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Non-standard types of reference letters?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a reader writes:

I am in the dissertation phase of my Ph.D. and will be going on the job market soon. My question is about references, specifically teaching references. Before leaving to pursue my Ph.D., I taught high school for just over a decade. I had a very good relationship with my principal and she was able to see my growth as an educator, directly observe my classroom, and receive feedback from students and parents about my teaching. Moreover, she also knows the positive nature of the relationships I had with my colleagues. My question is this: Would it be prudent to ask for her to write a reference letter for jobs in higher education? I have professors in my current program who would write me a positive teaching recommendation, but they would not be able to write as strong a letter as my former principal. Would a letter from a high school administrator be looked down upon?

To be clear, I have professors who are willing to write recommendations. If I included a reference letter from my former principal, it would be in addition to these.

Another reader submitted the following reply:

I would not recommend this. You are expected to have a recent letter on teaching from a peer (a university faculty member). Your former principal is not a university educator, and the fact that they will speak of something some time in the past will raise concerns. For example, people will wonder whether you have alienated everyone at your programme, and cannot get a teaching letter. Or they may think that you will teach undergrads as one might teach students in a US high school.

Unfortunately, I think this is exactly right. One of the main things one needs to do in a job application is demonstrate that one understands the norms of the profession. In this case, the norm is pretty clear: letters of recommendation should as a rule be from members of the higher-education academy (i.e. professors). This in part because people on the hiring side of things may believe that teaching at a university level is vastly different than teaching at a high school level, but also because–when it comes to evaluating university-level teaching–part of what one is evaluating is the instructor's ability to present a particular subject matter (in our case, philosophy!) with accuracy and expertise. This, in general, just isn't the sort of thing that someone without an MA or PhD in philosophy (such as a principal) is presumably in a position to evaluate. On a similar note, I've heard people ask before whether it is a good idea to get a teaching letter from a student. Here again, I think this is the wrong call. It would come across as strange to see letters like that in a teaching portfolio, in part because students aren't experts at philosophy or pedagogy.

More generally, when it comes to job-markets (both academic and non-academic), there exist a variety of standing norms–for better or for worse–and violating the relevant norms is risky for that reason alone. In a more ideal world, perhaps, this wouldn't be an issue. But I think it is an issue in our world, and so, in cases like these, to do what the standing norm is: get teaching letters from (and only from) professors in the academy. But these are just my thoughts. What are yours?

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4 responses to “Non-standard types of reference letters?”

  1. Timmy J

    If the reader were asking whether having their only teaching letters come from their principal was a wise idea, then both Marcus and the other responder would be right. But, as the reader went out of their way to make clear, that’s not the case being considered. What’s seems to me to be being asked is whether including such a letter in addition to a more traditional letter is a good idea.
    Here I’m conflicted. I would look very favorably on such a letter. I’m certain many of my colleagues would sneer at it. I think they’d do so using justifications of the sort Marcus and the other responder give.
    I think these justifications are thinly disguised forms of your very typical academic classism. “A high school principle? Come on. Surely you can get a better caliber of letter than that if you’re any good.” That’s the gist of it. And, speaking as straightforwardly as I can, this is complete and utter crap.
    Get a better letter about teaching than a letter from someone who is a professional not only in teaching but in evaluating other teachers on their teaching performance? Seriously? You will more highly value a letter from random R1 prof who has spent all of half an hour in their career thinking about pedagogical issues than you would value a letter from this sort of person? That’s ridiculous. It’s also upsettingly common as a view, as the comments here already made clear. Hence my being of two minds: presenting this letter does, I think, add a lot to the pile of evidence in favor of you being an excellent teacher. It will, in many corners, be held against you nonetheless, because classism is built into the very fabric of the modern academy.

    Reply
  2. Evan

    A part of me agrees with Timmy J. Looking back at my own high school experience some of my teachers taught the way most professors teach at large R1s: lecture. But my AP US History teacher did ask guiding questions and answered them when he lectured. His approach was somewhat philosophical. In terms of teaching writing, his approach was a live demonstration via student example.
    If I’m a hiring committee at a small liberal arts college that values teaching, I’d want an applicant who does more than just the bare minimum: lecturing. R1 committees probably have different expectations since the size of the classes are very large. But one friend of mine who studied chemistry said that her professor told her class of hundreds of students to discuss with their neighbors about things and so doing more than lecturing is possible in such a setting.
    If your teaching style in high school resembled what teaching focused colleges expect or find useful and relevant, then it could help. But my advice is that you have to explain how you’ll fit teaching philosophy into that style and tell them how it worked out for your students. They want evidence of its effectiveness. If it’s at an R1, it’s probably wise to stick to mostly or only university level references.

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  3. Evan

    Sorry it took long. But I want to take my time on this second part. The part of me that disagrees with Timmy J is that not all critiques of primary school educational references are classist. Universities/colleges and high schools do differ significantly from each other in terms of structure, function, and aim and so there is room for justified criticisms of the latter.
    For one thing, college professors have significantly more academic freedom than high school teachers. Most high school teachers are constantly micromanaged and some things aren’t allowed to be taught since they are not approved by the Board of Education or the city/state laws.
    Second, most high school teachers aren’t taught how to teach philosophy in the first place. And so, besides the usual lecturing, one wonders how somebody who taught history, English, math, etc. in high school is going to teach philosophy, which has a unique set of teaching methods aside from these fields.
    Now, before naysaying me, my AP World History teacher did use the “Socratic method” in a circle in our class but failed looking back on it. Instead of asking us penetrating questions, he insisted that the students contribute their knowledge and it was usually the confident students that took over the discussions. It was more of telling than querying. It was imbalanced. Those students showed off their knowledge. He didn’t ask us enough questions for us to ponder individualistically and collectively. I forgave him of course. But unfortunately, he’s probably not the only high school teacher who had and still has a stereotypical understanding of the “Socratic method”.

    Reply
  4. Tim O’Keefe

    I agree with the people above about the (unfortunate) downsides of including such a letter, but here is one way to try to thread the needle:
    In your cover letter for jobs, mention your HS teaching experience, and (briefly) talk how you think it has been beneficial for your ability to teach well at the college level. Then say something like “If you would be interested in hearing more details about my accomplishments in this position as an educator and as a colleague, my former principal has said that she would happy be provide this information. Please contact her at [e-mail address].”
    Maybe I’m naive, but I don’t see offhand how including something like that in your application letter could hurt. Ans who knows–maybe a few places might actually contact her and take into account what she says.

    Reply

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