Teaching

Many of our graduate students and postdocs serve the UMass community in the classroom and in the laboratory, as teaching assistants and solo instructors. In addition to supporting those teaching right now, OPD also helps prepare graduate students and postdocs for careers as teachers in higher education. 

 

Manuela Borzone, PhD student in Comparative Literature

Whether geared toward classroom management, interpersonal communication with students, or streamlining class preparation and grading, the teaching workshops helped me further develop my teaching skills as a graduate instructor and discussion leader. As a result, I feel more confident in my ability to deliver quality instruction to our undergraduates.

Manuela Borzone, PhD (alum, Comparative Literature)

Upcoming Events

18

Teaching Portfolios

- | Online with OPD!

This workshop will explain how to develop a teaching portfolio that demonstrates your effectiveness as an instructor. Topics will include the purpose, content, and format of the teaching portfolio. 

Pre-registration for "Teaching Portfolios" is required.
4

Teaching Statements

- | Online with OPD!

A teaching statement is a critical document for graduate students and postdocs who anticipate a career in teaching, whether at the college level or elsewhere. This interactive workshop will cover the basics, as well as what makes an excellent statement stand out! In addition, we will review examples of teaching statements.

Pre-registration for "Teaching Statements" is required.
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Additional Resources

  • For a complete list of resources at UMass and beyond, visit our Teaching Academy Resources page! 
     
  • As part of the Teaching Academy, we created a series of short videos to support graduate students and postdocs dedicated to improving their teaching skills. Designed to support instructors at all levels, there is something for everyone!
     
  • The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) organizes a variety of events and often partners with OPD on programming to jointly serve faculty, postdoc, and graduate student instructors. Their website also offers additional teaching resources.
     
  • The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) helps STEM graduate students and postdocs across the country strategically position themselves for careers in college and university teaching through a series of comprehensive on-line workshops and optional evidence-based teaching projects. The UMass CIRTL chapter also leads in-person workshops for the UMass campus.
     
  • The Instructional Innovation office offers year-round workshops to help faculty, postdoc, and graduate student instructors better use technology, such as Moodle and Echo360, in the classroom.
     
  • There are many online pedagogical resources that will inspire instructors with best-practices for learning. For example, Faculty Focus regularly publishes short articles on effective teaching strategies for the college classroom and The Chronicle of Higher Education has an advice section that also often publishes on pedagogy and teaching as a career.

Questions?

Contact us for more information on OPD’s Teaching workshops and assistance.

OPD Workshop participants