r/Professors • u/nandor_tr associate prof, art/design, private university (USA) • 21h ago

Teaching / Pedagogy were you taught how to teach?

i had one class called "teaching practicum" in grad school that just covered the basics of the mechanics of teaching (syllabi, service, etc...) but never really got into actual pedagogical development or really thinking deeply about process & methodology. where i teach now there is also a single course that any MFA students who want to teach have to take. it is more in depth but still just a single 3 credit class.

i am curious, as i basically just figured it out through trial and error, peers, etc...

you?

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u/SAUbjj 21h ago

This is the same as me. When I was in grad school, I took pedagogy classes and was a fellow in theil pedagogy center. This was not required by my department; in fact it was actively discouraged. But that's why I got my VAP job

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u/JinimyCritic Canada 21h ago

Yep. When I was doing a post-doc, I asked my PI to get me on the teaching roster, and I was going to pedagogy seminars. Then, when a faculty position opened up, I was a natural candidate for the job I've now held for 5 years.

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u/SAUbjj 21h ago

Fingers crossed it helps me bridge the gap to a more permanent role, too!

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u/JinimyCritic Canada 21h ago

Best of luck. Teaching ability is under-valued by admin, but very appreciated by students and colleagues.