Focus on the Syllabus

Syllabus from Scratch

Are you drafting a syllabus? Whether the syllabus is for the Teaching Scholars program, the academic job market, or a dream course in the future, join us to begin designing an effective, student-centered syllabus from scratch. During this Syllabus from Scratch workshop, participants will learn about the elements of an effective and inclusive syllabus, define course learning goals, and discuss assessments that can promote student learning, engagement, and accessibility in their course.

This workshop counts towards track completion in the Teaching Development Program.

Date: Friday April 25
Time: 12:10 PM – 1:40 PM
Location: 212 Butler Library

🌟 Resource Spotlight 🌟

Approaches to making a syllabus inclusive

This CTL resource is intended to provide a starting point for instructors designing inclusive syllabi. Explore general strategies for inclusive syllabus design, dive deeper into specific syllabus elements, and reflect on your current syllabus and reimagine it with a focus on inclusivity. 

Access resource: Designing an Inclusive Syllabus

TDP Sprint: Save the Date!

2025 Teaching Development Program Sprint

Complete the Foundational Track in less than a week!

This four-day intensive program from CTL provides you with all programming needed to complete the Foundational Track of the Teaching Development Program. Completion of the Foundational Track of the TDP earns notation on Columbia University transcripts and a letter from CTL certifying substantive teaching development in graduate school.

The Sprint includes access to all required workshops, time to complete preparatory and reflective activities, collegial engagement with other graduate students in the TDP, and lunch each day.

The TDP Sprint will run in-person on the Morningside Campus from 9:30 am – 4:00 pm on Tuesday May 27, Wednesday May 28, Thursday May 29, and Friday May 30. Coffee, tea, and lunch will be provided to participants each day.

Applications for the Sprint will be accepted April 25 – May 5

Practice Teaching

Looking for a supportive place to try out instructional approaches? This Practice Teaching session (formerly known as “Microteaching”) will pair you with a trained peer facilitator and a group of 3-4 other graduate students. Together, you and your fellow participants will take turns delivering short samples of instruction to each other. After each teaching sample, your facilitator and your peers will offer structured feedback to support your teaching. Whether you are currently teaching at Columbia or not, all graduate students looking to practice teaching are welcome to attend this Practice Teaching session.

Practice Teaching sessions towards track completion in the Teaching Development Program.

Date: Friday April 18
Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Location: 212 Butller

Teaching with AI Fellows Showcase (Humanities Focus)

Join members of the Columbia teaching community for a showcase of adaptable models for using AI to support better teaching and learning across a variety of disciplines. These models have been developed, tested, and refined by 2024-25 Teaching with AI Fellows, a cohort of select graduate students with advanced interest and CTL-supported experience in applying AI to teaching.

At the showcase, after a description of these pedagogical models and a panel discussion with the Fellows, participants will be able to try out the models and engage in informal conversation with the Fellows and CTL staff about adapting them to different teaching contexts.

This showcase counts towards track completion in the Teaching Development Program.

Date: Tuesday April 22
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Location: 212 Butler Library

LTF Departmental Events

2024-25 Lead Teaching Fellows are running workshops and discussions in their departments all around Columbia. These are generally advertised locally. Below are upcoming events that are open to participants beyond the LTF’s home department.

LTF events count towards track completion in the Teaching Development Program.

Teaching In and Beyond Higher Ed

How is teaching taken into account in the academic job search, and how should the applicant demonstrate their experience? For those who take career paths outside of higher ed, how can teaching be an asset and continuing practice in other fields?

This event will feature two distinguished guest speakers for a panel discussion on post-PhD teaching careers in higher-ed and public secondary education. Edward Curran completed his PhD in Romance Studies at Cornell University in 2017 and is now Faculty at Bard High School Early College. Patrick Nason graduated from Columbia’s Anthropology Department in 2018 and is currently Adjunct Assistant Professor at Barnard. He also serves as Program Director at Brooklyn Boatworks, an in-school program that teaches introductory boat-building to NYC Public School students.

This workshop is led by Lead Teaching Fellow Audrey Liu (Anthropology). It is open to all interested graduate students, but RSVP is necessary, as space and food are limited.

Date: Tuesday, April 22
Time: 5:10 – 7:00 PM
Location: Schermerhorn Extension 467 (Scheps Classroom)
Register: RSVP here

The CTL is here to help!

Office Hours

Drop by CTL’s Office Hours for graduate students to consult with us about any aspect of teaching, CTL fellowships and other offerings, job market preparation, or making progress in the Teaching Development Program. Learn more about office hours.

Consultations

Graduate students can now request consultations to get support for their teaching and learning needs. The CTL provides consultations on a range of topics, including syllabus design, creating and refining a teaching statement, integrating instructional technologies into class activities, and presentation practices. Learn more and request a consultation.