L&S Teaching Mentors Program
The L&S TA Training & Support Team is responsible for welcoming and training hundreds of new TAs each year. Teaching Mentors are the heart of this crucial undertaking: they serve as facilitators at the annual L&S Fall TA Training event and provide mentorship throughout the semester. Those selected to be Teaching Mentors have not only a proven track record of excellence as educators, but also a strong desire to share their experience and mentor new TAs navigating their first year.
Upcoming TA Training
The Fall 2023 L&S TA Training will take place in-person on Thursday, August 31, 2023 from approximately 9am – 5 pm, preceded by asynchronous Canvas modules. Please check back in late Spring 2023 for more details and registration information.
Past TA Training
On Monday, Jan 23, 2023, L&S hosted a training and orientation for Teaching Assistants (graduate and undergraduate). Throughout the semester, TAs may access some of the training material by self-enrolling in the appropriate Canvas course:
- New TA Training: https://canvas.wisc.edu/enroll/HWW6RM
- Returning TA Training: https://canvas.wisc.edu/enroll/YARKFT
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TA Training Goals
The training will help TAs acquire knowledge, skills, and confidence to cultivate engaged, equitable environments where all students (and teachers!) can thrive as they navigate the challenges and joys of learning. To this end, TAs will:
- Understand the importance and impact of good and sustainable teaching.
- Redefine good teaching as a process of designing student-centered learning experiences.
- Appreciate how Backward Design helps teachers intentionally create effective student learning experiences.
- As Relevant: Design a student-centered learning activity using Active Learning Frameworks.
- As Relevant: Use their knowledge of best practices to construct an effective lesson plan.
- Identify essential policies and resources relevant to your TA role.
- Connect personally with peers and an experienced teaching mentor.
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TA Training Content
Asynchronous Canvas modules, to be completed prior to the live training, include:
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- Intro to Pedagogy
- Canvas Basics
- TA Policies & Resources
- Future Training Opportunities
Live Training Components:
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- Welcome from L&S
- Panel Presentation: Equity & Inclusion for TAs
- Panel Presentation: Common Challenges of being a TA and a Student (and what to do about them)
- Experienced TA Q&A
- Small group workshops, including:
- Hands-on activities to explore important themes in teaching
- Discussion of classroom challenges and common concerns
Departments wishing to learn more about what is covered in the training can reach out to Lynne Prost for access to the Canvas materials.
News from TA Training
Photos from the 2023 Campus-Wide TA Awards Ceremony
L&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 …
April 5, 2023Resources for Graduate Student Mental Health (Spring 2023)
The following list of mental health resources was compiled specifically for graduate students by the Graduate School in Spring 2023. Graduate and Professional Student Assistance Specialist: The Graduate School and the Dean of Students Office …
March 9, 2023Spring 2023 TA Training Photos
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 …
February 7, 2023- More News