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Call for Proposals: Edited Collection on Pedagogy and Parenting from CUNY Graduate Student-Teachers

This edited collection, developed by Kristi Riley, will share reflections on the ways pedagogical approaches and parenting inform each other from the perspectives of CUNY Graduate Center student-teachers. Previous generations of Teaching and Learning Center fellows have explored how parenting changed or illuminated their pedagogical philosophies: from emphasizing how caretaking responsibilities intersect with other identities and experiences that further complicated their academic journeys, to the liberatory and generative moments a familial ethic of care made them more flexible, intentional, and confident in their pedagogies. This collection will build on those offerings and existing literature through a digital publication of reflections, original artwork, and concrete interventions inspired by the connections between teaching and parenting.

Suggested Topics

This project will offer a collection of diverse perspectives and experiences from students across different disciplines and at various stages of teaching and parenting. We are especially interested in authors that can speak to the following issues:

  • Have the time constraints from parenting influenced or changed how you manage your course labor (e.g., assessment, lecture prep, office hours, etc)?
  • How are your identities as an instructor, a parent, and a graduate student related and/or distinct?
  • Can you recall specific moments with your child(ren) that impacted your approach to class structure, assessment, or something else?
  • What lessons did you learn about support, mentoring, or guidance in the classroom that prepared you for parenting?
  • Did being an instructor make you realize you were or were not ready to be a parent?
  • Did you decide to become a graduate student after already being a parent? How did teaching responsibilities impact what was already on your plate?
  • Did becoming a parent negatively impact your teaching? Has teaching negatively impacted your parenting? How so?

Submission Guidelines

Interested authors should submit a 2 page CV and 200-300 word proposal through this form by Friday, October 17, 2025. Proposals can describe traditional essays (between 1,000 and 2,000 words), as well as creative submissions, such as poetry or photo essays.

Members of the TLC will host a drop-in Q&A session on Wednesday, October 8 from 2PM to 4PM in Room 3317 at the GC. We will have some snacks and activities on hand and encourage you to bring your children with you. Those who are unable to make the drop-in session can submit questions to Kristi Riley ([email protected]) and responses will be shared publicly on the TLC’s website by Friday, October 10.

Selected contributors will be notified by Tuesday, November 18, 2025.

Participation Requirements & Compensation

We welcome proposals from any current GC students who are or want to become parents, and have taught undergraduate courses at any point during their graduate education. Selected authors will be compensated between $250 and $500, depending on the number of submissions accepted, and compensation amount will be included in the acceptance notification.

Participation requires the following:

  • Ability to attend a virtual convening on Friday December 5, 2025 at 2PM with other contributors.
  • Agree to share a draft of your contribution with collection editors by Monday, February 2, 2026.
  • Agree to schedule one check-in, virtually or in-person, with someone from the TLC to discuss feedback on your draft before Friday, February 27, 2026.
  • Send final submission to the TLC for copy-editing no later than Monday, April 13, 2026.

Contact Information

Questions about the call for proposals, submission process, or project timeline can be directed to Kristi Riley ([email protected]).