Commentary: The Precarious Position of Teaching as a Graduate Student

Although elementary and secondary education teachers often undertake years of schooling and practice before taking charge of the classroom, graduate students can be called upon as instructors shortly after their f irst arrival to campus . With little time to review or develop course elements, graduate students are thrown headfirst into dealing with the dramatic daily role reversal of being both a student and a professor . This article, in contrast to formal pedagogy papers, provides a narrative by a graduate student intended for fellow graduate students about to assume the title of instructor . It is an informal collection of teaching advice learned the hard way, including why introductory geography is a great introduction to teaching, some specific tips for first time instructors, and the advisor’s perspective on the experience .