What questions does your instructional role as a graduate teaching assistant raise? What questions do you have about teaching as a part of your plans to be future college faculty?

Over the past two years, the offices of the Graduate College, the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, and the Faculty Development Program have coordinated a series of multidisciplinary opportunities for you to have conversations with faculty resource people and with other graduate students on topics related to teaching. The spring semester schedule will be posted soon on the Faculty Development website.

The series opens with a day-long work session, “Advancing Teaching and Learning,” that is being held Saturday, January 30, from 9 am to 3:30 pm in the University Union, Havasupai A/B, with lunch and resource materials provided. If you have not yet registered, you can do so online at nau.edu/facdev or by calling 3-9972. 

Prominent university professor Stephen Brookfield writes that “teaching is frequently a gloriously messy pursuit.” The Graduate Student Series addresses both aspects of Brookfield’s characterization through focused collegial dialogue on a set of topics. Watch for the list of spring semester offerings.

Don't miss words of wisdom from NAU Distinguished Teaching Fellow Laura Gray-Rosendale in this issue: read "Fostering an Ethic of Care: Caring for Your Students, Caring for Yourselves."

Also check our newsletter archives for other excellent advice on university teaching!

The Graduate College and the Faculty Development Program are once again sponsoring two awards to honor exceptional achievement by graduate teaching assistants.

The call for nominations will go out February 15, nominations will be due March 2, and nominees will be invited to submit teaching portfolios by March 22. Watch for full details and the call for nominations in an e-mail listserv announcement and on the Graduate College website or Faculty Development Program website soon.

A Graduate College awards reception will honor nominees, award recipients, and graduate students who complete the professional development series program.