This post is another set of reflections regarding the job application process in preparation for my participation on the "Finding Jobs in Academia" panel. The focus on this one is addressing the things that you can do to prepare yourself for a good teaching job (and increasing your marketability in such a position) before you start applying to places.
Beginning (as always) with the basic principles, if you are applying for a teaching position then you must show that teaching is important to you. The impression that I have at this time is that places that are looking for teachers are looking for very strong teachers, and that the market is full of them, and the market is getting stronger as more emphasis is being placed on university teaching. Therefore, you must be enter the market as strong teacher and you must be committed to (or at least appear to be committed to) becoming a better teacher if you want to have a good chance at getting one of these jobs. The focus of this entire post is to present things that can demonstrate that you have an active interest in teaching.
First, attend conferences and look for teaching-related talks and mini-courses. Unfortunately, I did not do this until it was too late. I think if I had a less substantial teaching background, I might have needed some extra boosts to my vita to increase my chances of getting a job. I attended the New Orleans Conference this January and attended several talks in the "Scholarship of Teaching and Learning," which is an excellent way to discover and develop your perspective on teaching which is useful when writing your teaching statement. You should also look at the math education talks to try to attend one that discusses pedagogy. Also, UCSD sponsors the MDTP conference every year, which is a short afternoon conference on campus. Guershon Harel has given the main talk in the last couple years and seems likely to continue, and he has some wonderful insights into how students think about math.
Second, look to the Center for Teaching Development for workshops and other opportunities to increase your teaching ability. There are lots of resources there that remain untapped by most graduate students (to their loss). I didn't really pay much attention to the email advertisements sent out by the CTD until after I got involved with them through being a Summer Graduate Teaching Fellow. They have a Preparing Profession Faculty Program which gives you a much better insight into what employers will be looking for you to do. There's also a TA Development Program that enhances your skills as a TA. All of this can go into your vita.
Third, look for chances to teach. I mentioned that I was a Summer Graduate Teaching Fellow, which is a program sponsored through the Center for Teaching Development by the
Department of Academic Affairs. This gave me some experience with writing a syllabus and some of the other administrative duties of a professor that you do not get as a graduate student. Also, check with the Senior TA to see if there are opportunities to teach during the academic year. You can also get a job at one of the many local community colleges. Finally, spend time as a tutor. If you are a freelance tutor, you may not be able to document it as well to make an impressive mark on your vita (but it won't hurt). On the other hand, if you are part of the OASIS program, your experiences are likely to be viewed with higher legitimacy (this last sentence is somewhat speculative, but I believe it's very likely to be true).
Fourth, actively evaluate your own teaching. One of the stated goals of this blog was "to build up a good habit of professional reflection to become better at what I'm being paid to do." You don't necessarily have to do an online journal, but you should have some sort of chronicle of your teaching experience (this is called a "teaching portfolio"). You can ask the Senior TA to help you by observing your sections or helping you find someone who can (alternatively, the CTD has a similar program). Be aware that some colleges will ask you to submit a teaching portfolio as part your application. It will be quite apparent to those colleges if you put one together in a couple weeks as opposed to one that has been in development for well over a year.
Again, the emphasis of this post is to help point out ways that you can demonstrate that you have an active interest in teaching. These are just some ideas. I'm sure there are more out there that I've missed.
