Teaching

Teaching Requirement

The ability to master a discipline and be able to disseminate that knowledge in a clear and concise manner to the next generation of students is the true hallmark of a scholar. Great teaching is as much an art as a skill, and thus like any such endeavor requires practice. To foster the development of teaching skills, CMB students are required to participate in the teaching mission of the University of Vermont. CMB students typically participate as Teaching Assistants in undergraduate introductory biology courses (BIOL 1 and 2). The responsibilities of the TA usually involve a minimum of 10 contact hours in the course or courses to which he/she is assigned. Those assigned to elementary courses normally teach two laboratory sections per week, attend prep sessions and lectures, and help proctor and grade examinations.

Teaching Assistants receive guidance in their teaching techniques from the faculty member in charge of their laboratory sections. In addition, faculty supervisors prepare an evaluation and feedback of teaching performance to be shared with the TA. Additional teaching resources can be found at the University of Vermont in the Center for Teaching and Learning, which offers workshops and retreats to help perfect your teaching skills.