As the 2023–2024 academic year comes to an end, the Center for Teaching would like to thank our graduate teaching fellows for their invaluable work.
We asked them to reflect on a memorable aspect of the fellowship:
Sarah Barringer, English
"We spent the last few weeks working on developing syllabi, everything from the overarching goals to the nitty gritty lesson plans, and it was incredibly valuable to listen to everyone’s insights about how to develop these elements of the class. One element we covered was the physical layout of a syllabus and the value of what comes first in a syllabus, the use of images, the tone and word choice, etc. Everyone came with different perspectives that helped me rethink how I approach syllabus design in English."
Jamie Kaminski, Psychological and Brain Sciences
"One of the most memorable aspects was how much I took from our discussions each week. Not only did I leave each discussion with a list of topics to further delve into, but I also left with practical information that I could turn around and directly apply in my teaching that very week. I started noticing more pedagogical elements in the courses I was enrolled in, and I was able to identify teaching methods that both were serving and were hindering the efforts of my own professors. The fellowship has made me excited to pursue a position in academia and employ strategies that I wish were used in my classes."
Vinay Bapu Ramesh, Chemistry
"The graduate fellows program touched on various aspects of teaching and learning which can be useful to anyone who wants to pursue teaching in any form. Out of the many engagements we had, personally, I found developing the ‘teaching statement’ most useful and memorable. It was a way for me to reflect on various aspects of my own teaching practices and beliefs. I believe my teaching statement improved significantly due to the constructive feedback I received from Katherine."
Cole Denisen, Higher Education and Student Affairs
"One of the great values of the fellowship program, for me, was the opportunity to speak and engage across disciplinary boundaries. I enjoyed having the space to share messy thoughts and solicit feedback from my peers on teaching theory and practice. I feel better prepared and more confident in my ability to approach teaching within my field whether online, in-person, and/or hybrid teaching."
