The First Interview and Beyond

How to survive as a Director of Studies

A personal view

Philip Best Senior DoS

Physics & Astronomy

Finding the balance that works

• Being a Director of Studies can be very demanding, and time-consuming

• It can also be one of the most rewarding things that you do in your career.

• You will need to find the balance that works for you.

• You may well not optimise this in your first year, but the experience will set you up to get it right next year

• You’ll get more efficient as you get more experienced

Get organised before Freshers’ week

• Especially first time around, Freshers’ week will be a very busy time [depending on the number of students you’ll have, of course].

• The more that you can clear your diary of other things that week, the better.

• If you are well-prepared in advance, it will all go more smoothly.

• There are a number of things that you can do……

Get organised before Freshers’ week

• Get familiar with University systems–EUCLID (and BOXI?)–Timetab–The DRPS

• Learn about your own degree programmes–Compulsary courses in each year–Optional courses: advantages and disadvantages–Commonly-taken outside courses in pre-honours

• Know what the role of a Director of Studies is–This induction course (Paul’s talk)–College webpages and TLA’s DoS handbook

Get organised before Freshers’ week

• Assign yourself as DoS to your students in EUCLID–And if nobody else has, email them to let them know you are their new DoS

–Also download photos and make a rogue’s gallery

• Decide how you’ll organise the keeping of records:–paper filing–email directories, etc

• Decide what (if any) limits you want to set on your availability to students–e.g. DoS surgery hours?

Preparing for the 1st interview

• You’ll need an appointment system for arranging interviews in Freshers’ week, e.g. –sign-up sheet on your door–web-appointments, e.g. doodle (choice may depend on type of students you have)

• Some interviews will be quite short (organised or non-communicative students), and others quite long (talkative, indecisive or problem students)–Set a timetable which will be efficient for your time, e.g. 15-20 min interview slots, with long gaps between every 4 or so, to allow catch-up.

Freshers’ week interview

[Aside from formal academic / pastoral role]

• Establish who you are –Freshers’ won’t really know…

• Give the students a letter explaining the role of a DoS, and telling them how/when to contact you–Example available on College web site

• Present the image you want to present

• Set limits on expectations – you won’t solve everything –but you might help direct them to someone else who can

No-shows

• Chase up students who don’t make appointments for Freshers’ week (contact info on EUCLID)–Email – If nothing by week 2, write letters / phone home

• Remember that –Some Freshers simply don’t come (5-10%) – check EUCLID to see if they’ve matriculated.

–Some advanced students don’t come back until week 1

• Know when to admit defeat

Keeping in Touch

• You don’t need to “mother” students throughout the year, but retain some contact–see Freshers at the start of semester 2–contact other students then to check all is OK

• Email is your friend–helps keep more regular contact with students–deal with queries at your convenience, and when travelling

–easy to keep records

• Be encouraging: if they do well in exams, tell them so–Students really appreciate this. Some say they’re never told by anyone that they’re doing well

Throughout the year

• Expect students to contact you about changes of outside course choices at the start of both terms

• Expect plenty of contact regarding special circumstances around Dec and May exam periods

• Be prepared for the reference season!

Lists and records

• Email lists–set up a list of all your directees and each year group–(in future years) email them before Freshers’ week with information about meetings, their course choices, etc

• Keep record of every contact–Or store emails where they can be found

• Keep lists–Students who contacted you about special circumstances–Students who failed exams–Students with issues to be dealt with

You think you’ll remember, but……

Mistakes

• We all make them, so don’t panic

• Fix it as soon as you spot it

• Get help– other DoS’s– Teaching Organisation– College

• Everyone wants the best for the student

Problem Students

• 10% of students take 90% of your time

• Keep an open mind

• Try to get to the root cause!

• Don’t assume you can (or should) solve everything

• Don’t forget specialist services around the University

• Key an eye on things and nip problems in the bud

• Don’t act too soon – problems blow over or students change their mind

• 90% of reward comes from 10% of students!

Students wanting to change/leave

• There’ll always be some of these, often indecisive about what they actually want

• If they want to change degree, they should talk with school they want to change to – you can give them advice but make them do the leg work

• Ultimately they have to make their own decisions

Getting help

• There’s lots of experience around – use it:–Teaching offices–Other DoSs (School Senior-DoS if you have one)

• There’s also lots of info on the web–College web pages–TLA DoS handbook–School-level teaching pages–My own guide for Physics DoSs, including a large number of FAQs and how-to explanations:

http://www.roe.ac.uk/~pnb/directors.html

The final word

It’s important enough to be worth repeating:

• Being a Director of Studies can be very demanding, and time-consuming

• It can also be one of the most rewarding things that you do in your career.

• You will need to find the balance that works for you.