It’s hard to believe August is already upon us, but hopefully you’ve had a rejuvenating summer so far! As we prepare for another year of teaching psychology this month or next, the ECP Committee provides some tips below for a successful transition back to the classroom, whether in-person or online. As you embark on this new academic year, remember that your journey as an early career psychologist is a dynamic and evolving process. Embrace the challenges, celebrate the milestones, and continue to contribute meaningfully to the field of psychology. Here's to a successful and fulfilling year ahead!
Dina: Before the new school year begins, it can be helpful to take the time to reflect on your journey to psychology. What inspired you to enter this field? Was it a personal experience, a mentor, or a pivotal moment? As an early career psychologist, the demands of our profession can sometimes cause us to lose sight of WHY we chose this path in the first place. Reconnecting with your core motivations can reignite your passion and provide a sense of purpose as you dive back into your work as an ECP, thereby enhancing your effectiveness and resilience as well as your overall job satisfaction and well-being. As you step into this new academic year, let your purpose be your guide and your passion be your fuel.
Maria: Every semester, I take notes on each of my courses about what I would like to change or modify the next time I teach the course. When I start to prepare for the new school year, I find it helpful to go over my notes on how the course went the previous year. This reminds me of what went well and what goals I intended to set for myself that would continue to improve the accessibility of my courses. Sometimes, there are few notes and it’s relatively “easy” to make the updates. Other times, the notes can be overwhelming. In these cases, I find it really helpful to use the “Plus-One Approach”, where I identify one change I can make to increase engagement in my students, to teach the content, and to improve assessments (Tobin & Behling, 2018). This approach helps keep focus on what the greatest need is and to start from there. If you are feeling overwhelmed, remember that you don’t have to do everything all at once, try one new thing in each of these areas (engagement, representation of material, and assessments). Reference: Tobin, T. & Behling, K. (2018). Reach everyone, teach everyone: Universal Design for Learning in higher education. West Virginia University Press.
Ciara: Going into a new school year always feels like a clean slate for me, a way to reset and try something new. I teach the same courses over and over, so keeping track of things that go well and wrong during each iteration allows me to make small tweaks term to term. However, when going into a new school year, I give myself time to tackle big changes, like looking for different texts and materials or re-designing large projects. I really love this part of teaching, so an overhaul always gets me excited about a class I have taught a lot, and it helps me stay up to date on relevant content and trends in the field. This can seem overwhelming, so this approach is not for everyone! One way to avoid that is to only do it once a year and only one class at a time.
Vishal: Of all the activities I do at the start of the year, I find internal reflection and goal setting the most meaningful. Leading up to the first week of classes, I always find myself starting off with some critical reflection on how I feel, what I want to do to feel even better, and understanding more of all aspects of my life (emotional, spiritual, physical, etc.). Then, to prepare for a new school year, I set some goals or just make notes on what I should keep on my radar. Since this list can become very long, very fast, I break it down by time point. In other words, I usually break down goals for the first week of class, those that I want to accomplish through each month (August-November), and those that I am working through for the entire semester. Once I am happy with this list, I often print a copy and pin it on the wall somewhere near my desk in my office. This can be a thought-provoking exercise, and it takes more patience than I sometimes have. So, one of my favorite spots to do this is at a coffee shop while sipping on a cold brew or iced latte!
Amanda: I like to revisit my career goals and think about my goals for the upcoming semester. This lets me plan ahead and figure out what I want to prioritize in the coming academic year, and how it fits into my future plans. As for teaching, I like to reflect on the notes I took in the prior year. I typically focus on what went well, what didn’t go well, and any ideas I hear about from our teaching center or conferences. After reviewing these notes, I like to think about the changes I’d like to make in my classes, and whether they are small or big changes. That way, I don’t accidentally try to overhaul all of my classes in the same semester! I typically teach the same ones, so changing it up helps me stay motivated and helps prevent me from slipping into autopilot when I go through course materials.
