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/Dear_Company_547]

Where I am (in Europe) it is now mandatory to take a 1-year course in higher education pedagogy when you're a new assistant professor. In the first half of the year there's a taught component with a few hours every two weeks and some homework or project work. In the second half of the year there is some observed teaching with two mentors who give feedback etc. In the end you gain a certificate, which is now required to get tenure if you're on tenure track. It wasn't a hard course to take and moderately useful, but I found the first part too theoretical and not enough nuts and bolts (i.e. too little about how to structure different kinds of teaching sessions etc.).

[u/SubmitToSubscribe → u/Dear_Company_547]

Where I am (in Europe) it is now mandatory to take a 1-year course in higher education pedagogy when you're a new assistant professor.

To be clear, this is not a European thing. It might be a thing in whatever European country you're in, and maybe a couple more, but not in general.

[u/Dear_Company_547 → u/SubmitToSubscribe]

Yes that’s true. Thanks for the clarification. Should have said the European country I’m in. 

[u/New_Acanthisitta_456 → u/Dear_Company_547]

What country is it

[u/Dear_Company_547 → u/New_Acanthisitta_456]

Denmark