I hope to do this

through a variety of assignments. I feel like keeping the students interested is half the battle,

Appendix9

and to keep the students interested, I have to be invested as well. Dr. Hart noticed during one

of my evaluations that I was able to get students excited about a creative assignment, saying,

“Arousing such a high degree of enthusiasm for a 14th century text is impressive, and I was also

impressed with the quality of their couplets. Ryna embedded the fun activity within a

challenging learning process of evaluation and reflection.” Student comments to support this

evaluation include:

“Going into the course I thought it will be very difficult but the professor had made it so

interesting, exciting and beneficial for me.”

“Professor May really was interested in the course material and it shows. She is a laid-

back instructor and teaches us in a way that makes students want to learn.”

“I feel like I actually learned something. The teacher teaches the class in a way that

encourages students to think. This is by far the best class I’ve taken at HCC.”

Another successful aspect of my classroom approach students noted is that I “displayed

a personal interest in students and their learning.” I always want to project to my students that

I am available and willing to help. Accessibility is a key component of building a good

relationship with students. Student comments to support this belief include:

“She is like a mind reader. I learned the ability to organize writing in the correct

manner. Everything is falling into place for me. Professor May gives you just enough

information but then allows us to do the work ourselves! She is extremely supportive

and knows what each one of us needs to be successful.”

Appendix10

“It was very involved and I was interested in reading and coming to class. She cared

about us and made sure we read and understood the material.”

“Ms. May was/is very approachable. I enjoyed the readings and the discussions

afterwards. Ms. May always answered our questions and encouraged the same of us.

She is funny, down to earth, and very knowledgeable. She is an excellent teacher, and

I’d love to take another course taught by her.”

Being friendly with my students is important in establishing the kind of rapport and

creating the kind of community of scholars I hope for in my classes. Dr. Hart noticed this

rapport when she observed me, remarking, ““Ryna demonstrates a relaxed control of the

classroom, even during the debate of a controversial topic. She set up a positive learning

experience and the student showed trust and respect for each other, the subject, and her.”

That positive, comfortable learning environment is crucial to our success in the course. About

my relationship with them, students said:

“She’s a great teacher with being interactive with students. She keeps the class moving

and interesting. She is flexible towards the needs of the class and students. It’s been

wonderful.”

“The open-ended questions and how no answer was wrong. She is perfect. One of the

best instructors, if not the best I’ve had so far.”

That we all learn from each other is a central principle of my teaching philosophy. That

is reflected in the comment “Asked students to help each other understand ideas or concepts.”

Appendix11

I believe students recognize the value of shared insight when we model receptiveness.

Sometimes, students surprise themselves by how much they give to and get from a course.

“She helped me see another perspective to reading and how to interpret stories. I like

that she was pretty open-minded to other people’s point of view and opinions.”

“I liked how it was a group/class effort to think and share ideas. She was truly an

excellent teacher. She made the class more interesting than I had expected it to be.”

Taking time to give thorough feedback is important. Students appreciate knowing what

goes well and what does not. I also think it’s important for students to give feedback to each

other. This can happen formally (as in rating peer performance in a presentation) or informally

through open discussion:

“She allows everyone to share their opinions and provides a lot of feedback. I like the

assigned papers; I learn more from writing them than I would by taking tests.”

“The presentations required all students to synthesize the medieval material and create

contemporary characters and couplets. Students rated each other on four criteria, and

Ryna reminded them more than once of the Chaucer connections.” (from Dr. Hart’s

observation)

“Ryna demonstrates a relaxed control of the classroom, even during the debate of a

controversial topic. She set up a positive learning experience and the student showed

trust and respect for each other, the subject, and her. She paid attention to the

students’ level of participation and encouraged the more silent students to participate.”

(from Dr. Hart’s observation)

Appendix12

I try to think of creative but functional projects for students to work on as articulated in

the observation comment: “Gave projects, tests, or assignments that required original or

creative thinking.” I think the community runs most efficiently when students have ownership

of the direction. During an observation, Dr. Hart said, “It was clear that Ryna had carefully

prepared the students and designed the session so that the students could make full use of the

period for the debate; it was also designed to require full participation and engagement by all.”

Students also appreciate creativity and flexibility in their assignments.

“I liked the creative projects and interaction.”

“Ryna obviously prepared the students well for the presentations- they were ready to go

and had a lot of fun. They showed enthusiasm for the project, respect for each other,

and for Ryna.” (from Dr. Hart’s observation)

“Creative, inspires ideas.”

“Liked the wide variety of stories, the grading system where the lowest grades are

dropped. Also liked the way it was taught, not so much lecture as open

discussion/thoughts.”

“However, overall student showed a high degree of interest and motivation. Lesson was

perfectly timed within the period! Such attention to reasoned debate is especially

important for the “talk-show” generation.” (from Dr. Hart’s observation)

It’s difficult to always help every student see the value of everything we do. I need to

work harder in this area to help students see the “importance and significance of the subject

Appendix13

matter” and how the course “relates to real life situations.” I always struggle with how to cover

what is necessary in a manner that is relevant. Sometimes I come up short in this. The written

comments related to these areas to improve were:

“I think that our reading journals and quizzes should be worth more as a percentage of

our grade.”

“Don’t write too much about ourselves because most of the papers were about us.”

“Less Shakespeare. Less confusing papers.”

“Just less reading. I don’t enjoy reading but was interested in what I did read. It was a

very enjoyable course.”

“Less philosophy. Not everyone enjoys or gets philosophy.”

In reading these comments, I perceive that I need to find ways to make smaller

assignments, like the reading journals and quizzes, more valuable while staying within the

parameters of each course (some courses require at least 80% of the grade to be based on

writing). I also have to consider how framing assignments would help students see merit in

completing them, even if they don’t like writing essays, or reading Shakespeare, or talking

about philosophy. There are aspects of a course like Ethics in Literature that cannot be

changed, but I can change how I approach them and hopefully help students bridge the gaps

and make connections. My goal is to make them see how our course materials and/or

discussions are relevant in their lives. Sometimes I am successful. While observing my ENGL

121 course as the class engaged in a debate on the subject of gay marriage, Dr. Hart remarked,

“The topic is up-to-date and relevant. Ryna kept students reminded of debating protocol so

Appendix14

that they were learning rhetorical strategies while engaged in the debate’s content. A

challenging assignment and situation for students and they were highly accountable for

demonstrating their learning and preparation.” Of course this is an area where I can constantly

improve. Fortunately, I have some areas of strength to build on as I continue to try and find

creative ways to engage and inspire students.

Appendix15

Appendix

A: Year One Learning Improvement Project

Purpose of the Activity

The purpose of this activity is to try a different method of peer response; it is supplemental to

the in-class peer workshop we already use for essays in the 121 course. The idea is that

students can benefit from an additional peer review revision activity that is completed out of

class without the time constraints of an in-class session. I tried this out in one section (109) of

my English 121 class for fall 2006.

Activity Steps

Students will choose a peer partner within their peer group

Students will trade email drafts and feedback on specific portions of the essay following

the second in-class revision session

Students will Cc me with their correspondence so I can see the responses and ensure

that the activity has been completed

Feedback Method (required on at least one project)

Students will complete a brief survey to assess the usefulness of this additional (out of class),

more reflective revision activity.

Summary and Recommendation

Summary: Results were mixed, and students (19 total) reported the following:

Question ResponsesVery helpful to my revision process 3

Somewhat helpful to my revision process 4

Appendix16

No opinion 8

Not helpful to my revision process 4

Recommendation: I will not try this again in the immediate future as more students noted in

the “comment” section of the survey that it was an extra step they were not as disciplined in

doing outside the classroom environment. However, if students were more accustomed to

working in the online interactive medium or introduced to that from day one, it might produce

a different outcome. I am investigating new online writing labs that are paired with the Little

Brown Handbook and The Bedford Handbook in order to determine an effective way to

introduce this type of peer review to students in the future.

B: Year Two Learning Improvement Project


The purpose of this activity is to introduce media in the form of films and audio podcasts to

students in an effort to improve student understanding of ethical theories in ENGL 207; to

broaden their experience with text to include a live performance of a text we’ve read and a

guest speaker (expert) in theatre; to introduce CE6 as a supplement to the classroom to cut

down on use of paper and deliver content in a different format.

Activity Steps

1. Seek and review films and podcasts for use

2. Share film clips in class in concert with ethical theories

3. Post podcasts in CE6 that correspond with readings from our text

4. Arrange for students to attend a performance of a play we read and review it

Appendix17

5. Arrange a guest speaker: Rep Stage Dramaturg, Dr. Lisa Wilde

6. Survey the students to assess the effect of the media


Students will complete a brief survey to assess the media elements, impact of seeing the

performance, and the usefulness of having a guest speaker.

Summary: Survey Results: 24 students responding5 – Strongly

agree4 – agree 3 – neutral 2 –

disagree1 – strongly disagree

CE 6 is a useful tool for this course 14 6 4 0 0

Podcasts were easy to access and listen to

10 5 6 2 1

Podcasts enhanced my understanding of subject matter

7 9 5 3 0

Films or other media helped me clarify my ideas about concepts

14 9 1 0 0

Seeing a live performance (play) helped me understand or evaluate ethical issues

14 9 1 0 0

Having a guest speaker/expert in theatre added to my understanding of the text I read

15 7 2 0 0

Recommendation: Overall, students reacted positively to the variety of ways the content was

delivered in this course. The one area where there seems to be an obvious need for

Appendix18

improvement is in how podcasts are used to enhance our understanding of subject matter. I

think this can be improved perhaps by giving students a prompt before they listen to the

podcasts so they listen more purposefully. This could also help me generate assessment in

class discussion on how much the students seem to get out of the podcast. Overall, I’m happy

with the variety of ways I deliver content and satisfied that students are happy with the way the

course is presented.

C: Year Three Learning Improvement Project


This activity is a written reflection evaluating the Contemporary Prologue assignment. It’s an

assignment I’ve done three times for this course, but I wanted to push harder for students to

make connections between the modern world and Chaucer’s world. The purpose of this

activity is to get students to truly reflect, in writing, on the experience of completing a group

project immediately after they completed the experience. I’m hoping that the active

engagement and reflection will demonstrate to the students how valuable the assignment is to

understanding Chaucer’s text in context. I tried this out in one section (101) of my English 203

class for fall 2008.

Activity Steps

Students will prepare a group project over the course of a week

Students will present their projects orally in class in full costume

Students will write a 10-minute reflection at the end of the presentation session

Appendix19


Students will answer 3 questions with the second being the most important:

In what ways and to what extent did the presentations engage your interest and

imagination?

To what extent did the presentations help you think more critically about the assigned

reading?

To what extend did the presentations help you appreciate and/or enjoy the readings

more, in terms of aesthetic value?

Summary and Recommendation

Summary: On question 2, students gave consistently positive comments. Beyond enjoying the

activity, here are some sample comments from students on the critical thinking piece:

“I was able to see whether the original character was really represented in the verse.”

“Thinking about modern versions helped me pick out the individual’s qualities. When

reading, it’s easy to float by and gather what you can, but this helped me pay more

attention to specific details.”

“The presentations helped me think about the assigned reading because it is hard to

relate to the people of several centuries ago. When reading Chaucer’s piece, it does not

seem that unusual to have a knight, a friar, and the Wife of Bath traveling together.

When these roles are translated into modern people, however, it becomes much easier

to see the great variety of the people.”

“The modern characters helped me realize that Chaucer’s work was actually funny.”

Appendix20

“I could see that such an old tale is still relevant.”

“The presentations helped me realize that [Chaucer’s work] may not be so far off from

our world today. It is interesting how these characters are able to be construed as

having an existence in our world today as an evolved form.”

“Comparing the pilgrims to contemporary people allows us to look at what people really

value despite their title. Recreating these characters let me feel what I can only hope

was something similar to Chaucer and how he must have created the characters.”

Recommendation: This project worked extremely well in terms of discovering the connections

students made. I thought it was incredibly valuable and will continue to use it as the final

reflection/capstone piece of the presentation. I think it might be a valuable piece to include in

all presentation assignments.

D: Peer Partnership

Peer Partnership for Year-2 Faculty between new faculty Ryna May and Dr. Lisa Wilde

The Peer Partnership is one of the options for second year faculty. It is a collaboration between

a new faculty member and an experienced (non-probationary) faculty member in another

discipline. The overall goal of the project is to share teaching ideas with someone in a different

area of the college and integrate what we learn into our approach to teaching.

What is the main emphasis of the project? What do you want to work on?

Appendix21

Teaching is the main emphasis of the project. I want to work on teaching drama from different

perspectives and teaching drama more interactively. I also hope to work on becoming a more

dynamic teacher.

How often do you plan to meet?

We plan to meet informally 1-2 times per month in addition to emailing regularly to exchange

ideas and feedback.

What activities have you planned?

We plan to swap classes for a day.

Follow-up: I facilitated her modern drama class 2/12 on ethical issues in Mrs. Warren’s

Profession. She facilitated my ethics in literature class 2/25 on theatrical elements/ways of

approaching drama for Mrs. Warren’s Profession.

List several goals you wish to accomplish in this project including what your partner plans to

gain from the experience.

Teaching drama from a writer’s perspective

Teaching drama from a director’s perspective

Teaching drama from a performer’s perspective

Engaging students in kinesthetic activities to encounter the text in new ways

Creating activities that foster a greater comfort level in the classroom

Approach teaching as a performance I must prepare for and deliver that performance

effectively

Teach a session for Lisa that incorporates philosophy with literature for her course

Appendix22

Was able to incorporate things I learned from Lisa’s lecture in my 207 course for my

210 course

Foster a love of theatre in my students – several expressed great pleasure in seeing

their first play and suggested that another theatre assignment be incorporated into

this semester

Reflection: Overall, the peer partnership was kind of a murky experiment for me. I wish I had

gotten more out of the process by being more proactive in seeking out ways that the

partnership could benefit Lisa and me. However, I did learn a great deal through my informal

email interactions with Lisa. Beyond Mrs. Warren’s Profession, I sought her advice on teaching

other plays: Othello and Thom Pain; I was particularly pleased that my students requested to

see another play (Thom Pain) and do an assignment based on that because they had such a

positive experience with Mrs. Warren’s Profession. I sought her advice on using an experiential

learning activity such as a tableau. This is an activity I’d used in the past, but I wanted to learn

more about it and more about what my students should get from the exercise. Lisa was also

helpful in giving me some performance ideas for my creative writing students in advance of

their end of the semester reading/performance, and that was an outcome I hadn’t previously

anticipated. Finally, Lisa gave me some good ideas for group presentations to make the

students’ presentations on Othello more reflective, theoretical, contextual, and meaningful.

Appendix23

E: Idea Survey Results

Benchmark: Middle 40% (45-55)

Spring 2006-2007ENGL-122 (T 2:00pm)

ENGL-121(MW 9:30am)

ENGL-207(MW 11:00am)

ENGL-210(TU 3:30pm)

Progress on Relevant Objectives 56 47 57 55

Excellence of Teacher 59 43 56 46Excellence of Course 58 38 52 44

Summary 58 44 56 50

ENGL-122 (T 2:00pm)

ENGL-121(MW 9:30am)

ENGL-207(MW 11:00am)

ENGL-210(TU 3:30pm)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70Spring 2006-2007

Progress on Relevant ObjectivesExcellence of TeacherExcellence of CourseSummary

Fall 2006-2007ENGL-097 (TU 7:30pm)

ENGL-121 (MWF 2:00pm)


ENGL-097 (TU 9:00am)

Progress on Relevant Objectives 62 59 53 52Excellence of Teacher 57 56 52 50Excellence of Course 58 60 50 38

Summary 60 59 52 48

ENGL-097 (TU 7:30pm)



ENGL-097 (TU 9:00am)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Fall 2006-2007

Progress on Relevant Ob-jectives

Excellence of Teacher

Excellence of Course

Summary

Fall 2007-2008 ENGL-097 ENGL-203 ENGL-205

Appendix24

(MW 12:00pm) (TU 2:00pm) (TU 6:00pm)Progress on Relevant Objectives 55 50 55

Excellence of Teacher 52 48 57Excellence of Course 44 48 59

Summary 52 49 57

ENGL-097 (MW 12:00pm)



0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Fall 2007-2008


Spring 2008ENGL-207 (M 7:30pm)

ENGL-115 (TH 7:30pm)

ENGL-121 (MW 3:30pm)


Progress on Relevant Objectives 56 42 46 54

Excellence of Teacher 53 45 47 56Excellence of Course 49 37 48 59

Summary 54 42 47 56

ENGL-207 (M 7:30pm)

ENGL-115 (TH 7:30pm)

ENGL-121 (MW 3:30pm)


0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Spring 2008


Appendix25

F: Grade Distribution

Fall 2006Course My Students’ Pass % BenchmarkENGL-097-111 81.3% 73.16%ENGL-097-154 75.0% 73.16%

ENGL-121-109 61.9% 71.73%ENGL-121-112 94.4% 71.73%

ENGL-097-111

ENGL-097-154

ENGL-121-109

ENGL-121-112

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Fall 2006

My Students' Pass %Benchmark

Spring 2007Course My Students’ Pass % BenchmarkENGL-121-A118 50% 70.47%

ENGL-122-130 75% 79.87%

ENGL-207-102 91.3% 88.40%ENGL-210-104 100% 88.40%

ENGL-121-A118

ENGL-122-130

ENGL-207-102

ENGL-210-104

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Spring 2007


Appendix26

Fall 2007Course My Students’ Pass % BenchmarkENGL-097-105 76% 73.99%

ENGL-121-A105 50% 72.52%

ENGL-203-101 95.7% 84.63%ENGL-205-150 94.7% 84.63%

ENGL-097-105

ENGL-121-A105

ENGL-203-101

ENGL-205-150

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Fall 2007


Spring 2008Course My Students’ Pass % BenchmarkENGL-121-117 61.1% 68.62%

ENGL-115-150 80% 84.63%ENGL-207-151 95.5% 84.63%ENGL-210-104 100% 84.63%

ENGL-121-117

ENGL-115-150

ENGL-207-151

ENGL-210-104

0%20%40%60%80%

100%120%

Spring 2008


Appendix27

Course Pass Total # of Students My Students’ Pass %Developmental 41 53 77.4%Composition 64 95 67.4%Literature 132 139 95.0%

Developmental Composition Literature0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Overall Pass % by Course Type

My Students' Pass %

Reflection on Grade Distribution Statistics

For developmental courses, my students’ pass rate is perhaps a little higher than

average, but not outrageously higher. I encourage students to keep coming to class in the

developmental sections and work hard to vary the kinds of activities we do so that the course

does not get too dull for them, which is a frequent complaint of developmental writing. As

long as I am successful at getting them to consistently attend the class, the students have an

excellent chance for success.

For composition courses, my pass rate is, I believe, pretty close to average. The anomaly

is Silas Craft. The sections denoted as Silas Craft sections (ENGL 121-A105 and ENGL 121-A118)

had a demonstrably lower pass rate than the average. In each section, only 50% of the

students passed the course. In these sections, many students did not complete the course and

failed due to issues with attendance. As a part of the Silas Craft Collegians Committee, I

attended regular sessions where instructors from all disciplines came together to discuss

Appendix28

student progress and other issues. I know that my courses were not the exception with many

of the Silas Craft students, and these students struggled with all of their courses.

To give a different perspective, if Silas Craft sections are excluded from my composition

pass rate, the pass percentage of my composition students is 73.1%, which is very close to the

average. In addition, if fall 2008 grades are included (which weren’t on my report from the

division), my composition students’ overall pass rate is 78.48%, which exceeds the average in

most semesters.

In my literature courses, my grade distribution report reflects that students pass my

literature courses at an above average rate. This does not surprise me. I feel more creative and

more energized by these courses, and I believe that translates into the classroom. I think the

data shows that my literature students tend to stick with the course for the entire semester.

Student comments on evaluations often remark upon my enthusiasm for the subject as

something they particularly enjoy about the course, and I believe that keeps them interested.

In literature courses, students also often comment that the course is challenging, and that

keeps them engaged. I believe every student wants to be challenged, and that combination of

challenging students and my energy in the classroom is what makes this success rate so high.

G: Honors

Honors has been a good fit for me, and I have really enjoyed exploring these opportunities. I

did not include this in the main narrative of my portfolio because overall I think the work I have

done with honors has less to do with teaching and more to do with service to the college.

Appendix29

Phi Theta Kappa – Faculty Advisor

As a former honors student, I have worked hard for Phi Theta Kappa as an advisor to help the

students meet their goals as a chapter and, I hope, to become student leaders. My duties with

Phi Theta Kappa include:

- Serve as communication intermediary to the students on behalf of the chapter

- Work with Steve Horvath and the advising committee to work on recruitment

and retention of students and events for the year

- Advise students

- Created the PTK blog and manage PTK Facebook Group

- Attend and participate in PTK service events and fellowship events

- Attend regular PTK chapter meetings, officer meetings, and advisor meetings

- Facilitate meetings in the absence of Steve Horvath and chapter president

Frederick K. Schoenbrodt Honors – Assistant Director

When I was a student at HCC, the Rouse Scholars Program was never really an option for me

because I could not be immersed in the cohort experience that Rouse demands. I could do

honors-caliber work but was not even aware of an alternative program. This is why the

Schoenbrodt Honors Program appealed to me in the first place. I know that HCC has a lot of

returning students who schedule classes around their busy lives but still crave a more

challenging and meaningful exploration of their courses. I think Schoenbrodt is the perfect

program for these students, and I am proud to work on their behalf. My duties as the Assistant

Director of the Frederick K. Schoenbrodt Honors Program include:

- Process acceptance letters to new students in the program

Appendix30

- Developed forms to improve seminar enrollment and reporting processes

- Developed a standard honors contract

- Wrote the new Student Handbook for FSH

- Created Schoenbrodt Scholars Facebook Group

- Created Schoenbrodt Scholars blog

- Organize and facilitate faculty development sessions with FSH faculty

- Work with Steve Horvath and PR office to redesign the program brochure; write

text for redesigned brochure

- Serve as communication intermediary to the students on behalf of the program

through email and meeting with students

- Meet regularly with Steve Horvath to determine action items

- Work with Steve Horvath and the steering committee to work on recruitment

and retention of students

- Work with honors faculty to create enrollment options

- Work with Christy Thompson and Sandy Adkins to advise students and clear

them for graduation with honors distinction

- Regularly attend functions to promote the program and help students fulfill

requirements

- Work on on-campus recruiting of current eligible HCC students

- Plan, promote, and execute the first annual Honors Conference

Appendix31

Reflection on Honors

Overall, working in honors has been a rich experience for me. Besides working with the

students to find the right opportunities for some of our brightest scholars, it has engaged me in

a new area of professional scholarship. I’ve been able to attend conferences to learn more

about the culture of honors across different institutions, and I’ve read some of the literature on

honors. I was particularly impressed with the Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Studies conference I

attended. The conference was an intense experience, but the value is immeasurable. I’m

excited to bring back the curriculum for the leadership studies course; I helped write the

proposal for the C&I committee to review and look forward to facilitating that course for the

first time in fall 2009.

H: Responsibilities

Teaching Responsibilities: Actual CoursesFall 2006 ENGL 097, ENGL 097, ENGL 121, ENGL 121Spring 2007 ENGL 121 (Silas Craft), ENGL 122, ENGL 207, ENGL 210Fall 2007 097, ENGL 121 (Silas Craft), ENGL 203, ENGL 205Winter 2008 ENGL 207Spring 2008 ENGL 115/215, ENGL 121, ENGL 207, ENGL 210Fall 2008 ENGL 097 Lab, ENGL 097 Lab, ENGL 121 (Police Acad), ENGL 203, ENGL 207Spring 2009 ENGL 121ESL Lab, ENGL 097 Lab, ENGL 115, ENGL 121 (Police Acad), ENGL

204, ENGL 210

Special Committees/ProgramsAssistant Director of the Frederick K. Schoenbrodt Honors Program (Fall 2007-Present)

Appendix32

Phi Theta Kappa Advisor: Fall 2007-Present Faculty Search Committee: Fall 2006Faculty Search Committee: Spring 2008The Muse Committee: Spring 2007-Spring 2009The Muse Co-Editor: Spring 2008Instructor in the Silas Craft Collegians Program (Spring 2007-Spring 2008)

Faculty MentoringFall 2006 Anne Marie Guirretaz Fall 2008 Mahbub Jamal Fall 2008 Nikky Makhija Fall 2008-Spring 2009 Stacy Korbelak

Observations of Adjunct FacultyFall 2006 Robert Panazari Fall 2006 Anne Marie Guirretaz Fall 2007 Dave Goodwin Spring 2008 Truth ThomasFall 2008 Mahbub Jamal Fall 2008 Nikky Makhija

Other College Duties/ProjectsAcademic AdvisingAlumni Scholarship Selection Committee and Distinguished Alumni Selection CommitteeEnglish/World Languages Division Adjunct VideoFriendly CampusRep Stage VolunteerVJC Articulation WorkshopTechnology Focus Group for Student PortalDisciplinary Committee

Division DutiesENGL 121 Coordinator (Fall 2006-Spring 2008)Literature Coordinator (Fall 2008-Present)

Appendix33

Conferences:

Composition Conference @ HCC (statewide), October 2007: attended general sessions

and facilitated one norming session for instructors

PTK International Convention in Philadelphia, PA, April 2008: attended general sessions,

volunteered at the event, supervised students attending the convention

PTK Leadership Through the Humanities Development Conference in Denver, CO, May

2008: complete pre-seminar assignments, attend seminar sessions, become certified

instructor for the course

Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival, September 2008

NCHC Conference, October, 2008

HCC Faculty Development Programs:

FACD-109: Great Ideas from ENGL/WL Faculty

FACD-125: 6+1 Model of Writing

FACD-306: Returning Faculty Advisor Training

CE6 Training (Summer 2007)

FACD-108: WebCT for English Faculty

FACD-115: Online Library Resources

FACD-116: Faculty Information Literacy

Faculty Advisor Training (No HCC Express ID)

FACD-306: Returning Faculty Advising Training

FACD-308: Silas Craft Collegians Reporting System

Appendix34

WHAB-IS102: CMS Site Executive Training

COMN-PS101-201: Agree & Build: Pres/Communication Styles

IPER-CM-103: Emergency Operations

ORGK-MV-101: Vision, Mission, Values/Beliefs

ORGK-PP-102: Sexual Harassment Avoidance

ORGK-PP-105: Access and Responsibility

ORGK-pp-107: Benefits

SFTY-SF-110: General Safety

WHAB-IS-101: Navigating the HCC Website

WHAB-IS-103: Voice Mail/Phone Basics

WHAB-SW-110: Email Software Basics

WHAB-SW-141: HCC Express

FACD-200-P1-101: Learning Improvement Projects

FACD-200-P1-102: Outcome Assessment Projects

FACD-116-CD102: Faculty Information Literacy

FACD-108: WebCT in the Classroom

FACD-115: Online Library Resources

FACD-308: Continuing Education Overview

FACD-308: Multimedia Development Center

FACD-200 FL101 Faculty Leadership

FACD-200 PI103 Understanding IDEA Reports

IPER-SF102-N101 (3567) Student & Stakeholder Focus

Appendix35

IPER-SM103-N101 (6292) Stress Management

IPER-WS102-N101 (5774) Workstyles/Kiersey Temperament

LSHP ORGK-BA101-N101 (1459) Baldrige Approach to Improvement

SFTY-SF103-N101 (6271) Ergonomics Training

WHAB-TM103-N101 (5180) Time Management/Org. Skills

WHAB-WL102-N101 (6293) HCC PC Operating System & LAN

New Faculty Mentors

FACD-304 101 Threat Assessment

FACD-200 101 This Year I’ll Be Organized

FACD-104 126 Introducing Wimba Voice Tools

FACD-104 129 Online Grading

FACD-125 101 Teaching Writing/ADHD

Additional Education:

Graduate School, MFA Program at the University of Baltimore PBDS 620: Creativity

Audited Shakespeare: Love, Myth, and Metamorphosis at the University of Baltimore

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