Yale Center for Teaching and Learning

Teaching Consultations and Classroom Observations

Although many teaching principles and practices can be conveyed through workshops and articles, there is no substitute for individual discussion with a Poorvu Center staff member about one’s teaching style, classroom goals, and interaction with faculty, teaching fellows and students – who may be present in New Haven or connecting with Yale from anywhere in the world.

The Poorvu Center routinely assists members of the Yale community with course design, section planning, effective use of technology, assignment development, classroom observations and feedback, interpreting student evaluations, and addressing challenges in the classroom.

Any instructor at Yale may request a confidential individual consultation from a member of the Poorvu Center staff. Consultations begin with a discussion, in which the instructor describes course goals, plans for the semester, and any issues or teaching practices that are of primary concern. Consultations may include a librarian to advise on appropriate resources.

If technology will support the pursuit of your teaching goals, you can consult with a member of our technology staff. We can help you think about effective uses of presentation software, Canvas, course websites, blogs, wikis, mobile technologies, audio and video projects, and many others. We can also speak with you about initiatives that include students or learners from around the world and how to use models like network courses and massive open online courses (MOOCs).

In order to accommodate your request, we appreciate receiving your request well in advance of the desired consultation date (one to two weeks).

Please request an instructional consultation or classroom observation here.