Programs
The Center for Teaching and Learning supports graduate teaching assistants throughout their careers at UGA. Programs supported by the CTL include:
All new graduate students with instructional responsibilities are required to attend the Teaching Assistants Orientation before the beginning of fall semester classes. Returning graduate students are encouraged to attend sessions of interest. Sessions include instructional methods and strategies as well as important legal and managerial information for beginning instructors. The fall 2013 TA Orientation will take place on Thursday, August 8 in the Miller Learning Center from 8:45 - 12:30. Download the 2012 program.
Join the Graduate Teaching Assistant Listserve.
Below are handouts from TA Orientation sessions:
- Academic Honesty
- Campus Resources
- Classroom Management
- Diversity in Teaching
- Strategies for the First Weeks of Class
- Graduate School Teaching Development Initiatives
- Large Class Management
- Helping Students Learn
- Syllabus Creation
- Testing Strategies
- Lecture Strategies
- Research Assignments
Graduate students who have no prior successful teaching experience at the college or university in the United States must enroll in GRSC 7770 or participate in equivalent departmental training before serving as teacher of record. GRSC 7770 or the departmental equivalent can be taken concurrently with other teaching assignments. International students who have not scored at least a 26 on the speaking-section of the internet-based TOEFL are required to enroll in either LLED 7768 or LLED 7769. The Center for Teaching & Learning coordinates GRSC 7770 courses. Departments should develop and conduct sections of GRSC 7770 to meet discipline-specific needs. Sample syllabi may be viewed in CTL by contacting Dr. Paul Quick.
For more information on University policy regarding TA training, refer to the TA Policy section about GRSC 7770, LLED 7768, and LLED 7769.
The Graduate School offers a limited number of partial assistantships to help departments develop and sustain GRSC 7770 sections through the support of a graduate student who assists a faculty member in teaching departmental sections. To nominate a graduate student for a Graduate School Teaching Seminar Assistantship, click for the online application.
The Future Faculty Program, supported by the Graduate School, is a yearlong professional development program that brings together 15 award-winning teaching assistants from across campus to talk about, reflect upon, and improve their teaching, while preparing them for the academic job market and the rigors of their first faculty positions. Experienced teaching assistants who have been recognized at the institutional level for their outstanding teaching and who are preparing for careers in higher education are selected for the program.
Read Teaching Philosophy statements by current and past CTL Future Faculty Program members.
TAs with at least two semesters of UGA teaching experience are invited to submit a teaching portfolio for approval by the Graduate School. The purpose of the program is to help TAs improve instructional effectiveness as well as prepare for future careers. CTL's role in the program is one of support for the Graduate School's program; students are invited to take advantage of our resources in order to compile a portfolio. You can find out more information about the Graduate School's Teaching Portfolio Program, register for the CTL's workshop series to prepare your portfolio for submission, or download a portfolio information sheet. For questions about the program contact Judy Milton in the Graduate School at jmilton@uga.edu or Paul Quick in the Center for Teaching and Learning at pauquick@uga.edu.
The Graduate School invites TAs with at least four semesters of instruction to apply for the Certificate in University Teaching. Click here for more information.
Each semester, the Center for Teaching and Learning hosts a series of workshops on a variety of topics, including instructional technology and teaching portfolios. For information about and registration for workshops related to the Graduate School’s Teaching Portfolio Program, click here.
The TA Program at CTL offers individual consultation for TAs who would like to improve their teaching. Consultations involve a pre-conference, an observation, and a post-conference. Observers will be CTL staff or TA Mentors. Contact Paul Quick at pauquick@uga.edu to schedule a consultation.
TAs can have their classroom or laboratory teaching videotaped for the purpose of improving their teaching or for documenting their teaching for professional development and job searches. Contact Paul Quick at pauquick@uga.edu for more information.