Teaching Transcript Program

Enhance and Document Your Teaching Practices and Goals

The Teaching Transcript Program provides Princeton graduate students and postdoctoral researchers opportunities to develop as self-reflective teachers who identify what they want their students to learn and then create strategies to promote and assess that learning.

The program includes workshops on a wide range of issues related to teaching and academic careers, lunchtime discussions with distinguished teachers, and a teaching observation. It culminates with preparing an original course syllabus and a statement of teaching philosophy, which is increasingly important in academic job searches. There is no specific time limit to complete the program as long as you finish before your program of study or postdoctoral position has concluded. Typically participants take 2-4 semesters to complete their Teaching Transcript work. 

Upon completion of the program, participants receive a certificate and a letter of completion that documents their pedagogical training. As a demonstration of a commitment to effective teaching, the transcript certificate and letter of completion may be included with application materials for academic positions, added to a Graduate School dossier, or added to a departmental job placement folder.

Requirements for the teaching transcript for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers

Requirements Graduate Student Postdoctoral Researcher
AI Orientation required required
AI Appointment required waived
class observation required required
five pedagogy workshops or teaching seminar CTL501 required required
a written statement of teaching philosophy and original syllabus, with consultation, revised and resubmitted required required

Requirement components summary

  1. AI Orientation: The Graduate School requires all first-time AIs at Princeton to attend the McGraw Center’s AI Orientation, offered each semester. Departments register their graduate students for Orientation. 
    Postdoctoral researchers enrolled in the Teaching Transcript Program can sign up for and attend AI Orientation in order to complete that teaching transcript requirement.   To sign up, postdoctoral researchers should submit the AI Orientation Interest Form.
  2. AI appointment: Graduate students must complete a minimum of one semester as an AI, and arrangements for this are made through the department. The appointment should include direct interaction with students. The AI appointment requirement is waived for postdocs.
  3. Class observation: While serving as an AI, graduate students need to have a class observation and feedback session with a consultant from the McGraw Center. Observations should be within the first nine weeks of the semester. Class observations of campus-located classroom instruction will include videotaping for personal use and reflection. Postdocs are encouraged to find an opportunity to guest precept or lecture by coordinating with friends or colleagues in their department. The required class visit can take place during this teaching opportunity.
  4. Five pedagogy workshops: In no particular order, graduate students and postdocs are required to participate in at least five structured pedagogy programs sponsored by the McGraw Center. With McGraw's approval, one of the five required workshops may be fulfilled by a department/program pedagogy seminar or workshop. Email [email protected] to submit a request. See our Pedagogy and Professional Development Workshops page for sessions related to the Teaching Transcript Program. The five pedagogy workshop requirement can also be fulfilled by taking the teaching seminar CTL501.
  5. Written teaching statement and syllabus: Graduate students and postdocs are also required to complete a statement of teaching philosophy and an original syllabus for an introductory or lower-level disciplinary course. These documents are submitted to the teaching transcript program using the Submit Teaching Statement and Syllabus form and reviewed in a consultation. Documents should then be updated with suggested material and go through a final review. We recommend that you read our web pages and FAQs on writing teaching statements as you write or revise your materials. 

Use the Teaching Transcript Program Enrollment form to begin establishing a Teaching Transcript. For further inquiries about the program, please email the McGraw Center.