Resources for Instructors

The Developmental Math Program in the Department of Mathematics at Western Michigan University offers resources for instructors.

WMU resources

• WMU Office of Faculty Development is dedicated to promoting excellence in teaching.

Other teaching resources

• Recommended books on teaching available at Western Michigan University's Education Library:
  • Tools for Teaching, Barbara Gross Davis, Josse-Bass, 1993
  • Teaching Tips, W.J. McKeachie, 8th ed., D.C. Heath, 1986
• The University of Rochester's Department of Physics and Astronomy has a posting about their TA training program. Here are some selected highlights:
  • Classroom Climate
  • Advice regarding communication difficulties
  • Advice to TAs regarding students working together
  • Checklist of classroom techniques
  • Some important items that even experienced teachers forget
• Yale graduate teaching centerprovides information on teaching skills for graduate students, including references to workshops, educational resources and seminars.

Online resources

• TA Electronic Discussion List is an electronic discussion list for college and university TA's all over the world. Discuss issues of interest and concerns to graduate teaching assistants. To join the list, send a message to listserv@unmvma.unm.edu. In the body of the message put: sub t-assist your first name your last name. Be sure the return address is the email address to which you want your messages sent.
• Teachers Helping Teachers provides:
  • Basic teaching tips to inexperienced teachers; ideas that can be immediately implemented into the classroom.
  • New ideas in teaching methodologies for all teachers.
  • A forum for experienced teachers to share their expertise and tips with colleagues around the world.
• The Online Books Page is a good place to look for a text or reference. Literally hundreds of books are online through this Carnegie Mellon service.
• OpenStax is another resource for free online reference texts.