So, you got your first Teaching Assistant (TA) position and are wondering where to begin? Or maybe, you’re a returning TA who is looking for ways to improve your teaching or grading techniques? Have you been tasked with direct instruction or leading the classroom discussions? Or perhaps you're responsible for grading and responding to student work?
Regardless of your experience or responsibilities, working as a TA comes with unique challenges. From effectively communicating with other TAs or the course instructor, to grading assignments you did not design or leading a class in a dynamic and engaging manner, the position of the TA can take a bit of time to learn to navigate.
We at Writing in the Disciplines (WID) have begun to collect resources to help you in your teaching journey. Some of these resources touch on broader aspects of pedagogy while others focus on student writing. We hope you will find this evolving collection of resources helpful and would love to hear from you if you have ideas, tips, or suggestions for this page.
Books through Howe Library
The below books about teaching are available through ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Howe Library.
- by Aeron Haynie and Stephanie Spong, 2022.
- by William J Macauley, Leslie R. Anglesey, Brady Edwards, Kathryn M. Lambrecht, and Phillip Lovas, 2021.
- by Kacie L. Armstrong, Lauren A. Genova, John Wyatt Greenlee, and Derina S. Samuel, 2021.
- by Stephen Daniel Looney and Shereen Bhalla, 2019. (Note, this book is only available as a physical copy through Howe Library).
Additional Teaching Resources
Below are some resources you may find helpful as a TA, regardless of your experience.
- Carnegie Mellon University has compiled a collection of strategies and resources for TAs titled
- Queen's University has also created a page about course design and communicating with students called .
- Duke University provides strategies for new TAs on their .
Working as a Graduate TA at ¶¶Òõ̽̽
For more information about TA opportunities, you can visit the Graduate College's Funding Your Graduate Degree page.