Procedure for Individual Teaching Consultation

1. Before the fifth week of the quarter, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning via email (teaching@college.uchicago.edu) so that we can arrange for consultants to visit your class.


2. Graduate Teaching Form: You will recieve the form via email once have contacted the Center. It is your responsibility to let the consultants know what you wish to accomplish in the session they will observe. This is also an opportunity for you to explicitly elaborate the goals for the session and how they relate to the broader aims of the course. Since the consultants are not experts in your specific field, the emphasis will be on how (pedagogy) you plan to teach in relation to what topic you will help the students to engage. PLEASE fill in the form fully and if you have any questions, contact the Center immediately. We are happy to walk you through it and to suggest resources for thinking through the articulation of your intentions for this class. This form and a copy of the syllabus are due two weeks before the desired class observation date.


3. Observation: Consultants will observe and videotape the class session. Please advise your students in advance that the class will be observed for your benefit, not to evaluate them. You will need to view the tape, which will help you understand what your students see. You can come to the Center for a private viewing of the tape. If you would like a copy of the tape, there will be a $5.00 charge.


4. Meeting: Within two weeks of your observation, you and the consultants will arrange a meeting to discuss their observations and recommendations, as well as to exchange practical advice on teaching. The consultants can also help you think of ways to clarify and communicate the goals of a course to the students. This exchange is not intended to be a critique of your teaching but to give you feedback about your classroom performance in relation to the intended outcomes you have articulated. This process will help you develop standards for self-assessment and make progress in accomplishing your pedagogical goals.


5. Final Report: An official copy of the Final Report will be sent to you by the Center. This Final Report is for your own records and your own use, (e.g., in your Teaching Portfolio). It will not be sent to your department. A confidential copy will be kept on file at the Center.


6. Follow-up Questionnaire: We will send a follow-up questionnaire to you via email to help us assess your experience. Please return it to the Center as soon as possible. This response helps us gather feedback on the ITC process so we can continue to develop ways to assist graduate student teachers.