CTL Graduate Student Teaching Consultants

CTL Teaching Consultants (TCs) are Columbia University doctoral students who are trained to provide teaching observations, run mid-course reviews, facilitate 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 also develop projects that support CTL programming for graduate students. 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 who have successfully completed CTL’s Teaching Observation Fellowship. In select cases, standout performance in another CTL program can qualify as a prerequisite for this opportunity. Details about TC activities are below.

Teaching Consultant details

Pay and activities

Teaching Consultants receive $25 an hour for conducting assigned teaching observations, microteaching sessions, and mid-course reviews, 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. 

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 tell CTL which types of services they are interested in providing, and receive alerts when requests for these services come in from Columbia graduate students. TCs then schedule check-ins, observations, and debriefs with the assigned client.