Course Description
You don't have to be an excellent university teacher... but you can be!
Most beneficial to my teaching practice has been, and continues to be, the graduate teaching courses that I have had the opportunity to attend. These courses provided not only the theoretical rational behind teaching best practice, but perhaps more importantly to a graduate student teacher, the practical teaching techniques and tools that I can implement in my own classroom."
- Amelia Horsburgh, Graduate Student Fellow 2012-2013 and recipient of the 2012 Provost's Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher Award.
GSR 982: Mentored Teaching is for PhD students who have received a Teacher Scholar Doctoral Fellowship. The Teacher-Scholar Doctoral Fellowship Program is designed to elevate teaching and learning at the University of Saskatchewan through PhD fellowships which combine required coursework (GSR 982: Mentored Teaching) with an opportunity to teach in your discipline, with the guidance of a faculty mentor.
The purpose of GSR 982: Mentored Teaching is to help you to discover what teaching means to you and why you enjoy being in the classroom. The course provides opportunities for you to:
- reflect upon the teaching approach that is best suited to your personality, preferences, and style,
- think deeply about learning theory and how students best learn,
- discuss and implement best practices for preparation and delivery of a course in your discipline,
- discuss the merits of, and experiment with the use of various teaching strategies for engaging and assessing/evaluating your students' learning.
Course Information
GSR 982: Mentored Teaching will be offered in 2013/2014 in Term 1 from 2:00-4:30 p.m. on Thursday afternoons. As part of your coursework, you will learn about course design and theory. While structured activities and time in class will be provided to help you design and prepare your course materials for Term 2, you will also be expected to complete readings, assignments, course preparation materials, and other activities outside of class time.
In Term 2, you are required to attend to deliver an undergraduate course under the supervision of a faculty mentor. You are also required to attend debriefing sessions throughout the term every second week from 2-3 p.m. on Thursday afternoons. Please work with your department and faculty mentor to ensure that your teaching assignment in Term 2 does not conflict with these biweekly discussions.
You are also expected to meet regularly with your faculty mentor throughout Terms 1 and 2 to discuss your teaching, the preparation of your teaching materials, and to discuss progress towards your teaching goals.
Fellowship Nominations
As part of the University of Saskatchewan's commitment to advance teaching and learning excellence and to enhance the graduate student learning experience, the College of Graduate Studies & Research, in partnership with The Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness, is pleased to inform you that the Teacher Doctoral Fellowship (TSDF) program will continue for the 2013/2014 academic year.
Application
Applications are due April 2, 2013, must be completed by the applicant, faculty mentor, and Department/College/School. Completed applications should be sent to Heather Lukey, Director, CGSR Director, Graduate Scholarships and Awards, C180 Administration Building. Please do not send your application via email.
Eligibility
- Must be registered in the 2nd to 5th year in their PhD program during the 2013/14 academic year
- Must have a cumulative GPA of 80% or higher
- Must register for, attend all classes, and complete all requirements of GSR 982: Mentored Teaching in Terms 1 and 2 (Thursday afternoons from 2:00-4:30 p.m. in Term 1 and 2:00-3:00 p.m. on Thursday afternoons in Term 2)
- Must prepare and deliver a three-credit unit undergraduate course in Term 2 under the supervision and guidance of a faculty mentor (delivery of Term 2 course must be scheduled so as not to conflct with GSR 982 meeting times in Term 2).
- Must meet regularly with an assigned faculty mentor throughout Terms 1 and 2 to discuss their teaching, any formative feedback they receive, review their course and teaching materials, reflect on their teaching practive, and discuss progress towards their teaching goals. The faculty mentor and Fellow do not need to be from the same academic unit, but must share a combined area of content expertise.
Nominations
The College of Graduate Studies will be accepting applications for the 2013/2014 Teacher Scholar Doctoral Fellowship competition.
- Allocations will be made by an open competition rather than individually to Colleges/Schools.
- Applications for the Fellowships will be submitted by the teaching partnership team (graduate student teacher, faculty mentor, and Department/School/College).
- Twenty fellowships will be available to eligible PhD students for the 2013/2014 academic year.
Accolades
2011-2012
This class was invaluable for practical reasons, building your syllabus, grading rubric, assignments, lesson plans, etc. for the course you will teach next term. Moreover, the teaching portfolio that you build will prove so important when you do go on the job market." - Amelia Horsburgh, class of 2011-2012
This course really helps you stand out as a job applicant and amongst your peers while still a student. In addition, it really defines you as a U of S graduate with distinct advantages as future teachers." -Anonymous student, class of 2011-2012
Find a way to take this course or one like it if you plan to teach at the university level. This course (and the professors that taught it) allowed me to view the teaching experience at the university level from a totally different viewpoint." -Anonymous student, class of 2011-2012
As a result of taking GSR 982, I feel more prepared to teach. I feel that I learned a lot from the different perspectives of my colleagues in the class." -Anonymous student, class of 2011-2012
This is an excellent class, which can provide a systematic and complete training program for your teaching. Students do benefit from it." - Li Shen, class of 2011-2012
GSR 982 is a valuable course that gives you a set of tools to turn into skills when addressing future audiences." - Ashlee McLardy, class of 2011-2012
2010-2011
Take the course at least you will find if you like teaching or not truly. Teaching is hard, which means you can do it only if you like it." - Xiaoyu Liu, class of 2010-2011
I learned a lot of different techniques and strategies to integrate into the course [I am teaching] that I never would have learned if I [had not taken] this course." - Katie Maciulewicz, graduate student in Kinesiology, class of 2010-2011
2009-2010
Not only did the fellowship provide me with the tools, knowledge, and practice, but I now have the confidence to teach. It has changed how I think and feel about teaching." -Douglas Akhimienmhonan, class of 2009-2010
This course gave me the confidence and skills to be a good instructor for my students. Teaching is more than just lecturing. It's also about listening to your students." -Anonymous student, class of 2009-2010
A very useful, rewarding course that places the focus squarely on teaching as part of a lifelong journey of learning." -Liam Haggarty, graduate student in History, class of 2009-2010
It's been wonderful to have not only the support of the 982 instructors but also that of the class of peers who are experiencing the same trials of teaching for the first time as well. The 982 classes provided a means and a time to reflect on the teaching experience- something that otherwise would have been lost in the rush and finery of preparation, marking, etc." - Emily Morris, graduate student in English, class of 2009-2010
An article on GSR 982: Mentored Teaching was published in On-Campus News in the April 9, 2010 edition.
Information for Faculty Mentors
One important process in the Teacher Scholar Doctoral Fellowship Program is the positive development of the teaching partnership between the graduate student teacher and faculty mentor.
To help ensure the best possible experience for both the graduate student teacher and the faculty mentor we have developed a helpful Guide to help faculty mentors develop mentorship goals and to outline responsibilities within the Teacher Scholar Doctoral Fellowship Program. The Guide informs the faculty mentors about the tasks they are expected to complete and when to do these tasks as part of the teaching partnership.
Periodic cues will be sent to the faculty mentors throughout the year to remind them of what is required and when. The GSR 982 course syllabus serves as an equivalent to this guide for the graduate student teacher. Please contact the GSR 982 teaching team if you would like a copy of the GSR 982 course syllabus.
