Fall GTA OrientationFall GTA Orientationfor Students with Laboratory Assignmentsfor Students with Laboratory Assignments

Jacquelyn R. Duke, Ph.D.

Fall 2007

How to be an effective GTA• Definition• “Big Picture”• Major Duties• Tools and Resources• Helpful Hints• Pitfalls and Common Issues• Additional Useful Info• Training Opportunities

Panel Discussion Training Presentation

Definition • GTA – Graduate Teaching Assistant

– Funded by Dept.– Assist in undergraduate courses– Sciences – usually refers to teaching of labs

• GRA – Graduate Research Assistant– funded by research grant– Assist major advisor in research, or funded to

conduct own research

“Big Picture”The greater your satisfaction with your job responsibilities, the more effective

you will be as an instructor

• What’s in it for “me”?

• What if I have no previous experience?

• Lab Prep– May or may not required– Make it your policy to be as much a part of the set

up as you can – it will only make you a more informed GTA

• Conducting Lab Exercises– Clearly define your role

• Lab Clean up– Again, will depend on your assignment– Observe all safety precautions before disposing of

any chemicals and/or organic material!

Major Duties

• Maintain Office Hours– How many??– Outside of lecture times!– Post your office hours – Office hours are held in grad student offices

Major Duties

Major Duties

• Grading– Remember that confidentiality rules apply!– Clarify expectations with professor– Choose a level of feedback appropriate to the

assignment– Schedule time for grading– Make comments clear and organized– Report regularly to the professor

• Attending weekly meetings– Be prompt!– Come prepared– Speak up if you feel you’re deficient

• Professors usually assume you’re familiar with content

• Can provide you with valuable resources

Major Duties

• Overseeing LAs • LAs- Laboratory Assistants (undergraduate

assistants in many science courses)

– Clearly define your relationship (ask your professor)

– Clearly define your expectations of them– Never leave them unattended unless you’ve

been given direct authorization– Same goes for their access to students’

grades

Major Duties

• Field trips– Ensure (well ahead of time) you are authorized to

drive University vehicles/passenger vans– Guidelines for Driving on Behalf of Baylor:

http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=14739

– Know the University policy for what to do in the case of an accident

– Never give students authorization to “meet you there”. We are required to provide transportation to and from off-site locations

Major Duties

Major Duties

• Attend Lecture Sections– May or may not be required– In your best interest, particularly if it’s is your

first time in the course – Benefits:

• Better grasp of the material• Relating your focus to that of the lecture• Better relationship with the students• Your attendance counts as hours worked

Major Duties

• Attending Lecture Sections– Maintain Seating chart– Take attendance– Take class notes

• Conducting review sessions/study sessions– Reserve rooms with your Dept.– Make sure you have access to your room

• Lecturing during professor’s absence– Your notes or the professors?– Make sure you have access to the room and

A/V equipment– Excellent opportunity – great for CVs

Major Duties

Major Duties

Other potential duties:• Proctoring Lecture Exams• Grading Lecture Exams• Entering Lecture Grades

Tools and Resources

• Blackboard– Your email login and password access BBoard– Bearspace – file storage– https://my.baylor.edu

• Baylor email account

E-mail• Considered official correspondence

• Check frequently!

• Copy (cc) the professor on all official correspondence

• Don’t give out your cell phone/home number unless you want to be called; Students will call at all hours (sometimes professors will too.)

• If the professor does not reply to your email, make a phone-call or visit in person

Helpful Hints

Miscellaneous issues (some of these are more than just hints – they’re actually policy)

Working with the ProfessorStarting out Right:• Introduce yourself: If your professor hasn’t contacted

you – make the first move. Set up a time to meet. • Request a description of responsibilities

– Work duties as well as classroom policies

• Ask to be introduced to each of the classes you will teaching

• Request a copy of the course syllabus• Bring a checklist to your first meeting• Ask if there are any days/times when you will have to

work outside of “normal” hours (Saturday field trips, proctoring exams) and resolve conflicts early!

Prior to Day One• Obtain the lab manual – and read through it• Keys• Visit your classroom

– lights, hood vents, gas/air valves, technology (test projectors etc.), water baths, centrifuges, hot plates…

• Create a cheat-sheet for your first day (assume you’ll be nervous)– List items to be addressed,

important points…

Day One

• Exude confidence!– Your enthusiasm goes a long way!!!

• Introduction• Safety

– Point out fire extinguisher, eye wash, emergency shower, MSDS sheets, hazardous chemicals (e.g. latex allergies), etc.

• Course expectations– Clearly state classroom policies as well as your personal preferences

• Students can’t respect your policies if they are unaware of them• Don’t assume policies “carry over” from the lecture section

Be Professional

• Dress the part – wear a lab coat, close-toed shoes, etc. – You can’t enforce the rules if you’d don’t adhere to

them yourself (this goes for food/drink in the lab as well!)

– Serious consequences (for your Dept) if you choose to ignore safety procedures

• Remain professional at all times – It’s easy in a lab setting to become very comfortable,

but remember that you are still the authority in the room

Be Prepared• Create your own syllabus

– So many benefits!!

• Be concise in your teaching

• Perform experiments beforehand – know the pitfalls

• Accept that you can’t know it all – there will be questions you can’t answer

Testing/Grading• Scantron machine • Allot hours• Assume extra hours at the end of the semester.

Do your own papers early, so that grading does not interfere!

• Grade and enter grades quickly• Utilize Blackboard!

Miscellaneous Advice

• Know where your professor is during your lab time

• Know when your professor’s office hours are

• Communicate frequently with your professor – grading, absences, etc.

• Meet regularly with your peers – Communicate issues you’re having with each

other (confidentially)– Seek out TAs who’ve taught your course before

Avoiding Pitfalls: Common Student Issues

• Know your authority ahead of time• Ethical Behavior (honesty, plagiarism, cheating)

– Familiarize yourself with University policy– Check with your professor on how they want you to

handle such situations

• Special Services (OALA): http://www.baylor.edu/oala/– It is the student’s responsibility to inform you of their

status

• Multiculturalism and gender issues

When Something Goes Wrong• Experiment doesn’t work

– Don’t panic – failed experiments often present the best “learning tools”

– Maintain a sense of humor– Isn’t science all about trial and error??

• Hazardous situations– Again, don’t panic– Have a plan in place– Have a list of important numbers located with your

MSDS sheets – Fire, Police, Risk Management

Additional Info

Know Your Environment:• Familiarize yourself with the office copy machine

and scanner – Before using office equipment, or taking office

supplies ASK what the dept. policies are for your use

• What to do when things don’t go well with the professor– Don’t let situations fester – address problems early

Handy Research Tips

• Libraries– Two Main Libraries: Moody and Jones– Maps, Circulation desks, Computers (laptops), Research

Librarians

• BearCat: http://www3.baylor.edu/Library/• OsoFast: ILL at Baylor, https://

illiad.baylor.edu/illiad/logon.html• Electronic Resources:

https://www1.baylor.edu/ERD/Search/AdvancedSearch.aspx

• BearSpace: Storing Information, https://bearspace.baylor.edu/xythoswfs/webui

Training Opportunities

• SET - Seminars for Excellence in Teaching– More on that in a bit, with Chris Rios…

• Teaching Commons– Designed for faculty/grad student interaction– http://www.baylor.edu/teachingcommons/

Return to the “Big Picture”

The greater your satisfaction with your job responsibilities, the more

effective you will be as a Teaching Assistant

Questions??

Panel Discussion

• Jon Thomas • Stephanie Capello• Vanessa Castleberry• Tiffany Turner• Justin Tidmore• John Hall• Tony Chen 

Past SET Electives

• "Preparing To Teach Your Class" with Dr. Tom Hanks

• "Preparing Effective Test Questions" with Dr. Darrell Hull

• "Engaging the Lecture Class: How Do I Involve Students When Class Size or Other Circumstances Call for Lecturing?"

with Drs. Genie and Preston Dyer• "Sage on the Stage and Guide on the Side: Three Models of

Constructivist Teaching"with Dr. Tony Talbert

• "Teaching as Performance"with Dr. Marion Castleberry

• "Teaching in the Sciences"with Dr. Joseph D. White

• "Plato's Cave as Metaphor for Educators"with Dr. Anne-Marie Bowery

• "Encouraging and grading student writing"with Dr. Amanda Sturgill