Advising.

Office Hours

Current students should plan to meet with me at least ​twice​ each semester to discuss progress in the program, and ​then ​more frequently as you get closer to graduation. It is your responsibility to keep me informed about changes in your academic progress, course selection, academic/career goals and/or financial aid needs.

Why are Office Hours Important?: I know that some master’s students, in particular, may be reluctant to sign up for office hours, but I hope and expect that all of you will take advantage of this resource. It's a wonderful opportunity for us to get to know each other better, for me to learn more about your academic and professional interests, and for you to feel more connected to our program. I hope to see you at least two times during the semester during office hours and I encourage you to take advantage of meeting with other faculty members and peer advisors during their office hours as well.

Requests for Letters of Recommendation

I am happy to write letters for students and to serve as a reference for jobs, further educational endeavors, scholarships, and internships. Students (or alumni) planning to request letters of recommendation should have taken at least one course (preferably two) with me and/or had other opportunities to collaborate with me on projects outside of the classroom. Your performance in my course or as part of a collaborative project will provide a good indicator of the strength of my recommendation. Requests for letters of recommendation should be made at least 2 weeks before the application deadline. I will also let you know at the time of your request whether or not I am the best person to write the letter and if I can provide the letter by the deadline. In order to streamline the process, please provide me with the following information in a single email at least two weeks prior to the deadline:

  • Description about the internship/job, graduate school, scholarship or other opportunity to which you are applying (include web addresses and/or hyperlinks to this information when available)

  • ½ - 1 page description of the following:

    • The dates you were in the academic program at TC

    • How we know each other: Academic advisor, course instructor (and for how many and which courses), supervisor, etc.

    • 1-2 detailed sentences about your work in my course and/or any other collaborative activities that we engaged in

    • 1-2 detailed sentences about your experiences, skills, abilities that you would like me to highlight in the letter of recommendation

    • For doctoral students] 1-2 detailed sentences describing your research interests and why you’d like to pursue doctoral work and/or a particular grant opportunity

  • Copy of unofficial TC transcript

  • Your updated resume/CV

  • A copy of the cover letter and/or personal statement that will accompany your application

  • Word or page limit for the recommendation letter

  • Deadline for the recommendation

  • Method by which I should submit the letter (online submission platform; email, along with the email address; and if possible the full name(s) and affiliation(s) of the person/group receiving the letter (Note: I do not give letters directly to students)

If students would like to include my name and contact details as a reference for a job (or any other opportunity), please be sure to seek my permission in advance.

Prospective Doctoral Students

Due to both the number of requests and concerns about access and equity, I am not available to correspond and meet with prospective students during the application process. I feel that it is important to dedicate my time to current students – and I assure you that if you become one of my students, I will work closely with you throughout your program.

As you consider applying and preparing your application materials for consideration at Teachers College, I offer the following advice:

  • Clearly explain your research interests in your statement of purpose in a way that shows alignment with what we offer in our program. It doesn’t need to be a “perfect fit”, but rather some clear affinities in terms of your theoretical, methodological, topical, and/or contextual interests.

  • We are looking for well-rounded candidates – those with scholarly and professional experiences.

  • Invite letters of recommendation from individuals who are best positioned to comment on your scholarly work (when possible).

  • Mention the faculty with whom you’d like to work most closely in your statement of purpose.

I do not expect my students to be interested in exactly the same theories, topics, or settings. I welcome opportunities to work with students who push my thinking and open me to new ideas as well. Please feel free to reach out to our peer advisors (peeradvisors@tc.columbia.edu) who are current doctoral students to learn more about our program.

Best wishes in the application process and in finding the right fit for the next stages of your scholarly journey.