Teaching Consultant Program

Program Description

The Sheridan Center Teaching Consultant Program is a semester-long learning community in which graduate students and postdocs develop and refine skills in peer workshop facilitation, develop skills related to providing peer feedback, create a teaching philosophy statement, and deepen their knowledge of teaching practices. Building on the foundations of reflective teaching explored in the Sheridan Teaching Seminar (Certificate I), participants will continue to develop an understanding of evidence-based teaching practices, explore strategies for creating inclusive learning environments, facilitate workshops and micro-teaching sessions for the Sheridan Teaching Seminar (Certificate I), and write and revise a teaching statement for portfolios and/or the job market. Skills developed in the Teaching Consultant Program are broadly applicable to effective communication and facilitation in academic and professional careers. Graduate students who complete all requirements for the program within the Fall semester will receive a Sheridan Center Certificate and a notation on their graduate transcript. Teaching Consultants who successfully complete the Certificate may apply to return in following years as Experienced Teaching Consultants (ETCs). In this role, ETCs have the opportunity to continue their professional development by facilitating workshops, microteaching sessions, and peer portfolio feedback sessions. ETCs also conduct peer observations (as needed) and develop additional peer mentorship skills. ETCs perform additional support roles for the program, including serving as facilitator subs and facilitating additional microteaching sessions on an as-needed basis. In addition to the Certificate, Teaching Consultants receive a $450 award for successfully completing the program. Experienced TCs will receive a $550 award.

Please note: the Sheridan Teaching Consultant program will be conducted online during Fall 2022.

Learning Objectives

In the Sheridan Teaching Consultant Program, participants will:

  • Collaborate across disciplines and divisions to discuss approaches to teaching.
  • Build skills in facilitating online discussions about teaching with diverse, multi-disciplinary groups.
  • Build skills in providing peer feedback on teaching in micro-teaching sessions.
  • Articulate and model an inclusive approach to teaching and discussion facilitation.
  • Create a teaching philosophy statement

Prerequisite

Completion of Sheridan Teaching Seminar (Certificate I)

Program Dates

All TC sessions are held synchronously via Zoom from 4-6 pm ET on the following dates:

Monday, Sept 19

Monday, Oct 3

Monday, Nov 7

Monday, Nov 28 (please note, this is the Monday following Thanksgiving break)

All Sheridan Teaching Seminar (Cert I) workshops are held synchronously via Zoom on the following dates:

Monday, Sept 26

Monday, Oct 17

Monday, Nov 14

Monday, Dec 5

Sheridan Teaching Seminar workshops are offered during three different time slots on each of these dates (as noted on the application). TCs will be assigned to facilitate one workshop section. You will meet with the same group of participants during the same time slot on each workshop date (four meetings, total). Note: the total number of workshops offered during each time slot will depend upon the number of participants registered for the Sheridan Teaching Seminar, but we expect to offer the majority of workshops during the traditional 5:40-7:10 pm time.

Requirements for New Teaching Consultants

  • Full attendance at all synchronous TC program sessions (held via Zoom)
  • Facilitation of a Sheridan Teaching Seminar (Certificate I) peer workshop section via Zoom
  • Attend four facilitator pre-meetings (typically held during the hour before your section)
  • Participate in asynchronous TC program components & assignments
  • Facilitate two-three peer micro-teaching sessions via Zoom
  • Complete an online workshop on developing teaching statements and portfolios 
  • Write and revise a teaching statement
  • Provide peer feedback on teaching statements
  • Completion of pre- and post-program feedback surveys

Participants who do not complete the above requirements during the Fall semester are ineligible to receive a Certificate, transcript notation, or award funds.

Requirements for Experienced Teaching Consultants

  • Attend all synchronous TC program sessions as an experienced TC/facilitator (held via Zoom)
  • Facilitate a Sheridan Teaching Seminar (Certificate I) peer workshop section via Zoom
  • Attend four facilitator pre-meetings (typically held during the hour before your section)
  • Participate in asynchronous TC program components & assignments
  • Facilitate four-five peer micro-teaching sessions
  • Provide peer feedback on teaching statements
  • Revise teaching statement (optional)
  • Serve as an on-call facilitator sub
  • Completion of pre- and post-program feedback surveys

Participants who do not complete the above requirements during the Fall semester are ineligible to receive award funds.

Application

Please note, the Sheridan Teaching Consultant program is designed as a small, intensive learning community. As such, enrollment is limited and application-based.

Criteria for selection will include:

  • Ability to complete all requirements above--including session attendance and facilitation
  • Statement of interest
  • Satisfactory past performance*

*For returning Experienced TCs

If you are unable to commit to attending all sessions, serving as a facilitator, and completing all program requirements, we request that you not apply for the TC program. Instead, please see the Sheridan Center website during the academic year for our flexible professional development workshop options, which include online workshops.

Note: The application for Fall 2022 is now closed.

If you have questions about the Sheridan Teaching Consultant Program, please contact [email protected]