Topic: Questions of a Graduate Teaching Assistant
315N Louis Pound Hall (aka. Chess Room)
Thursdays, 2-3 p.m.
Coordinator: Jabran Amanat-Lee
jamanat-lee2@huskers.unl.edu
(714) 732-4185
315V Louis Pound Hall
Note: I am happy to meet with you outside the TA colloquium.
Co-coordinator: Swarnima Kain
skain2@huskers.unl.edu
Faculty Advisor: Harry Ide
hide@unl.edu
315Q Louis Pound Hall
Note: Eunhong Lee (elee29@huskers.unl.edu) has also agreed to make herself available in case you need guidance or have questions concerning teaching.
Fall 2024 Schedule
Aug 29: First Class Preparation
What should I plan for my first recitation/class session? How should I plan a productive class discussion? What strategies can I use to create an engaging and interactive learning environment during my first recitation/class session?
Sep 5: Conflict Resolution
How should I handle in-class conflict situations? How should I handle disagreements among students during group activities or discussions? What strategies can I use to de-escalate tension if a student becomes confrontational in class?
*Sep 12: Feedback
How should I give negative student feedback to the professor I am TAing for? How can I give constructive feedback to my students without discouraging them? What should I do if a student disagrees with the feedback I have given them?
Sep 19: Office Hours, Grading, and Other Issues
What are student hours for, and how to make the most out of them? How to be a productive and effective grader? How should I help my students if they discuss personal issues with me? What to do if a student starts crying in my class?
*Sep 26: Academic Support
How can I help my students who are struggling in the class? What should I do if a student is unhappy about their grade? What steps can I take to assist students before they become discouraged?
Oct 3: Q&A with Colin McLear: How to utilize Grad teaching experience in a job application
How to make the most out of grad teaching to prepare for the job market? How can I effectively articulate the skills and experiences gained from my teaching as a grad TA? What examples from my teaching experience should I highlight in my job application materials?
Oct 10: Exam Preparation
How should I help my students prepare for the exams? What if the primary instructor did not cover the exam questions in class, but students are expected to know the answers? How can I help my students stay motivated during exam periods? What is mind mapping?
Oct 17: Teaching Reading Philosophy Papers
What can I do to help my students get better at reading philosophy? What if the students come unprepared for the recitations?
Oct 24: Teaching Writing Philosophy Papers
How should I help students write philosophy papers for their class? How can I design assignments that prevent cheating (or at least decrease the temptation as much as possible)?
Oct 31: Dealing with Cheating
How should I manage the cheating student (plagiarism, AI, etc.)? What steps should I take if I suspect a student of cheating but don't have solid evidence?
*Nov 7: Support for International/ESL Students
How can I help my international (or ESL) students? What strategies can I use to ensure international/ESL students feel comfortable participating in class discussions?
Nov 14: Adaptation and Improvisation
How to improvise when things are not going as planned, such as when fewer students are present than expected? How should I handle unexpected technical issues? What strategies can I use to engage students when the planned lesson isn't resonating with them?
Nov 21: Q&A with Wade Munroe: Teaching a new Class Independently
How should I prepare if I am teaching a class independently? How to create a syllabus that effectively outlines course objectives and expectations? How should I develop assignments that align with the course goals?
Dec 5: the problem of distracting student
How should I deal with a student who is distracting the whole class? I have no cell phone use in the class policy, but some students are not taking it seriously; what should I do?
Dec 12: When students show bias
What should I do if I have a very strong intuition that my students are biased towards me? I am new to college teaching and barely look older than my students, and this makes my students think that I have no idea what I am talking about; how should I handle this?