Composition Program

Expectations for Excellence in General Education Teaching in English

Developed by
Zofia Burr, former Director of 200-Level Literature
E. Shelley Reid, Director of Composition
August, 2005

Syllabus and Assignment Prompts

• Class structures, assignments, and grading policies, as seen in the syllabus, clearly meet all university/department/program guidelines
• Class structures, assignments, and grading policies, as seen in the syllabus, clearly support all of the program/course learning-goals
• The syllabus describes course requirements, procedures, and grading policies so that students can readily understand what will be asked of them and why
• The syllabus makes evident an organized plan for student-learning, one that uses a variety of steps and approaches to engage students in the course
• Individual assignment prompts clearly explain the parameters, goals, and evaluation-criteria of the assignment
• Individual assignment prompts show the instructor's efforts to engage students' interests and to require complex thinking appropriate to the class level
• The syllabus shows evidence of instructor currency and/or thoughtful innovation in the course design, assignments, technology use, classroom approaches, etc.
• The syllabus and assignment prompts generally employ a professional tone and always demonstrate respect for students

Responses to Student Writing

The instructor's responses to student writing are respectful of the students as people and as learners, and convey the instructor's willingness to help students learn.

Formal responses to student writing

• reflect the stated course/assignment learning-goals
• clearly indicate the (main) reasons a particular grade was assigned
• are accessible and clear to student-learners, without overwhelming them
• emphasize the instructor's engagement with students' ideas and arguments over comments regarding format or mechanics
• include specific comments ("say more about jealousy") rather than only general ones ("this is vague"), and offer praise as well as constructive criticism
• directly indicate how a student can improve his/her work, and encourage that improvement

Classroom Teaching: Preparation and Design

• The instructor appears knowledgeable about and prepared for the day’s topic and/or activities
• The class is organized so as to achieve specific learning goals appropriate to the level of the students and to the amount of time in the class period
• Class activities are designed to support students’ progress toward current assignments
• The class design provides opportunities for students to create knowledge rather than only receive it

Classroom Teaching: Implementation

• Class activities make good use of class time and flow smoothly
• The instructor strikes a productive balance between following the initial class plan and adapting to student needs during class

Classroom Teaching: Student Engagement During class, instructors

• demonstrate that they take their students’ comments seriously by encouraging them to develop their ideas and/or by allowing those ideas to contribute to the shape of the discussion
• facilitate discussion among the students as a group rather than only between the instructor and one student at a time
• demonstrate that they can adapt their teaching to a range of levels of preparation among the students
• are able to manage difficult classroom situations so that student learning continues