Teaching & Mentoring

As a scholar, part of your fundamental skill set is becoming an effective teacher and mentor. Your ability to apply instructional pedagogies, assessment methods, and create inclusive learning environments will translate beyond the classroom to any organizational setting.

Objectives

1. Understand various ways of learning, teaching, and mentoring – the science of how people learn.
2. Articulate the ways in which teaching and mentoring skills can be applied in novel contexts.
3. Structure or design learning and advising experiences in effective and inclusive ways. 
4. Build awareness of your own teaching and mentoring abilities, interests, and skills.
5. Reflect on teaching and mentoring practices, evaluate their effectiveness, revise and iterate as needed.

Suggested framework

Education

• Complete a department pedagogy course (ENERGY 359, CEE 200, VPTL 280/312)
• Attend CTL’s TA Orientation
• Participate in the IDEAL Pedagogy Program
• Participate in offerings focused on teaching and mentoring (Pro-Seminars, Skillshares, Short Courses, workshops)

Experience

• Complete a teaching appointment (TA-ship, CA-ship, or Instructor of record). See TA Opportunities here.
• Arrange for a CTL Teaching Consultation
• Become a CTL Graduate Teaching Consultant 
• Become a mentor with SESUR, SURGE, MUIR, SUPER, or Young Investigators
• Mentor a K-12 teacher or undergraduate student 
• Participate in the GeoKids program
• Participate in the Bay Area Science Festival
• Other options: guest lecture, lead a SkillShare, tutor a student, outreach programs and classes, public-facing pedagogy (lab tours), write a letter of support or recommendation for a mentee 

Portfolio Piece

• Prepare a teaching, teaching philosophy, or mentoring statement
• Develop a syllabus for a course or lesson plan for a teaching demo
• Collect student and mentee letters of recommendation  

One and done alternatives (complete one of the programs below for credit for this pillar):

• Complete the CIRTL@ Stanford Teaching Certificate - for graduate students and postdocs
• Complete the OPA Postdoc Teaching Certificate - for postdocs only