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General | Teaching | Attendance
Taking | Other Teaching Related Matters |
Reporting Hours | Leave | Overtime
Teaching Claims | Miscellaneous
In law, when you kill another human being,
you will become a murderer. At SIC, I consider anyone who
"kills" the human spirit worse than a murderer.
As teachers, our primary duty and responsibility is to motivate
and inspire others, and to always believe in them that they
can do it, no matter what their background. Our challenge
is to make them better than us, and to enable them to achieve
something greater than what we have been able to achieve
for ourselves. Then, and only then we would have earned
the highest honour of earning the title of "teacher".
This code of professional conduct is to ensure that we are
guided in the right direction to earn such a high honour.
Kannappan Chettiar
Chairman
(Extract of his speech from a weekly faculty
meeting) |
- Professional Conduct : General
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At SIC we believe that taking pride in
what we do is the foundation upon which personal success
and organisational success are built, and is the essence
of professional conduct.
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SIC is a business and law school and
as such expects businesslike behaviour and dress. We recognise
that a balance of formality and informality is entirely
necessary in an educational institution and we would wish
especially to cultivate a friendly atmosphere with our students.
Indeed, building rapport with our students is an essential
means to motivate students and staff to greater performance
levels.
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The quality of our professionalism and
service is ultimately that which will determine our success
in the marketplace. As a consequence, it is a responsibility
of all staff to contribute to this professionalism.
- Professional Conduct: Teaching
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SIC has recruited staff because of their
personalities and character as well as their expertise.
The SIC approach to teaching is a dynamic, yet with a clear
emphasis on the primary objective of the student –
to pass the examinations first time.
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In meeting the needs of the student through
the course syllabus, staff should be as creative as possible
in their educational methodology. There are a number of
specific points staff should be made aware of.
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Before class the lecturer should get
hold of the syllabus for the subject(s) he/she will be teaching.
The syllabus, along with the study guides (where available),
past examination question papers and examiners reports are
available in the library. If you are unable to get this
information please contact the Academic Director. Where
you need clarification to issues raised by the study guide
or latest examination paper please discuss this with the
Academic Director who will assist you in contacting the
University.
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Once the syllabus and examiners requirements
are fully understood, lecturers submit an academic lesson
plan to the Academic Director before the beginning of the
term. Faculty will be advised by the Academic Director of
the deadline for submission of course notes for printing.
Course notes are important to the students at SIC because
they provide psychological security. These should not be
so comprehensive that students avoid reading textbooks,
but they are an important part of the service we give. Individual
Faculty should ensure quality control of their subject notes.
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Lecturers should also submit one recommended
student text and one supplementary textbook at least 3-6
weeks ahead of the beginning of class. You are also advised
to recommend further books/materials required for the course
which will be kept in the library.
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In some subjects the use of “mind
maps” has proven useful for students, particularly
for revision. Lecturers should also be prepared to innovatively
use handouts to support students in relation to examinations
by focusing on key areas of the subject. It greatly helps
students, particularly part timers, if lecturers focus,
on specific aspects of the syllabus while ensuring sufficient
coverage to allow for a range of choices in the examination.
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SIC seeks to develop what we call dynamic
teaching. That is, active and interactive teaching sessions.
Singaporeans have a tendency to be passive learners and
seek “right or wrong” answers. Part of the SIC
objective is to develop the conceptual boundaries of its
students and enhance the depth of their understanding. Another
important aspect of the SIC objective is the assumption
that those recruited are able to teach with pride and passion.
This in turn will motivate students to do the necessary
reading and preparation to enable them to do well.
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All of SIC’s classrooms have the
latest built-in technology, including pre-fixed LCD overhead
projectors. All faculty are expected to use Microsoft PowerPoint
for all presentations and lectures. There are no old-fashioned
overhead-projectors in the entire building, and thus resorting
to this old-fashioned teaching methodology is simply not
an option.
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Punctuality is, of course, a crucial
aspect of professionalism and classes should start on time.
This encourages any tardy students to get to the class on
time. Persistent lateness by a student should be dealt with
in a sensitive but firm fashion.
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Lecturers should ensure that class attendance
is taken for every lesson and make sure that number of signatures
matches the number of bodies. Retention of students is fundamental
to our success and we need to track student numbers accurately.
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Classroom management is an important
part of the skill of teaching. Students should be made aware
of how you wish to run the class and a positive teaching
style is required.
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All lecturers are evaluated twice a
year by students. Our current benchmark is 3.2, with 5 being
the maximum score. We expect our lecturers to perform up
to this benchmark. Lecturers have the opportunity to see
the evaluation form and respond accordingly. The distribution
of the evaluation form to students is mandatory.
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Lecturers should seek to maintain a good
rapport with students and pass on comments and feedback
to the Academic Director.
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All lecturers should keep a copy of
the lesson plan and topics covered and a report should be
submitted to the Academic Director once per term, one week
before the last day of term.
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Lecturers should avoid finishing classes
early. Videos, while a useful learning tool should not be
used excessively or as an excuse for a prepared lecture.
Students should be encouraged to watch videos which are
relevant, but not crucial to the course, in their own time.
There should be no “reading time” in lecturers
unless it is crucial to learning within their sessions.
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Lecturers are encouraged to motivate
students with assignments; doing essays, projects, etc.
In class, the American type “quiz” is particularly
useful for getting students to remember and understand key
concepts.
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There is a significant difference in
the learning styles and attitudes of part time and full
time students. Part time students obviously have less time
to commit to study than full time students and are therefore
in need of greater assistance. Lecturers must remain sensitive
to this fact, but should not allow students to use it as
an excuse not to read! Part time students should be focused
on the requirements of passing the examination, whereas
full time students have the time available to develop an
understanding of new concepts. The support for part time
students is a particularly important, but sometimes difficult
and demanding feature of work at SIC.
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Lecturers are encouraged to plan ahead,
and to this endeavour they must submit precise and detailed
Lesson Plans, termly in advance, to the Academic Director.
A different Lesson Plan must be prepared for each subject
and for each class (for example: “Full-Time June Intake”
is a different class to the “Part-Time June Intake”)
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At the end of each term, a Term report
must be produced for each subject and for each class, and
submitted to the Academic Director. The report should explain
any variances in what was planned (as per 2.18) and what
actually took place.
- Professional Conduct : Attendance Taking
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It is the responsibility of all lecturers
to make sure that accurate attendance lists are taken for
each and every class. This may involve bringing attendance
lists to class, and reminding students to sign-in.
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It is the responsibility of all lecturers
to update the School Management System (SMS) attendance
lists after each and every class.
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In the event of any discrepancy between
students actually attending a class and the lists generated
either manually or by the SMS, it is the responsibility
of all lecturers to inform the relevant administrative officer/s
of the incongruities.
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With foreign students, a minimum attendance
of 90% is required by SIR, and with various of the Diploma
programmes the governing university requires a similar attendance
requirement – whether the student is foreign or not.
It is the responsibility of all lecturers to ensure that
students are meeting these criteria, and to inform the relevant
administrative officer if the aforesaid criteria are not
being met by particular students.
- Professional Conduct : Other Teaching
Related Matters
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Lectures or classes cannot be postponed
without the consent of the Academic Director The minimum
notice is three weeks for any approval.
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No lecture or classes can be cancelled
unless justified due to medical/family emergency.
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In cases of illness or emergency lecturers
should have previously lodged with the Academic Director
work to be undertaken by the affected class.
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The Academic Director will make a full
report to the Centre Director providing explanation / justification
for any changes in scheduled classes.
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The cancellation of classes at short
notices causes considerable inconvenience and disruption.
It must be avoided at all costs.
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The volume of photocopying undertaken
by lecturers must not be excessive and must bear a direct
correlation with the number of students taught in any class.
All photocopying is monitored electronically, with each
staff member having their own P.I.N. and their own photocopying
limit for any given calendar month. Instead of distributing
a vast quantity of “additional notes” and “hand-outs”,
lecturers are encouraged to use the library: placing one
copy of relevant material in the available Reading Files.
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It is the responsibility of all lecturers
to ensure that the library has copies of relevant up-to-date
text books in core areas – or as specified by the
pertinent university – and to inform the Academic
Director of any new books (or replacements) that are required.
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It is the responsibility of all lecturers
to ensure that e-learning material in their subject areas
are prepared in a timely fashion, and are of a suitable
high quality so as not to lower the high standards of teaching-planet.com.
- Professional Conduct : Reporting Hours
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The normal work hours will be as stated
in each individual staff contracts. If none is stated, this
shall refer to the normal workweek applicable in Singapore,
which is based on 44 hours per week (excluding break times).
All academic staff are required to ensure that they complete
the reporting hours form.
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All academic staff will be expected to
be at their usual place of work from 9.00am to 6.00pm, Mondays
to Fridays and either 9.00am to 1.00pm or 2.00pm to 6.00pm
on Saturdays unless prior approval from the Academic Director
is obtained.
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When classes are scheduled for the evenings,
the academic staff concerned is allowed to report later
as “time-off in-lieu”. (For example if the staff
is required to teach until 8.30pm, they may report in at
11.30 am, and if required to teach until 10.00pm, to report-in
at 1.00pm). Lecturers must submit their proposed reporting
times - on a weekly basis in-advance - to the Academic Director.
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Where classes are scheduled on Sunday,
the academic staff will be entitled to a day off in-lieu,
on Saturday, or any other day as agreed with the Academic
Director.
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All academic staff should be at the location
where their class is held at least 15 minutes before the
commencement of their class. This time should not be used
to photocopy, etc. and must be used to check LCD projector,
markers and in general be familiarized with the Classroom
and to encourage students to ask questions from previous
week, etc. Lecturers should encourage students to ask questions
before class, where possible, rather than afterwards.
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Where classes are arranged in the mornings
as well as late in the evenings, the academic staff is entitled
to an afternoon off in-lieu, or as otherwise agreed with
the Academic Director.
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Lecturers should submit consultation
hours to the Academic Director at the beginning of each
term in order that students can be made aware of lecturers’
availability. A list of the lecturer’s consultation
hours will then be posted outside each lecturer’s
door. Any alterations to this schedule must be communicated
to the Academic Director at least 48 hrs in advance.
- Professional Conduct : Leave
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Annual leave can be taken during non-teaching
weeks, and must be submitted at least 3 weeks in advance
for approval to the Centre Director’s office with
the Academic Director recommendation. During teaching weeks,
urgent leave of up to 2 days per term can be taken provided
that it is of an “emergency” nature and students
and administrative staff are not affected. Minimum approval
period of 48 hours is required for urgent leave.
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Medical leave can only be taken provided
that a valid medical certificate is produced from a government
clinic / hospital or our appointed company doctors. Where
a class is affected due to this, the academic staff will
be required to leave behind written work or assignment with
the Academic Director for the affected classes.
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For all other matters relating to leave,
please refer to your personal copy of the SIC Staff Handbook.
- Professional Conduct Guideline : Overtime
Teaching Claims
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Claims for overtime teaching are to be
submitted to the Academic Director between 25 to 27th of
every month so that it can be computed together with the
month’s salary.
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Claims for overtime teaching are based
on actual teaching hours against contractual hours per month
(less special concessions, if any, granted by the Centre
Director’s office in view of special assignments/undertakings)
calculated on a monthly basis, unless stated otherwise in
your contract.
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A month is defined as a calendar month,
no matter which day of the week it starts or ends (for example:
the month of July 2003 runs from Tuesday 1 July through
to Thursday 31 July 2003).
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Contracted teaching hours per month
are as stated in your contract of employment.
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Actual teaching hours will be based
on actual class contact-time with the students and during
the times when the lecturer is physically in the classroom
(i.e. will take into account late start, early release and
breaks) and not exceeding what has been officially time-tabled.
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Where classes are held in-lieu of cancellations,
the actual class even if delivered in another month, shall
be treated on the basis that it is not cancelled or postponed
during that month, and will be so treated only if a make-up
class has been actually provided during that month.
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All submissions for overtime teaching
claim must be submitted on the “Monthly Overtime Teaching
Claims Form”.
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The hourly overtime rate is that as stipulated
in individual contracts.
- Miscellaneous
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