Teaching Documentation Consultation

Why should I consider a teaching documentation consultation?

Developing a teaching philosophy statement, a diversity statement, or a teaching portfolio is an important part of many job applications and promotion processes. Working with a CFT consultant can let you know good practices for developing these documents and can help you think through how to present who you are as a teacher.

What is involved in this kind of consultation?

Consultations about teaching documents can begin at any stage: when you are brainstorming and planning, when you are drafting, or when you are polishing a final product. Typically, the consultant will ask you to reflect on your understanding of teaching and learning and will prompt you to choose examples that illustrate your thinking. The consultant may also share examples of statements or literature about good practice in developing these documents.  You may choose to schedule more than one consultation to get input at several stages.

As in all of our consults, any information shared between you and CFT staff is completely confidential.

Who can request a teaching documentation consultation?

Any faculty member, graduate student, or post-doc at Vanderbilt can request a teaching documentation consultation.  This is a free service the CFT provides to the Vanderbilt teaching community.

Who will my consultant be?

If you’re a faculty member, you’ll likely meet with your CFT liaison, a senior staff member with some familiarity with the teaching landscape in your discipline.  If you’re a graduate student, you’ll meet with one of our Graduate Teaching Fellows, graduate students with experience teaching here at Vanderbilt.

How do I schedule a teaching documentation consultation?

To arrange a teaching documentation consultation, call the CFT at 615-322-7290 or email our administrative assistant, Juliet Traub, at least a week in advance.  Juliet will schedule the consultation with one of our consultants.

For more information, see our Teaching Statements and Teaching Portfolios teaching guides