A mid-quarter evaluation is a valuable tool for providing feedback and helping improve the course. This is a time to encourage students to be honest, express what they see as the course's strengths, and acknowledge areas of growth in your teaching. Why do evaluations matter? Here are five ways they benefit you as an instructor/TA...
You made it! All the applications, stressing over acceptance letters, researching and writing, moving to a new city, state, or even country, and now you’re here! But suddenly, you’ve been thrown into the world of teaching! How do you interact with students who may be around your age or maybe twenty years younger than you...
Classes in Summer Session A are finally coming to a close. As we finish grading papers, hosting our last office hours, and running our final discussions and labs, it is also time to prepare for the following summer session. The best way to prepare for these new courses is to reflect on our teaching! We...
Prepare to celebrate excellence in teaching by learning more about the Outstanding TA Awards, Distinguished Teaching Awards, and the TA Development Program's Excellence in Teaching Banquet.
TADP and XCITE will lead a co-sponsored workshop next month to spread the word about the UC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Course Design Rubric and how you might apply the rubric as a TA. Read this week's blog post for more details.
How can instructors, especially TAs, best support traditional-age, or "emerging adult," students? Read on for research into issues impacting college-age students and some suggestions on how to help them succeed in your classroom.
“All good teaching is stealing.” Many of us have probably heard some version of that advice. A more accurate and generative aphorism, however, might go something like this: “all good teaching is borrowing, building, and giving credit.” One of the joys of teaching is realizing that you don’t have to design an exciting in-class activity...
When it comes to teaching, what is it that you find so attractive? Is it the immersion in topics you love and the ability to share that love with your students? Is it the look on a student’s face when they “get it?” Either way, teaching is a key part of our work as grad...
Unfortunately, the Teaching Assistant Development Program (TADP) does not offer programming over the summer. That doesn’t mean, however, that there are no resources available to help you with teaching during the summer. Below are some options to consider if you’re teaching for the first time or just looking to improve your teaching over the break...
Are you pursuing a teaching role after your degree? Wondering how to get started on your job search journey into academia post graduate school? If so, then you may be getting ready to apply to academic positions. Well do not worry, the Graduate Student Resource Center has you covered. This month the GSRC hosted our...
Why is it that you value teaching? Were you inspired by your favorite teacher? Is there something in your research that you want to share with the world? Either way, teaching is a key part of our work as grad students and potential future careers. Check out the top three reasons why YOU should apply...
Spring is here and that means that the birds are chirping, the pools are heating up, and GradSuccess is hosting After Grad: Teaching Careers Week (TCW). For the uninitiated, this is a week full of virtual panels, workshops, and clinics that focus on different aspects of teaching and being part of the teaching profession. This...
Over the last year, we have had the distinctive honor of supporting graduate students in their teaching. We have witnessed graduate students cope with the challenges associated with the pandemic while showing an exemplar commitment to teaching excellence. Here are some of the lessons we have gained from teaching assistants during our time working in...
Friends, Effective teamwork is critical in nearly all walks of life. As students, many of us have participated in group projects with varying degrees of enthusiasm. As instructors, we are often required to organize and facilitate group work among our students. As professionals, we may need to work with colleagues in labs, conferences, and other...
Friends, As graduate students, we are professionals and specialists in our fields. As such, we are uniquely equipped to pass our knowledge to new learners. The opportunity to teach as graduate students should not be taken for granted. Teaching provides valuable practice for those who will go on to work in academia, and our work...
There is an old proverb that says “it takes a village to raise a child” - that it takes an entire community of people to provide for the growth and development of a healthy child. It is also true that the same principle applies to early career teachers and scholars. As we develop in both...
Did you know that more than half of UCR undergraduates are the first in their family to attend college? This makes me proud to be a Highlander, and as a teaching assistant, I embrace the responsibility of serving first-generation college students. But it’s also one of the most challenging things that I do. First-generation college...
