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L&S Teaching Fellow Award
The Teaching Fellow Award is granted to TAs from the College of Letters and Science who have achieved outstanding success as students and teachers. Winners of this award are named L&S Teaching Fellows and serve as instructors at the L&S Fall TA Training, which takes place at the start of the fall semester and welcomes 300-400 new and experienced TAs from across campus. This document contains information about the Teaching Fellow Award, including nomination materials and procedures.
The deadline to make 2021-2022 L&S Teaching Fellow Award nominations has not yet been announced. To make a nomination, submit (1) a completed Nomination Form (link available soon) with a (2) PDF of supplemental materials (see below):
There are 15 winners per year, and each awardee receives a $1000 award. Nominees do not need to be currently teaching, but ideal candidates are those who have taught successfully in the department, who convey enthusiasm for teaching, and who will serve as good role models for new and inexperienced TAs. Nominees should be:
- Passionate Teachers: they should have a love of learning and helping students learn. They should demonstrate sustained commitment to pedagogy and teaching excellence.
- Effective Teachers: they should have a proven track record of implementing effective, learner centered, and innovative teaching methods.
- Excellent Facilitators: they should know how to effectively guide learning through thoughtful questioning, rapport building, and active listening.
- Effective Communicators: they should be attentive, timely, empathetic, and thoughtful in their communications with others.
Nomination Process
- Nominations must be based on TA work within the College of Letters & Science
- TAs are nominated by the department through the submission of the nomination packet, which is comprised of (1) a completed Nomination Form with a (2) PDF of supplemental materials (see below):
PDF of Supplemental Materials - These materials must be submitted as one PDF compiled in the following order:
- Letter of Recommendation from faculty/staff member(s) (3pg. max)
- Only one letter is allowed but it may be co-written or signed by multiple writers.
- The Letter of Recommendation should speak to the nominee’s excellence in the classroom, experience training or helping other teachers, commitment to improving their own and other’s teaching, and their passion, dedication, or unique approach to teaching. Letters of Recommendation that include specific examples of these qualities will be looked on more favorably.
- Nominee personal statement (2pg. max)
- Please respond to one of the following prompts in your statement. Make sure to provide evidence (e.g. specific examples, student reports, anecdotal evidence, improved performance on assignments, etc.) of how your changes benefited student learning.
- Describe a time you failed in the classroom and what actions you took to improve your teaching afterwards. How did those actions impact your students’ learning experience? OR
- Describe a time you helped someone else (or a group of others) improve their teaching.
- Additional evidence of teaching excellence (2pg. max)
- This can take many forms: student evaluation comments, description of additional projects undertaken, contribution to department, etc.
- Descriptions or examples of pedagogical activities, such as novel course materials or engagement in communities focused on pedagogy, inclusive teaching, or teacher training will be looked on favorably.
- Descriptions or accounts of the nominee’s contributions to the department, such as leadership, support, awareness, or attitude as related to teaching will be looked on favorably.
Restrictions
- Awardees must be available for full-day training in the Fall or to facilitate distance training (TBD) and attend three online trainings over the course of the Spring and Summer Semesters
- Departments may only nominate two candidates for the L&S Teaching Fellow Award each year.
- Winners of departmental awards that recognize teaching and those previously nominated or awarded a Campus-wide TA Award are eligible.
Questions
- Please contact teachingandlearningpa@ls.wisc.edu with any further questions about the nomination process.