New Teaching Assistant Orientation
August 15, 2024, 9:00 am-1:30 pm

Please join The Graduate School for a half-day of interactive training designed to empower you as you begin the important work of teaching undergraduate students at Carolina. You'll learn valuable skills: from effective teaching strategies to supporting student success and evaluating student performance—that will increase your competence as an instructor in the classroom. You'll gain the confidence that comes from knowing when and how to connect with campus resources. Most importantly, you'll connect with a community of peers and mentors who are ready to support your development as an instructor now and into the future.

Location

Agenda

New TA Orientation, Thursday, August 15, 2024, 9:00 am-1:30 pm
Time Activity
Carolina Club, George Watts Hill Alumni Center
8:30 - 9:00 am Registration check-in – Alumni Hall
9:00 – 9:15 am

Welcome, overview of schedule and Graduate Student Experience Initiative, CIRTL at UNC Chapel Hill (Brian Rybarczyk, Vanessa Doriott Anderson, John Easterbrook)

9:15  – 10:00 am

Building your confidence as a TA, effective communication and building rapport with your students, strategies to actively engage students (Brian Rybarczyk and Vanessa Doriott Anderson)

10:00 – 10:50 am

Addressing student challenges, supporting student success, campus resources (Simon Bloor, Tiffany Bailey, Desirée Rieckenberg)
10:50 – 11:00 am

Transition to Breakouts

11:00 – 11:45am

Breakout 1 (select 1 of 4)

  1. Royall - Grading and assessing student work (Marissa Stewart and Emily Boehm)
    Distinguish between formative and summative assessment approaches. Identify strategies for effective and efficient grading and feedback on student work. Align assessment strategies with lesson objectives
  2. Peebles - Receiving and applying feedback on teaching (Vanessa Doriott Anderson)
    Identify effective strategies for soliciting and responding to student feedback. Interpret quantitative and qualitative data about teaching performance. Use data to describe teaching strengths and set future goals for improvement
  3. Harris –Teaching with technology (Bob Henshaw)
    Identify appropriate technology tools to support student learning and effective teaching Apply practical tips and strategies for using a range of technology to support student learning
  4. Dowd - Getting acclimated to the U.S. classroom culture (for International Teaching Assistants)- (Brian Rybarczyk)
    Compare and contrast learning environments in the US undergraduate classroom and learning environments in non-US classrooms. Identify strategies to effectively communicate with US students. Apply approaches to answer common questions from students
11:45 am -12:30 pm

Breakout 2 (select 1 of 4)

  1. Royall - Grading and assessing student work (Marissa Stewart and Emily Boehm)
    Distinguish between formative and summative assessment approaches. Identify strategies for effective and efficient grading and feedback on student work. Align assessment strategies with lesson objectives
  2. Peebles –Time management skills for successful teaching (Vanessa Doriott Anderson)
    Identify teaching priorities within a holistic graduate student context. Generate strategies for time management and select two-three strategies to implement. Use either 1) a rubric to practice grading a sample assignment or 2) a template to produce a sample lesson plan
  3. Harris –Library resources for TAs and their students (Alexandra Odom and Amy Fader)
    Identify library resources that would enhance student learning aligned with your course
  4. Dowd – Developing a lesson plan using Backward Course Design (Brian Rybarczyk)
    Describe the three components of backward course design. Apply backward course design to develop a lesson plan for a topic in the course you'll be supporting
12:30 – 1:30 pm

Lunch with experienced TA panel and wrap-up

Parking and Transportation

Parking on campus is very limited, please plan ahead and use mass transportation if possible.