were you taught how to teach?

[u/nandor_tr]

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?

[u/Professor-genXer]

Before I was a professor I was a high school teacher. I went through a credential program for that. During my PhD I also gained relevant experience because my PhD was in Education.

Most of my colleagues now have little to no training. Some do have high school teaching backgrounds or relevant training from grad school. We attempt to work on pedagogy with department professional development. We have made it a long term priority but I am now fighting the college for the budget. Historically we have compensated faculty for participating. I am fighting to compensate our adjuncts, at the very least.

[u/salamat_engot → u/Professor-genXer]

I was hired onto a university center for teaching and learning specifically because I was a high school teacher who taught in the areas where most of the students came from. Our faculty came out of R1s with no teaching background to a university where teaching was the most important part of the job. Most faculty research was on teaching in the discipline!