February 1, 2016 at 6:15 pm

TA Professional Development Workshop Series Starts Feb. 24

The TA Professional Development Faculty Learning Community is offering a TA Professional Development Workshop Series that can help graduate students enhance their teaching skills and get ready for the job market.

Certificates of attendance will be provided to students who attend three or more workshops.

Developing an E-portfolio

Feb. – 24 – 4-6 p.m. – Gordy 113

An electronic portfolio is an effective way to collect and showcase evidence that demonstrates your teaching expertise and professional growth. This interactive workshop will give you the opportunity to begin developing an outstanding e-portfolio or improve one that you have already started. We will discuss how to define the purpose of your e-portfolio, potential websites that work well for e-portfolios, the types of evidence to include, and the types of reflections on these pieces that will reveal your expertise and growth. An e-portfolio will not only make you a more desirable candidate but will also help you to realize the types of experiences you need to improve your hireability, job satisfaction, and opportunities for promotion. Bring your laptop.

How to Prepare for the Job Market: Writing a Teaching Philosophy and a Research Statement

March 8 – 11 a.m.-1 p.m. – Gordy 113

It’s a challenging and stressful time to be on the job market, and it is never too early to start planning and developing your materials. Whether you are interested in teaching, or plan to devote most of your time to research, any job application for an academic appointment will include a Teaching Philosophy and a Research Statement. This workshop will help you craft (or edit) those important documents.

Winning Impression

March 16 – 11:00-1:00 – Gordy 113

When applying for a teaching position, you may be asked to provide evidence of your teaching skills through a demonstration either in that department or in a class you are already teaching. This workshop will help you to showcase your talents by video-recording you in an impromptu performance that you and your peers will critique. You will receive expert advice from teacher trainers on what you can do to increase your clarity and make a positive impact for future demonstrations. Tips for teaching clarity, overcoming nervousness, and displaying confidence will also be discussed. This workshop is capped at 20, so be sure to sign up early!

Becoming a More Effective & Less-Stressed TA: How to Manage your Time and Responsibilities

Date/Location TBA (late April)

Is grading taking over your life? Do you spend twice as long planning your lessons as you do giving them? Do students’ office hours visits seem to drag on and on? In this workshop, we work on using time more efficiently for grading, lesson planning, and meeting with students so that you can spend more time on your own studies and research.

The workshops are facilitated by