tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post5499817044276993193..comments2024-03-05T22:04:38.877-08:00Comments on Teach. Brian. Teach.: Certainty and Vulnerability: Learning and Teaching ScienceBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289013669698459078noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post-11715252549404540762011-07-23T11:48:06.206-07:002011-07-23T11:48:06.206-07:00I want to add to Andy's comments on tenure. I...I want to add to Andy's comments on tenure. I've now been in the biz long enough to have gone through it and also to have watched or helped almost ten others do the same. In other words, I have some experience. <br /><br />From what I've seen the most most successful people (in terms of lubricated to easily slide through tenure) are those who do not "brag" ever - yet at every single opportunity take the time to point out what they are doing and how it benefits either students, the dept, the university or the culture. They seem to be able to do this by always staying positive and educating and never comparing - I think it is in the comparing to others that it can derail to bragging. I've seen people with solid but not compelling success come across as positive contributors and those who have compelling success come across as whiners. The emotion and attitude shouldn't matter and I hope it doesn't in many places but it seems to matter a great deal at my institution. So never be bragging but always be sure that what you are doing is worth talking about.<br /><br />There is a third strategy that works suprisingly well - and that is to simply keep your head down in all matters. The default judgment of our colleagues is always that they are doing good things. If you NEVER make any comment about anything that might cause someone to think about you - that seems to work, too. We had a guy who accomplished very very little - no way should he have passed through. But he has never ever made a comment with any controversy towards anyone. And because of this, no member had any kind of axe to grind so all the members sat around and waited for someone else to comment. At most midlevel schools, the majority of faculty don't feel comfortable judging other's work, so without a way into a critical conversation, nothing happened and zoom, right through the process. Because budgets are so tight now, very little resistance comes from college or school-wide levels, and the strategy worked like magic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post-72212201335363164392011-07-23T09:48:03.021-07:002011-07-23T09:48:03.021-07:00I really like the contrast you draw between "...I really like the contrast you draw between "what I know" and "what I'm confused about." When I think about it, I remember lots of times in my office with students when we both realize that there must be something subtle to a particular problem because our various approaches have led to different answers. I get excited because there's something new to learn. I always hope that the student is in the "cool, let's figure this out" mode instead of the "ah man, I just wanted to know the right answer" mode.<br /><br />Regarding the tenure process, unfortunately there does come a time towards the end when you have to start bragging about yourself. When I was on the tenure and promotion committee it was difficult to get that message across to some candidates. Essentially you have to make sure that all the cool things you've done are noticeable in your file, and not everyone gets the meaning of publishing here, getting that grant, or trying cool new assessment ideas in class. That's a little different than "what I know" vs "what I'm confused about" but I think they're connected. A lot of us shy away from the knowledge bragging because we want our students to see us as colleagues on the learning journey. I'm just saying that near tenure you have to take some time to trumpet your successes, not necessarily your knowledge. -AndyAndy Rundquisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04900696452285397726noreply@blogger.com