TAO 2006:
Teaching Assistant Orientation
August 16 and 17, 2006

Overview

Many graduate students are awarded teaching assistantships, and while teaching assistant (TA) duties vary across departments, they all demand considerable skill and knowledge.  These duties can include grading, consulting with students during office hours, leading discussion or problem sessions, teaching labs, or giving lectures.

To assist new TAs as they prepare for their duties, the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching offers its Teaching Assistant Orientation (TAO) each August.

  • Sessions at the orientation cover techniques that can be used in all the varied teaching duties assumed by TAs and provide information on campus resources available to TAs.

  • Participants at TAO also receive an opportunity to practice their teaching skills and receive feedback on their teaching from experienced teachers.

  • Participation in the orientation is likely to make your job as a TA easier and will be a valuable addition to your curriculum vitae, especially if you intend to pursue an academic career.

Schedule

Wednesday,
August 16th

Location: Buttrick Hall Atrium

9:00-10:00

Registration and Light Breakfast (provided)

10:00-11:30

Disciplinary Focus Session I – Join other new TAs in your discipline and learn about effective teaching methods relevant to the teaching you’ll be doing as a TA—for example, holding office hours, grading papers, running a lab, or teaching your own course.

11:45-12:15

Lunch (provided)

12:15-1:15

Plenary Session – In this interdisciplinary session, you’ll learn about Vanderbilt University policies related to teaching as well as campus resources that can help you be a more effective and efficient teacher.

1:30-3:00

Disciplinary Focus Session II – Further exploration of teaching issues in your discipline

Thursday,
August 17th

9:00-12:15

Practice Teaching Sessions – Prepare and give a 5-minute demonstration of teaching in your discipline and receive feedback on your teaching from your peers and from more experienced TAs in your discipline.

Who Should Attend TAO?

  • Graduate students who will begin teaching assistant (TA) duties during the 2006-07 school year are invited to attend TAO.

  • You may be required to attend TAO by your department.  Please check with your department to find out its TAO attendance policy.

  • If you do not know if you will begin your TA duties during the 2006-07 school year, then you should check with your department to find out.

  • If you are sure you will not be a TA during the 2006-07 school year, then you should defer your attendance of TAO until the beginning of the academic year in which you actually begin your TA duties.

If you are an incoming international graduate student, then you should also plan on attending International TA Orientation (ITAO) on August 14 and 15, 2006. See the ITAO web page for more information.

For More Information

For more information, contact CFT Assistant Director Derek Bruff at 615-322-7290 or via email.

Previous Years

For information on past TAOs, please see our TAO Archive.



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