Do you plan to teach during one of UC Riverside’s Summer Sessions? Read this blog to identify resources for helping you navigate summer teaching while beating the desert heat and avoiding the doldrums.

 

Caption: Nyles (played by Andy Samberg) wears a red Hawaiian shirt and yellow shorts while floating on a still swimming pool in the movie Palm Springs (2020).

Pictured: Don’t get stuck like Nyles. Plan ahead to beat the doldrums and Riverside’s summer heat!

 

What are Summer Sessions?

In 2023, the main Summer Sessions are: Session A, June 26 – July 29 (5 weeks); Session B, July 31 – September 2 (5 weeks); and Session F, June 26 – September 2 (10 weeks). As you may have guessed, summer sessions are more intensive than our already fast-paced ten-week quarters. That immersive approach to teaching and learning means the material stays fresh because there is little-to-no lag time between class sessions. Also, you and your students will have an opportunity to bond more quickly. However, that fast pace means you need to have a plan and strong time management skills. If you will teach this summer, make sure you talk with colleagues and mentors in your department for advice that is specific to your discipline. Also, check out our new Teaching Assistant Development Program (TADP) workshop, Preparing for Summer Teaching. If you happen to read this blog early in the morning when it is published on Wednesday, May 24, then you might have time to catch the workshop live via Zoom from 11:00 – 11:50 AM. If you miss the live workshop, then don’t worry! You can watch the recording later (more on previously recorded workshops below).

 

Caption: Jay (played by Utkarsh Ambudkar) from the CBS show Ghosts says, “This could work.”

Pictured: Be confident like Jay and make a plan.

 

What TADP services will remain open during the summer?

I will hold my regularly scheduled TADP Coordinator Office Hours on Tuesdays via Zoom from 1pm-3pm. Drop by if you want to brainstorm activities for student engagement or troubleshoot a challenging classroom issue.

 

What about TADP workshops?

TADP workshops don’t run during the summer. However, you can watch previously recorded workshops at any time on the TADP website. From the TADP workshops page, click on “Past Workshops” and then “View Past Workshops Online” to access a rich archive of previously recorded workshops that date back to 2020. Struggling with grading? Try “Fair and Fast Grading” (Fall 2022). Want to improve communication with your students? Try “Becoming an Approachable Instructor” (Fall 2022). Ironing out difficult situations in your lab? Try “Troubleshooting STEM Laboratories” (Winter 2022). Want to improve your pedagogical strategies for fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in any discipline? Try “Addressing DEI in Courses that Typically Don't” (Winter 2023) led by Songling Chen, the 2022-2023 Graduate Student Association Diversity and Inclusion Academic Liaison (GSA DIAL). Also, keep an eye on the TADP website for our list of Fall 2023 workshops.

 

Caption: Thor (played by Devan Chandler Long) from the CBS show Ghosts proudly proclaims that he is watching Frasier re-runs.

Pictured: TADP can’t promise to be as entertaining as a sitcom re-run, but our previously recorded workshops provide helpful tips and strategies for making improvements in your classrooms.

 

Can you recommend additional online resources?

The TADP website maintains a list of resources for TAs, including resources specific to in-person discussion or laboratory sections as well as general tips for online teaching. I also recommend checking out the XCITE Center for Teaching and Learning website where you can find previously recorded XCITE videos and tutorials for using technologies like Canvas (eLearn) and Poll Everywhere. If you notice your students starting to melt over the summer, incorporating more opportunities for engagement through Poll Everywhere can help! Last, but not least, explore OneHE, one of XCITE’s latest resources, which includes short videos on pedagogical techniques.

 

Caption: Olaf the snowman from Frozen relaxes beneath a striped umbrella on a sunny beach.

Pictured: Plan ahead and stay cool. You’ve got this!

 

Suggestions for Further Reading

This blog post was inspired by Sarah Murray’s series of summer TADP blog posts from 2020, 2021, and 2022.