Pre-Quarter TA Training

We try to meet with all of the TAs for a small amount of training during the week before classes begin. It is critical that they receive the following:

1. Responsibilities, contact list, schedule and syllabus
2. Time to meet with the Head TA and faculty instructors to go over discussion requirements
3. Help and practice for the first day of teaching

We accomplish this using a reference binder and about 4 hours of training (over 2 days) during the week before classes begin. Below are examples of our resources:

The Reference Binder

Discussion leaders can hit the ground running if they know precisely what their job duties are and whom to contact with any problems. In our training, we also use this binder to reinforce the idea of active learning by providing sample activities and journal articles that encourage student engagement. Create a resource binder and have discussion leaders keep their important papers inside. Here are samples of our starting binder inserts to give you an idea of how to begin.

Contact list

Meeting schedule with location, dates, times, topics, assignments (a sample is given)

TA Responsibilities

Activity pack (more are available online, but these are printed for the binder)

Reference list for articles on Active Learning

Four articles on active learning (we include the full articles)

 

Training Activities

When you meet with discussion leaders before the term begins, use some or all of these activities to prepare them for teaching.

Microteaching (Very highly recommended, even if there isn’t time for anything else)

Icebreaker activity (good for a first activity during training)

Reference Binder scavenger hunt (combination icebreaker and binder exploration)

Balancing Teaching and Research (time management while teaching)

How to design a discussion syllabus (and why discussion leaders need one)

Demographics of the UCI Student (and a group game technique)