CTL Graduate Student Teaching Consultants
CTL Teaching Consultants (TCs) are Columbia University doctoral students who are trained to provide Teaching Observations, Mid-Course Reviews, Practice Teaching (Microteaching) sessions and conduct teaching-related consultations for peers across the university who request them. These services are structured, confidential, formative, and overseen by CTL staff. TCs are paid an hourly rate for the time they spend training and performing consultation services.
This opportunity is open to current doctoral students in good standing, with preference given to those who have successfully completed CTL’s Teaching Observation Fellowship. Standout performance in another CTL program may also qualify as a prerequisite for this opportunity. Details about TC activities are below.
How to apply
We currently have a full Teaching Consultant cohort, but we periodically put out calls for new TCs. To be alerted to future application opportunities, make sure you’re on our email list!
2023-24 CTL Teaching Consultants
Senior Teaching Consultants
Zachary Domach
Department of Religion
Skye Shannon Savage
Department of Germanic Languages
Ben Silver
Department of Psychology
Teaching Consultants
Laura DiNardo
Department of Italian
Ruilin Fan
Department of English and Comparative Literature
Megan Rivkin
Department of Theatre (School of the Arts)
John Staunton
Department of Physics
Marissa Swan
Department of Classics
John Thorp
Department of Psychology
Teaching Consultant details
Pay and activities
Teaching Consultants receive $25 an hour for conducting assigned Teaching Observations, Mid-Course Reviews, Practice Teaching (Microteaching) sessions, and individual consultations after paid training from CTL. Each of these assignments consists of approximately four hours of work, scheduled around the availability of the TC. As service requests come in, they are announced to hired TCs, who then have the opportunity to claim them as fits their interests and availability.
Teaching Consultants are expected to complete a minimum of five assignments over the course of a semester, and participate in paid cohort meetings. The minimum commitment, then, is 25 hours per semester. Depending on servicer requests coming into CTL, TCs may opt to work hours above this minimum level.
Depending on interest and availability, TCs may also perform individual consultations and/or help CTL develop programming and resources for graduate students. They earn the same hourly rate for the time they devote to these activities.
Hiring and assigning process
CTL will periodically call for applications for Teaching Consultants. These calls will go out to former Teaching Observation Fellows, whose successful completion of that fellowship qualifies them to be TCs. Selected applicants will then be offered TC positions and hired through Columbia Libraries’ casual student hire process, allowing them to bill $25/hour for the time they spend on TC activities. A note of approval from a faculty advisor or sponsor will be required during the hiring process.
Once hired, TCs will participate in a paid orientation / training at CTL, scheduled around their availability. After TCs have been trained, they will receive alerts when requests for observations, consultations, and other teaching development services come in from Columbia graduate students. TCs then schedule check-ins, observations, and debriefs with the assigned client.
The CTL is here for graduate students.
The Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning provides an array of support for graduate students in both their current and future teaching responsibilities.