Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Faculty Mentoring for Teaching
2023 P2P Faculty Mentoring for Teaching at U of T Cohort Program Overview:
- Offered from December 6, 2022, through to May 5, 2023
- Four CTSI-led workshops designed to build skills in mentor-coaching, observation of teaching and giving and receiving feedback
- Instructor partners met on average weekly/bi-weekly in a reciprocal 1-1 partnership to discuss and build on ways they could improve the quality of their course, and the student learning experience.
P2P Instructors:
- 24 Instructors (12 pairs)
- Cross-disciplinary partnerships
- 7 Divisions/Faculties

Goals of the P2P Program: Overall, P2P offers a supportive space for instructors to try new strategies, approaches and build confidence in their teaching. Specifically:
- Use course feedback to improve the quality of a course and student learning
- Increase reflection on one’s teaching and gain a better understanding of students’ learning needs
- To provide a structured framework for ongoing improvement of a [course] and learning practice with input, assistance and guidance from CTSI and cohort peers
- Build leadership capacity and mentoring opportunities for U of T faculty.
From 2022-23 P2P cohort participants:
“The dedicated space to focus on teaching throughout the semester with feedback from someone with an outside/different perspective impacted every aspect of my teaching.”
“I enjoyed developing a relationship with someone outside of my Department, especially a trusting relationship.”
“P2P changed how I reflect on my course(s) and my role as an educator. For example, there were skills that I was exemplifying in my teaching that I wasn’t aware of until after meetings with my P2P mentor. Having someone observe my teaching was also new for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed that as well as the process of being the observer and developing skills in peer observation.”
What is P2P?
P2P is a faculty mentoring for teaching program hosted by the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation (CTSI) that involves a cohort of paired colleagues who have similar teaching goals and interests, collaborating in a reciprocal 1-1 partnership through structured, facilitated workshops to improve the quality of their course, and the student learning experience. P2P offers a supportive space for instructors to try new strategies, approaches and build confidence in their teaching.
Information on 2023-24 Cohort, including application deadlines, announced soon.
P2P is open to all instructors teaching a U of T course during Winter 2023. This includes faculty with continuing appointments, contract instructors (e.g., CLTAs), and sessional instructors.
Note: Graduate student Course Instructors should visit the Teaching Assistants’ Training Program (TATP) for alternative professional development opportunities.
P2P will launch in December 2022 and end in May 2023.
Here are the dates for the mandatory CTSI-facilitated sessions:
- December 8, 2022, 1-3 pm (in-person Program Launch)
- January 27, 2023, 1-2:30 pm *
- March 30, 2023, 10am – 11:30am*
- May 5, 2023, 1-2:30 pm*
*Workshop modalities will be discussed at the Program Launch session
- to work with a peer in a supportive and collegial partnership to enhance one’s teaching going forward.
- to increase reflection on one’s teaching and gain a better understanding of students’ learning needs
- to build leadership capacity and mentoring opportunities for instructors at U of T whereby methods and approaches that support effective teaching can be shared
- to provide a structured framework for ongoing improvement of a [course] and learning practice with input, assistance and guidance from CTSI and cohort peers (adapted from PATS Guide, 2011: 2)
- to improve the quality of a course and student learning experiences within that course through a focus on quality teaching and through analysis of student course feedback.
- P2P draws on U of T- specific findings from the CTSI Report and employs a dyadic peer assisted teaching partnership model, combined with a network model; to further clarify, the model CTSI uses does not necessarily pair junior/less experienced instructors with senior/experienced instructors – both partners in the mentoring relationship are expected to have meaningful teaching experience in order to be able to contribute equitably to the mentoring partnership
- the co-mentoring approach allows for both instructors to participate in peer observation of teaching, review course feedback (e.g., course evaluations/formative, mid-course feedback), and establish teaching-related goals
- during the program you will receive materials and resources to support your teaching and upon completion of the program CTSI will provide a letter of recognition for your participation.
- Over 6 months, the P2P process provides the opportunity to engage in the following activities:
- attend four CTSI-facilitated meetings/workshops, (pre, during, and post semester)
- conduct a peer observation of teaching
- collect mid-course and formative feedback from students
- engage in regular conversations with your partner
- Meet regularly with mentoring partner (Note: the average P2P meeting schedule is bi-weekly)
- to attend the four CTSI-facilitated workshops listed above
A maximum of 30 participants (15 pairs) to ensure all program sessions allow a space for reflection and opportunities to interact with other participants and CTSI facilitator.
Applicants will be carefully reviewed according to several criteria (including campus, class size, teaching position, years of teaching experience, stated teaching goals, discipline, etc.). Please note: every effort will be made to match all eligible applicants, but it may be that not all applicants will be able to be matched.
CTSI’s Peer Observation of Teaching Guide (pdf)