Department of Psychology
Auburn University
Professionally, one of my favorite things to do is to work with graduate students on their professional development, especially their development as college and university teachers. I am fortunate to be able to teach all of the Psychology Department’s first-year graduate students in a year-long graduate course called Teaching of Psychology. In the summer, I offer an advanced course on the teaching of psychology. I also am privileged to direct Auburn’s Teaching Fellows program, which is described in detail below.
Purpose and Rationale
The Department of Psychology currently has in place a rigorous training and supervision program for its first-year graduate teaching assistants. This program consists of a year-long, two-hour credit course involving theory and research in college and university teaching in general and in the teaching of psychology in particular. In addition, these students acquire minimal classroom teaching experience by teaching multiple discussion sections of Introductory Psychology throughout the year.
A large number of teaching positions for new PhDs are available at small liberal arts colleges where high quality teaching experience is a key component of the job requirements. To strengthen the teaching credentials of the Psychology Department’s graduate students, the Teaching Fellows program provides opportunities for further training and experience in college and university teaching as a teacher of record.
To qualify to become a Teaching Fellow, graduate students must satisfy each of the following requirements:
These requirements are specified in a document that is signed by graduate students applying to the program, their major professor, and program director.
Program Parameters
Students who participate in the Teaching Fellows program will have the opportunity to teach one or more undergraduate psychology courses at the 2000 or 3000 level, depending on the instructional needs of the Psychology Department. Each Teaching Fellow will be supervised by a faculty member whose expertise falls within the domain of the class being taught by the Teaching Fellow. Such supervision will involve a pre-semester meeting regarding development of a syllabus and textbook selection, and weekly meetings to discuss any and all aspects of the teaching of the course. In addition, the supervisor will observe the Teaching Fellow at least once during the semester and provide both written and verbal feedback to enhance the Teaching Fellow’s development as a teacher. Teaching Fellows will also be similarly observed by the Undergraduate Program Director or the Director of the Teaching Fellows program purely for formative evaluation as an instructor.
Students who complete the program are recognized with a plaque each year at the Psychology Department’s Teaching Festival, which is held in April. Currently, over 25 graduate students across all three of the Psychology Department’s graduate programs are actively participating in the Teaching Fellows program.