This Week for Graduate Students: Make your teaching development count!

Teaching Development Program (TDP) Offerings

CTL’s Teaching Development Program offers current Columbia doctoral and MFA students a path for receiving credit for sustained teaching development in graduate school. Completion is noted on Columbia University transcripts. Below are offerings designed to help you in the TDP, whether you’re new to it, in the middle of track completion, or wrapping up ahead of graduation.

New to the TDP? Save the dates for the TDP Sprint

This unique offering from CTL provides you with all programming needed to complete the Foundational Track of the Teaching Development Program in four action-packed days. Completion of the Foundational Track of the TDP earns notation on Columbia University transcripts and a letter from CTL certifying sustained 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. Applications open April 22–May 6.

Date: Tuesday, May 28–Friday, May 31
Time: 9:30am–4:00pm
Location: Butler Library

Making progress in the TDP? Join us for a Reflection Retreat!

Have you attended CTL workshops this year, but haven’t found the time to complete your reflections for TDP credit? Fear not! Join us for a new offering this spring, the TDP Reflection Retreat. During the Retreat, we’ll review elements of good reflections before diving into four Pomodoro-style sessions where you can reflect with a bit of structure, lots of coffee, snacks, and friends all around. We’ll end with a quick discussion on how you might use the reflections you’ve just completed in the classroom and in job documents.

Date: Friday, April 26
Time: 1:00–4:00pm
Location: 212 Butler Library

Wrapping up the TDP? Keep your eye on deadlines ahead of graduating

If you are nearing completion of a Teaching Development Program (TDP) track, let us be the first to congratulate you! You have carried through with a systematic and sustained exploration of pedagogy that makes you a considerably stronger and more effective teacher, and will continue to benefit you, your future students, and your future employers. After certifying your completion of a track, CTL will coordinate with the University Registrar on your transcript notation. You can finish a track and exit the TDP program at any point while you are in your graduate program at Columbia.

• Double check that you have met program requirements by comparing the TDP Overview to your submitted materials.
• If you have a May 2024 degree conferral, track completion deadlines are as follows: Advanced Track: May 1; Foundational Track: May 8

Practice Teaching (Microteaching)

Practice Teaching sessions (formerly known as Microteaching) are gatherings of 3-4 participants and a facilitator. Participants take turns delivering short samples of instruction to each other, and offering each other structured feedback. This feedback focuses on organization, clarity, engagement of learners, and any other specific aspect of teaching that the instructor would like feedback on.

These sessions are a good way to rehearse teaching practices and get direct feedback and support, whether or not you are currently teaching.

Practice Teaching sessions count towards completion of the Application and Practice requirement in CTL’s Teaching Development Program (TDP) for graduate students.

Date: Friday, April 19
Time: 12:00–2:00pm
Location: Room 208b, Butler Library (note updated location)