L&S Teaching, Learning, and Academic Planning

TA Networks

Mentorship, Community, & Advocacy

🌟 Find Your People. Grow as an Educator.

What Are TA Networks?

TA Networks are intentional communities for graduate student instructors navigating unique challenges often overlooked in traditional TA training. At large universities like UW-Madison, all TAs face challenges ranging from microaggressions in office hours to discipline-specific teaching dilemmas. TA Networks aim to mitigate these challenges for all TAs.

Our Purpose:

  • Bridge Systemic Gaps: Provide affirming spaces where TAs develop strategies tailored to their teaching realities (e.g., international TAs practicing assertiveness in student interactions).

  • Counter Isolation: Break down departmental silos — 65% of TAs report feeling disconnected from peers outside their discipline (2023 UW-Madison TA Climate Survey).

  • Elevate Voices: Translate shared struggles into institutional advocacy (e.g., helping the Disabled TAs Network create campus accessibility protocols).

How We Operate:

  • Structured Community Support: Get together with other TAs that share your position, experience, or interests and discuss challenges, vent about problems, and build connections beyond your department.

  • “Sanity Hours”: Evidence-based stress-reduction spaces (games, guided reflection, puppies/kittens).

  • Action-Oriented Workshops: Co-designed with campus experts to address issues like:

    “When students question my authority due to my accent.”
    “Handling racist remarks in ethnic studies discussions.”

🤝 Who’s Included?

We currently host seven TA Networks around the topics listed below. All TAs are invited to attend any Network! You do not need to be a member of the group listed in order to participate in the Network — anyone can join any group!

 

TA Networks
Disabled TAs
Creating accessible teaching plans + advocating for accommodations.
Discussion Section TAs
Facilitating debates, grading equitably, and engaging quiet students.
International TAs
Addressing language/accent barriers, visa anxieties, and cross-cultural mentoring.
Lab TAs
Managing equipment risks, group conflicts, and safety compliance.
Language TAs
Teaching conversational fluency + grading subjective assessments.
Office Hour TAs
Handling difficult questions, managing time constraints, and supporting struggling students.
TAs of Color
For those interested in navigating conversations around racial bias, stereotype threat, and cultural taxation.

 

✅ Join one—or many!
❓ Interested in another group? Help us create it here!

Why These Groups?

Research shows that TAs often experience high levels of burnout, feelings of isolation, and fears about managing classroom conflicts (Journal of Diversity in Higher Ed, 2024; UW Teaching Center, 2024). TA Networks seek to address these challenges by organizing conversation groups around salient topics.

💡 Why Join?

“After discussing how to navigate teaching an Ethnic Studies Requirement course as a Latino TA, I got a lot of great ideas for how to maintain control and respect in my classroom!”

—Sociology TA

 

Benefit

What You’ll Gain

Evidence/Example
Peer Support Safe spaces to vent, celebrate wins, and problem-solve with TAs who truly understand your struggles. “My network helped me navigate a student’s microaggression—I didn’t have to handle it alone.”
Teaching Tools Role-specific strategies to supplement the L&S TA training (e.g., The DELTA program’s CIRTL pedagogical training courses). Language TAs share frameworks for grading conversational fluency fairly.
Advocacy Power Collective voice to address systemic gaps (e.g., Disabled TAs co-creating lab accessibility guides). Some TAs advocated for bias-response training now required in 3 departments.
Career Growth Digital badges + certificates for workshops to showcase on CVs/LinkedIn. “Inclusive Teaching” badge recognized in faculty job interviews.

 

 

For Departments

Below is a link to a larger resource created by the L&S TA Training & Support Team to help faculty members think through and execute working with TA groups. The resource is broken into three section: Before the Semester, During the Semester, Finishing the Semester. Each section has resources and tools that faculty members can use to help lead and facilitate more inclusive and supportive TA relationships.

Resource for Instructors Working with TAs

For Student Networks

Below are resources intended to help TAs. The resources are separated by topic and are broken into three categories: interpersonal, campus resources, inclusive teaching, or additional resources.

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Disabled TAs

  1. Mentorship/Support Networks
    • How it helps: Make connections with experienced TAs and people outside of your department to help gain perspective and advice on navigating classroom, faculty, and co-TA dynamics
  2. Campus resources
    • Disability Student Center
      • How it helps: A service center on campus that is specifically geared toward supporting students with disabilities and those who want to explore their relationship to disability and disability culture, regardless of ability.
    • McBurney Disability Resource Center
      • How it helps: Provides support and explanation for any disability-related accommodations. Not only for students, also for TAs and navigating teaching responsibilities!
    • Campus reporting structure 
      • How it helps: The formal, university reporting system that has spaces to report bias, sexual harassment, racialized events, and more
    • L&S Inclusive Excellence
      • How it helps: The organization within the university that focuses on advancing diversity and inclusion for students, staff, and faculty
    • L&S Inclusive Excellence (IE) Leads (formerly DEI leads) in each department
      • How it helps: The person within your department who is in charge of implementing IE programming and ensuring the equitable treatment of everyone in the department
    • Campus counseling services
      • How it helps: If you are struggling with mental health, please do not hesitate to reach out!
    • Center for Teaching, Learning, & Mentoring
      • Educate yourself on microaggressions, bias, etc.
      • How it helps: proactively think through how to navigate disruptions or difficult dynamics in the classroom
  3. Inclusive Teaching Practice
    • Centering positionality & reflexivity
      • How it helps: This helps to position students’ lived experiences within the kaleidoscope of others’ experiences and helps them to view the world outside of their own circumstances
    • Set boundaries/expectations (with students & faculty)
      • Protect your time
      • Protect your peace
      • Remember, you’re a student, a person, a friend, a family member, a partner, FIRST; then you’re a TA
    • Document incidents
      • Record every negative instance (even if you don’t share it) to:
        • Show a pattern of behavior
        • Be able to accurately recall details
        • Protect yourself legally
    • Instructional Design Collaborative Strategies
      • How it helps: provides a variety of ideas for inclusive teaching to incorporate in your classroom

Discussion Section TAs

  1. Mentorship/Support Networks
    • How it helps: Make connections with experienced TAs and people outside of your department to help gain perspective and advice on navigating classroom, faculty, and co-TA dynamics.
  2. Campus Resources
    • Center for Teaching, Learning, & Mentoring (CTLM) Learn & Engage
      • How it helps: Provides workshops & information about new and challenging topics for teaching and how the university is positioned to address them. For example: exploring AI in Teaching.
    • CTLM Student Instructional Feedback Technique (SIFT)
      • How it helps: Provides TAs with meaningful feedback from their student about their teaching and constructive pointers on how to improve on a variety of goals.
    • Delta Program Certificate in Higher Education Teaching & Learning
      • How it helps: Provides full courses for graduate students to explore and develop their teaching skills. The certificate is an official recognized achievement from the university and would be a great line to add to one’s CV!
    • Delta Program Schedule of Events
      • How it helps: Is an up-to-date schedule of the programs and professional development opportunities available to graduate students through the Delta program.
    • Instructional Design Collaborative (IDC) Course Design Template
      • How it helps: Helps TAs think through the courses they teach and how to design the exact course you want to teach!
    • IDC Mini Discussions
      • How it helps: Allows TAs to discuss a teaching topic of their choice with a course design professional. Topics include: inclusive course instruction, managing classroom conflict and challenging conversations, and more!
    • Teaching Academy
      • How it helps: Hosts regular events on teaching and learning that are open to the entire UW community. Experienced TAs can also apply to become a member.
    • Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)
      • How it helps: Provides support and collaboration opportunities for TAs who want or need to prioritize strategies for working with writing in the classroom.
      • WAC Pressbook: The specific resource for all instructors teaching through writing (aimed at both instructors and TAs)
  3. Additional Resources

International TAs

  1. Mentorship/Support Networks
    • How it helps: Make connections with experienced TAs and people outside of your department to help gain perspective and advice on navigating classroom, faculty, and co-TA dynamics
  2. Campus resources
    • International Student Services Resource Hub
      • How it helps: A service center on campus that is specifically geared toward supporting international students and providing legal, financial, social, visa-related, and many other resources!
    • Campus reporting structure 
      • How it helps: The formal, university reporting system that has spaces to report bias, sexual harassment, racialized events, and more
    • L&S Inclusive Excellence
      • How it helps: The organization within the university that focuses on advancing diversity and inclusion for students, staff, and faculty
    • L&S Inclusive Excellence (IE) Leads (formerly DEI leads) in each department
      • How it helps: The person within your department who is in charge of implementing IE programming and ensuring the equitable treatment of everyone in the department
    • Campus counseling services
      • How it helps: If you are struggling with mental health, please do not hesitate to reach out!
    • Center for Teaching, Learning, & Mentoring
      • Educate yourself on microaggressions, bias, etc.
      • How it helps: proactively think through how to navigate disruptions or difficult dynamics in the classroom
  3. Inclusive Teaching Practice
    • Centering positionality & reflexivity
      • How it helps: This helps to position students’ lived experiences within the kaleidoscope of others’ experiences and helps them to view the world outside of their own circumstances
    • Set boundaries/expectations (with students & faculty)
      • Protect your time
      • Protect your peace
      • Remember, you’re a student, a person, a friend, a family member, a partner, FIRST; then you’re a TA
    • Document incidents
      • Record every negative instance (even if you don’t share it) to:
        • Show a pattern of behavior
        • Be able to accurately recall details
        • Protect yourself legally
    • Instructional Design Collaborative Strategies
      • How it helps: provides a variety of ideas for inclusive teaching to incorporate in your classroom

Lab TAs

  1. Mentorship/Support Networks
    • How it helps: Make connections with experienced TAs and people outside of your department to help gain perspective and advice on navigating classroom, faculty, and co-TA dynamics
  2. Campus Resources
  3. Additional Resources

Language TAs

  1. Mentorship/Support Networks
    • How it helps: Make connections with experienced TAs and people outside of your department to help gain perspective and advice on navigating classroom, faculty, and co-TA dynamics
  2. Campus Resources
    • Center for Teaching, Learning, & Mentoring (CTLM) Learn & Engage
      • How it helps: Provides workshops & information about new and challenging topics for teaching and how the university is positioned to address them. For example: exploring AI in Teaching.
    • CTLM Student Instructional Feedback Technique (SIFT)
      • How it helps: Provides TAs with meaningful feedback from their student about their teaching and constructive pointers on how to improve on a variety of goals.
    • Delta Program Certificate in Higher Education Teaching & Learning
      • How it helps: Provides full courses for graduate students to explore and develop their teaching skills. The certificate is an official recognized achievement from the university and would be a great line to add to one’s CV!
    • Delta Program Schedule of Events
      • How it helps: Is an up-to-date schedule of the programs and professional development opportunities available to graduate students through the Delta program.
    • Instructional Design Collaborative (IDC) Course Design Template
      • How it helps: Helps TAs think through the courses they teach and how to design the exact course you want to teach!
    • IDC Mini Discussions
      • How it helps: Allows TAs to discuss a teaching topic of their choice with a course design professional. Topics include: inclusive course instruction, managing classroom conflict and challenging conversations, and more!
    • Teaching Academy
      • How it helps: Hosts regular events on teaching and learning that are open to the entire UW community. Experienced TAs can also apply to become a member.
    • Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)
      • How it helps: Provides support and collaboration opportunities for TAs who want or need to prioritize strategies for working with writing in the classroom.
      • WAC Pressbook: The specific resource for all instructors teaching through writing (aimed at both instructors and TAs)
  3. Additional Resources

Office Hour TAs

  1. Mentorship/Support Networks
    • How it helps: Make connections with experienced TAs and people outside of your department to help gain perspective and advice on navigating classroom, faculty, and co-TA dynamics
  2. Campus Resources
    • CTLM Student Instructional Feedback Technique (SIFT)
      • How it helps: Provides TAs with meaningful feedback from their student about their teaching and constructive pointers on how to improve on a variety of goals.
    • IDC Mini Discussions
      • How it helps: Allows TAs to discuss a teaching topic of their choice with a course design professional. Topics include: inclusive course instruction, managing classroom conflict and challenging conversations, and more!
    • Teaching Academy
      • How it helps: Hosts regular events on teaching and learning that are open to the entire UW community. Experienced TAs can also apply to become a member.
  3. Additional Resources
    • Resource for Instructors Working with TAs
      • How it helps: Helps TAs navigate their professional relationships with the course instructors by seeing how the university orients instructors toward working with TAs. Can be an excellent reference in conversations with instructors.
    • Centering positionality & reflexivity
      • How it helps: This helps to position students’ lived experiences within the kaleidoscope of others’ experiences and helps them to view the world outside of their own circumstances
    • Set boundaries/expectations (with students & faculty)
      • Protect your time
      • Protect your peace
      • Remember, you’re a student, a person, a friend, a family member, a partner, FIRST; then you’re a TA
    • Document incidents
      • Record every negative instance (even if you don’t share it) to:
        • Show a pattern of behavior
        • Be able to accurately recall details
        • Protect yourself legally

TAs of Color

  1. Mentorship/Support Networks
    • How it helps: Make connections with experienced TAs and people outside of your department to help gain perspective and advice on navigating classroom, faculty, and co-TA dynamics
  2. Campus resources
    • Campus reporting structure 
      • How it helps: The formal, university reporting system that has spaces to report bias, sexual harassment, racialized events, and more
    • L&S Inclusive Excellence
      • How it helps: The organization within the university that focuses on advancing diversity and inclusion for students, staff, and faculty
    • L&S Inclusive Excellence (IE) Leads (formerly DEI leads) in each department
      • How it helps: The person within your department who is in charge of implementing IE programming and ensuring the equitable treatment of everyone in the department
    • Campus counseling services
      • How it helps: If you are struggling with mental health, please do not hesitate to reach out!
    • Center for Teaching, Learning, & Mentoring
      • Educate yourself on microaggressions, bias, etc.
      • How it helps: proactively think through how to navigate disruptions or difficult dynamics in the classroom
  3. Inclusive Teaching Practice
    • Centering positionality & reflexivity
      • How it helps: This helps to position students’ lived experiences within the kaleidoscope of others’ experiences and helps them to view the world outside of their own circumstances
    • Set boundaries/expectations (with students & faculty)
      • Protect your time
      • Protect your peace
      • Remember, you’re a student, a person, a friend, a family member, a partner, FIRST; then you’re a TA
    • Document incidents
      • Record every negative instance (even if you don’t share it) to:
        • Show a pattern of behavior
        • Be able to accurately recall details
        • Protect yourself legally
    • Instructional Design Collaborative Strategies
      • How it helps: provides a variety of ideas for inclusive teaching to incorporate in your classroom

📅 How to Get Involved

Attend a kickoff event for any of the TA Networks [details below]

Attend a monthly “Sanity Hour” [details below].

Propose a workshop or activity via email [teach.learn@ls.wisc.edu].

 

🎉 Upcoming Events

 

Event Type

Date & Time

Location
Lab TAs Kickoff Event Tuesday, September 9
3:00-4:00PM		 Noland 342
Discussion Section TAs Kickoff Event Thursday, September 11
3:00-4:00PM (Same as below)		 Noland 342
Language TAs Kickoff Event Thursday, September 11
3:00-4:00PM (Same as above)		 Noland 342
Office Hour TAs Kickoff Event Friday, September 12
12:30-1:30PM		 Noland 342
TAs of Color Kickoff Event Tuesday, September 16
3:00-4:00PM		 Noland 342
Sanity Hour — Open to All
(Topic: Vent & Validate)		 Thursday, September 18
4:00-5:30PM		 Van Vleck B115
Disabled TAs Kickoff Event Tuesday, September 23
3:00-4:00PM		 Noland 342
International TAs Kickoff Event Thursday, September 25
3:00-4:00PM		 Noland 342
Sanity Hour — Open to All
(Topic: Teaching Pictionary & Snacks)		 Thursday, October 16
4:00-5:30PM		 Van Vleck B115
Sanity Hour — Open to All
(Topic: De-stress with Puppies)		 Thursday, November 20
4:00-5:30PM		 Van Vleck B115

 

 

 

 

 

❓ INTERESTED OR WANT TO LEARN MORE?

If you’re interested in learning more or participating in the Networks, please fill out the form below! (Filling out the form does not mean you are committing to a network! The form will be used simply to gauge numbers for each community)

Interest Form

Brought to you by:

We are the L&S TA Training & Support Team, part of L&S Teaching, Learning, and Academic Planning. We serve 1600+ TAs each semester in the College of Letters and Science and 400+ TAs every fall at L&S TA Training. From researching to develop our services, working with thousands of TAs, and collaborating with teaching and learning professionals across L&S, we know that simple things instructors do help their teaching teams succeed.

Contact Us

Created by:  

Morgan Henson and Lynne Prost

Thank You to Our Partners:

L&S TA Training & Support Team

L&S Instructional Design Collaborative  

Office of Inclusive Excellence

Center for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring

DELTA Program

Writing Across the Curriculum