The 24th Annual College of Letters & Science Teaching Assistant Training

Thursday, August 29, 2013 (9:00am – 4:30pm)

3650 Mosse Humanities Building

TA Training Program Schedule

8:45-9:20     Open Registration (no pre-registration required)

9:30-10:00   Welcome and Introduction

10:10-11:10  Small Group Workshops, Session 1

11:20-12:20  Small Group Workshops, Session 2

12:30-1:00   Lunch - A free buffet lunch is provided to participants

1:10-2:30     Fellows/Faculty led Discipline-Specific Panels

2:30-3:30     Teaching Assistant Resources Panel

3:30-4:30     Refreshments and "Q & A" with the Teaching Fellows

The training is geared towards new TAs in the College of Letters & Science, but experienced TAs are welcome to attend, as are TAs from other UW-Madison schools and colleges.  Pre-registration is not required.

At this full day training event we will cover a host of topics that TAs will find useful as they begin their fall teaching appointments.  The L&S Teaching Fellows will be on hand to share ideas and facilitate discussion in themed workshop settings. 

Various campus and college units will also be on hand to discuss strategies to help TAs navigate the first day of class, work within a teaching team, interact with a diverse group of students, understand campus policies as they relate to their TA appointments, and integrate technology into the classroom.   

For more information on the Fall TA Training, call or email Brian Bubenzer, bubenzer@ls.wisc.edu or 265-0603, or Katie Lindstrom, kelindst@ls.wisc.edu or 890-3850.  

Small Group Workshops offered by the L&S Teaching Fellows

The L&S Teaching Fellows are winners of the annual Teaching Fellow Award. These fifteen graduate students specialize in a range of fields represented in the College of Letters & Science, The School of Human Ecology, and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.  Nomination as Teaching Fellows acknowledges their outstanding success as students and Teaching Assistants at UW-Madison. Each year, the Teaching Fellows develop and lead a series of workshops for new and experienced TAs who attend the Fall TA Training. Those who attend the training will have the opportunity to participate in two small group workshops.

The 2012 L&S Teaching Fellows offered the following workshops at the Fall 2012 TA Training:

Jeff Behrends, "I'm Teaching My Own Class!: Strategies for Designing and Leading Your Stand-alone Course"

Adriana Fonseca, "Your Class, Your Rules: Communicating Class Expectations Through a Customized Section Syllabus"

Yutao Gong, "Step by Step Teaching: How to Lead a Natural Science Lab"

Alison Gordon,"Collaborative Learning: Group Work Can Be Meaningful and Effective for You and Your Students"

Gregg Jamison, "Start on a High Note: Getting the Most Out of Your First Day of Class"

Sergey Karpukhin, "Adapt and Diversify: Acclimating International TAs to the American Classroom Experience"

Melinda Kavanaugh, "Well This is Awkward: Controversial and Uncomfortable Conversations in the Classroom"

Jason Nu, "Balance, Block and Blend: Tips on Juggling the Responsibilities of Teaching, Research and Personal Life"

Shellie Rowe, "Resolving Student Challenges and Questions: Models of Effective Communication in a Variety of Teaching Scenarios"

Brian Sidoti, "Teaching Beyond the Classroom: Understanding and Promoting the Wisconsin Idea"

Claudia Solis Lemus, "I'm Here Because I Have To Be: Teaching a Quantitative Class for Non-Majors"

Jacob Usinowicz, "Where Do You Come In?: Understanding Your Role as a TA and Collaborating in Team Teaching"

Kelsey White, "Communication, Culture and Connections: Practical Advice for Teaching a Foreign Language"

Danielle Wylie, "Bridging the Achievement Gap: What a TA Can Do to Reach All Students"