Teacher role profile
(The sections in italics below are the main differences from the role profile for hourly paid Graduate Teacher Level 2 - Renamed from Assistant Teachers.)
Overall job purpose
- To contribute to the delivery of the Department’s teaching programme by providing straightforward lectures and/or teaching in small groups within a unit for which a member of academic staff carries overall responsibility.
- (In this context, straightforward teaching means that which deals with the core knowledge base of a discipline and can be delivered without detailed current research and/or professional knowledge of the topic).
Responsibilities
- To provide straightforward lectures and/or teaching in small groups of students within a unit for which a member of the academic staff carries overall responsibility.
- To discuss, with the member of academic staff responsible for the unit, the broad content of the teaching to be undertaken and the methodologies for/purposes of that teaching.
- To prepare for the teaching sequence by familiarising themselves with the material to be taught in the unit and undertaking any necessary scholarship to be ready to lead the sessions they will provide.
- To prepare for each teaching session by selecting and preparing the content, deciding upon any exercises/materials to be used and planning their approach to the session.
- To ensure that content, methods of delivery and learning materials will meet the defined learning objectives for their sessions.
- To help students absorb knowledge imparted in the unit, build upon it and help them to overcome any problems they encounter in understanding and applying knowledge.
- To promote depth of learning by providing clarification of material taught, responding to student questions, facilitating discussion in classes and providing any supplementary explanation/material required.
- To provide individual academic advice/support to students, including advice on appropriate reading.
- Where students require more in-depth academic support or pastoral care, to refer them on to an appropriate person.
- To provide formative feedback to students in class.
- Where required, to set assessment tasks, mark formally assessed work (subject to moderation by the academic responsible for the unit) and act as principal marker for any assessment tasks they have set.
- To undertake organisational and administrative tasks directly related to their own teaching.
- To review the outcome of their own teaching and contribute feedback to the review and forward planning of relevant teaching activity.
- To maintain academic standards and work in accordance with university policies (e.g. regarding equality of opportunity, health and safety).
Line managed by
- The member of academic staff responsible for the unit.
Line manager to
Relationships and contacts
- They will be line managed, advised and (as required) mentored by the academic responsible for the unit.
- Contact with other academic staff involved in units to which they contribute.
- Contact with students, involving delivering lectures and/or the leadership of learning activities, passing on knowledge, providing advice/support and requiring the ability to engage with and enthuse students.
- Contact with other members of staff as required.
Qualifications, skills and experience
- A degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject and (usually) a postgraduate degree and/or equivalent professional qualification and experience.
- Sufficient breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding in the discipline to work independently within an established unit (with some advice and, where necessary, mentoring).
- Familiarity with the part of the curriculum to be taught and the scholarship associated with it.
- Some knowledge of teaching methods and techniques and normally some experience of delivering teaching and/or training.
- The ability to communicate knowledge clearly, both orally and in writing.
- The ability to stimulate and encourage the commitment to learn in others and to promote depth of learning.
- Ability to work with a range of colleagues and students.
- Ability to organise own time effectively, so as to meet deadlines and manage competing priorities.
- Good analytical skills and the ability to respond to problems which arise in learning situations.
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