Graduate Instructors

Graduate students can use the Center for Teaching and Learning to strengthening their teaching skills at all stages of their careers, from their first teaching assistantship to their transition to faculty member.

Teaching Consultations

Graduate instructors who are currently lecturing, teaching or serving as a teaching assistant may request confidential consultations. The two forms of consultations—Mid-Course Review and Individual Teaching Consultation—have their own particular strengths, but are focused on providing feedback and strategies to improve student learning.

Workshops & Seminars

Throughout the school year, graduate students are invited to attend a wide variety of workshops and seminars to explore topics in teaching with colleagues from across campus. Interactive workshops address topics such as lecturing for learning, leading classroom discussions and creating course syllabi and designing a teaching portfolio. Graduate students not yet teaching are also encouraged to attend these events.

Certificate in Teaching

Graduate instructors have the opportunity to apply for a Certificate in Teaching after completing a series of teaching workshops and seminars, a subject-specific pedagogy course, a teaching consultation and a philosophy of teaching statement. Through the process of earning the Certificate, graduate students learn to reflect on their teaching experiences and assess their own strengths, a process which prepares them to become future faculty members.

Excellence in Course Design

Through the annual Excellence in Course Design Award, graduate instructors are recognized for their outstanding efforts in designing courses throughout the university. In the process of applying, instructors further hone their skills by assessing classroom learning and receive feedback from the Teaching Consultants on the strengths of each course.

Individual Job Talk Consultations

In winter quarter, many graduate students are preparing job talks for their upcoming campus interviews.
The Center for Teaching and Learning offers individual job talk consultations, during which you will practice your job talk, receive feedback, and leave with a recording of your talk for your personal review. It is often helpful to practice before others in your field. You are therefore encouraged to invite faculty and colleagues from your field to serve as your audience. Please email teaching@college.uchicago.edu to schedule your job talk consultation.

Additional Campus Resources

Through these additional resources, graduate students can gain skills to incorporate technology in the classroom, gain advice on planning for the academic job market and hone other skills necessary to become future faculty.