Section 2

Peer Partnership: Information

The primary goal of the peer partnership is to provide a forum for on-going discussions of issues relevant to your teaching and other professional development efforts.  An effective peer partnership can, among other things, create a sense of community, encourage interdisciplinary connections, promote a safe environment for exchanging feedback on teaching, and provide opportunities for sharing information on how best to prepare for your future career. You may be having these conversations with colleagues in your own or other departments already. If so, you’ve probably realized that they offer valuable support for your graduate career as well as good practice for the future interactions and collaborations you will have as a new faculty member.

Your self-selected peer partnership should consist of one or two other program participants. Selecting one or two individuals outside your department or field is encouraged, but not required.  There is no pre-set TPT agenda for any of these meetings; as a starting point, you may find it helpful to propose a topic of interest to you, to talk through a professional development issue you have concerns about, to invite a peer partner to observe your class or to look over any of the TPT materials you have prepared, or to meet over coffee to discuss a workshop or event. To take full advantage of the partnership, it is important to meet with your peer partners outside of programming events a minimum of three times during your first year in the program.  We encourage you to continue to interact with your partners throughout your time in TPT and beyond.