Writing a Letter of Support

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How to write a strong letter of support for a University Teaching Award (or, what does the committee look for?)

  1. State how long you have known the person and in what capacity. “I have known Dr. Smith for 1 year as he was my instructor for PSYCH 101 and 102”
  2. Describe what the instructor has done to facilitate your learning or experiences at Carolina and provide examples when appropriate. “Dr. Smith sets up a very positive atmosphere is his class. He does this by getting to know students names and his daily, albeit corny, jokes. He is very approachable and I have gone to him for help with the class and after leaving his office feel like I have been helped and know how to better prepare for class”
    1. How does the instructor facilitate learning?
    2. Are there particular instructional strategies used that are effective?
    3. Is there alignment between course objectives and assessments?
    4. What is the rapport like between instructor and students?
    5. Does the instructor facilitate rapport between students?
    6. How effective is the instructor in providing feedback?