What can I do as a teacher?

In the field of teaching, you have a major influence on the subject-specific and interdisciplinary training of students as well as on everyday university life and the academic atmosphere. Here you will find some suggestions on how to improve your teaching.

Knowledge transfer

When planning a course, you can take a critical look at the literature list: Who will be read and who won't? Why? Is the subject canon conveyed characterised by male, white, European authors? What other texts on your teaching topic could you possibly include in order to make the subject perspectives more diverse?
What thematic debates regarding gender and diversity are being discussed in your discipline? Are there any exciting new research questions that you could incorporate into your course?

Biases in teaching

(Gender) clichés and biases affect us all. Reflect on yourself: Do you judge and evaluate the performance of people of different genders unequally? Why is that? Critically questioning and dealing with your own biases is an important step towards reducing discrimination.
In discussion groups, also pay attention to the participants' speaking time: Who speaks a lot, who is less vocal? How can you contribute to a balanced speaking ratio? In this way, you can help to ensure that all students are involved and that different perspectives have their say.

inclusive learning atmosphere

At the beginning of an event, it is important to establish a good learning atmosphere in which everyone feels comfortable and can participate equally. For example, you can integrate into a round of introductions that each person names their pronouns.
Show openness and encourage students to share their needs in relation to your course. Also make your own time and resource requirements transparent. Draw attention to the university's support and advisory services and show openness to flexible solutions that meet students' needs.