Teaching Essentials for Graduate TAs

Teaching Essentials for Graduate TAs

In this fully online, self-paced, asynchronous program, Graduate Teaching Assistants aim to improve their students' learning and their own experiences as teachers through a reflective exploration of their own practices and beliefs about teaching. The program is designed for graduate TAs who are new to their roles; however, experienced graduate student TAs and graduate instructors may also find it useful as a continuing professional development opportunity.

Participants in the Teaching Essentials program will:

  • Apply introductory inclusive teaching principles to the teaching they will do as a TA
  • Examine and explain your teaching-related values, and how you'll implement them in your work as a graduate TA
  • Identify strategies for communicating effectively and setting expectations with faculty and students involved in your course
  • Define the characteristics of achievable teaching goals and create your goals for the semester
  • Describe effective teaching practices in varied contexts, including discussion-leading, problem-solving sessions, labs, and in office hours
  • Identify strategies for equitable grading in a variety of learning contexts, including assessing student writing, grading in STEM courses, and evaluating creative work
  • Be introduced to university resources that can offer support to TAs and their students

If completing the program in full, participants can expect to spend 4-6 hours on the course. As the program is self-directed and asynchronous, participants may choose to complete this online course over multiple days or weeks at any point during the year. There are no in-person or synchronous Zoom components. Enrollment is on a rolling basis. 

Register Now!