Observation Templates
Templates for formative teaching observation of TAs, either by peers or a Lead Instructor.
File: Observation-Templates.pdfTemplates for formative teaching observation of TAs, either by peers or a Lead Instructor.
File: Observation-Templates.pdfA template for establishing and communicating expectations between Lead Instructors and TAs.
File: TA-Expectations-Template.docxL&S is pleased to collaborate with the Graduate School and the Morgridge Center to celebrate outstanding performances by Teaching Assistants (TAs) across campus. The Campus-Wide TA Awards recognize excellence in a variety of categories. 2023 winners received a certificate of accomplishment, a $1000 award, and recognition at the annual Campus-Wide TA Awards Ceremony.
The following list of mental health resources was compiled specifically for graduate students by the Graduate School in Spring 2023.
The Graduate School and the Dean of Students Office jointly support a staff position focused on graduate student needs. Elaine Goetz-Berman serves in this role, which includes support, advocacy, and resource referral for graduate students. Elaine’s approach to working with graduate students centers on her specialized knowledge about the unique academic and personal challenges they face.
UHS offers a safe and confidential environment with a variety of support services available free of charge and open to all graduate students living in Wisconsin. These include individual, couple/partner, and group counseling, as well as stress management and psychiatry services. Those living out of state may access specific workshops, crisis support, Let’s Talk services, and care management for connection with care and resources in local communities or at UHS. Mental Health Services offers both Telehealth (via phone or zoom) and in person appointments and services.
An Access Appointment is the entry point to services at Mental Health Services and is done over the phone. To schedule an Access Appointment, students should call Mental Health Services at 608-265-5600 (option 2) or log on to MyUHS for 24-hour appointment booking. This appointment will last about 20 minutes.
If there is a risk of suicide or concern about the wellbeing of a student, call UHS 24-hour crisis service* to speak with an on-call counselor at 608-265-5600, option 9. If a situation is immediately life threatening, call 911.
In addition, UHS hosts a variety of group counseling opportunities. Here are a few of relevance to graduate students:
The groups listed above are just a few examples. Additional groups address LGBTQ support, relationships, depression, anxiety, and other topics. Groups typically meet one to two hours weekly and may run from four to 12 weeks per semester. These groups fill up very quickly, so students should enroll in these groups at the beginning of the semester.
Students living out of state may access specific UHS workshops, crisis support, Let’s Talk services, and care management to connect with resources and care in local communities or at UHS. Mental Health Services offers both Telehealth (via phone or Zoom) and in person appointments and services.
If you would like to have UHS give a virtual presentation to faculty and/or graduate students regarding graduate student mental health and resources on campus, please fill out this form to request a training. You can find all their outreach programs listed online, as well as information about their suicide prevention training for faculty and staff, which is a self-guided training that can be completed at any time.
In addition to utilizing UHS’s services, graduate students who hold assistantship appointments may seek mental health services covered by their health insurance plan*.
*These options remain available to students in non-pooled, distance programs that do not have access to other segregated fee-funded services.
Teaching assistants from across the College of Letters and Science participated in the annual L&S Spring TA Training this January. They completed training in two parts: an asynchronous Canvas course and an in-person day of panels and workshops on Monday, January 23.
Self-enroll in the New TA Canvas course—available all semester—to learn about pedagogy, Canvas basics, and key policies and resources.
New this year, a separate Canvas course delivers a streamlined review for returning TAs.
** Stay tuned for details on Fall 2023 TA Training & Orientation: https://teachlearn.ls.wisc.edu/ta-training/.
During a recent workshop, TAs learned foundational knowledge and skills for building toward socially-just classroom communities. Keep reading for a learning activity you can do on your own and strategies you can start implementing right now.
For a deep dive into social justice education opportunities at UW–Madison, visit Inclusion Education, a part of Student Affairs.
Consider 3 social identities you hold. Then, open up a blank page and reflect.
The mission of Social Justice Education Programs is to cultivate learning opportunities that develop and support self-exploration, critical dialogue, and the capacity to build just and inclusive communities.
The following list of mental health resources was compiled specifically for graduate students by the Graduate School in Fall 2022.
The Graduate School and the Dean of Students Office jointly support a staff position focused on graduate student needs. Elaine Goetz-Berman serves in this role, which includes support, advocacy, and resource referral for graduate students. Elaine’s approach to working with graduate students centers on her specialized knowledge about the unique academic and personal challenges they face.
UHS offers a safe and confidential environment with a variety of support services available free of charge and open to all graduate students living in Wisconsin. These include individual, couple/partner, and group counseling, as well as stress management and psychiatry services. Those living out of state may access specific workshops, crisis support, Let’s Talk services, and care management for connection with care and resources in local communities or at UHS. Mental Health Services offers both Telehealth (via phone or zoom) and in person appointments and services.
An Access Appointment is the entry point to services at Mental Health Services and is done over the phone. To schedule an Access Appointment, students should call Mental Health Services at 608-265-5600 (option 2) or log on to MyUHS for 24-hour appointment booking. This appointment will last about 20 minutes.
If there is a risk of suicide or concern about the wellbeing of a student, call UHS 24-hour crisis service* to speak with an on-call counselor at 608-265-5600, option 9. If a situation is immediately life threatening, call 911.
In addition, UHS hosts a variety of group counseling opportunities. Here are a few of relevance to graduate students:
The groups listed above are just a few examples. Additional groups address LGBTQ support, relationships, depression, anxiety, and other topics. Groups typically meet one to two hours weekly and may run from four to 12 weeks per semester. These groups fill up very quickly, so students should enroll in these groups at the beginning of the semester.
If you would like to have UHS give a virtual presentation to faculty and/or graduate students regarding graduate student mental health and resources on campus, please fill out this form to request a training. You can find all their outreach programs listed online, as well as information about their suicide prevention training for faculty and staff, which is a self-guided training that can be completed at any time.
In addition to utilizing UHS’s services, graduate students who hold assistantship appointments may seek mental health services covered by their health insurance plan*.
*These options remain available to students in non-pooled, distance programs that do not have access to other segregated fee-funded services.
Recently, Katherine Charek Briggs, Assistant Director of the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center, led an interactive Zoom workshop for L&S TAs to hear about inclusive practices, prepare to make space for conversation within their work teams, and practice scenarios. Read below for some workshop takeaways.
Shea, a non-binary student, has told your whole class they use they/them pronouns. Two classmates continue to misgender them in class and on Canvas. What do you do?
What if the students are non-native English speakers?
What if it is your lead professor, not students, who is misgendering them?
A student shares that a classmate implied she should be using the all-gender restroom in your building. She wants help submitting a bias report. What do you do?
What if you don’t know much about restroom and/or bias policies at UW?
What else might you offer her in terms of support?
In a recent L&S workshop, TAs learned from Ruben Mota, ADA Coordinator in the Office of Compliance, about disability, ableism, and how they can support their students. Ruben led the group through activities exploring accessible introductions and apparent/non-apparent identities, shared actionable ways to avoid ableism, highlighted Universal Design principles, and offered resources for further learning. Read below for some workshop takeaways: