Dear L&S TAs,
As the L&S Associate Dean for Teaching & Learning Administration, I’m asking for a moment of your time at the top of the semester to share something close to my heart – a renewed commitment to teaching excellence. 

Here are a few examples of how we are taking steps in this direction:

  • Collaboration: The recently formed L&S Teaching & Learning Advisory Council, composed of faculty, staff, and graduate students, provides administration with guidance, expertise, and opportunities for collaboration.
  • Stories: We are prioritizing efforts to share stories that celebrate the many dimensions of teaching excellence. You can find examples in content from the L&S Instructional Design Collaborative, and you will see us highlight stories from experienced L&S TAs throughout these newsletters.
  • Recognition: We continue to support a robust award program for exceptional TAs, and are currently accepting nominations for L&S Teaching Mentors.
I’m eager to share more as we continue to “define” teaching excellence in L&S. For now, I simply want to express my appreciation for contributing to the teaching mission of L&S and inspiring our students to learn. 

Thank you!
Shirin Malekpour
Associate Dean for Teaching & Learning Administration

Q: What is "Teaching Excellence?"

A: "Teaching excellence eludes a simple definition even though we see it each day in classrooms throughout our campus. To me, pursuing “excellence” is about recognizing our strengths as a College, working together to continually grow as educators, and ensuring that teaching is seen and appreciated."

  Apply for the L&S Peer  Observation Program

  • Are you a new TA wanting feedback on your verbal communication skills in the classroom?
  • Are you a seasoned TA looking for someone outside of your department who can tell you how you are doing in the classroom?
  • Are you in your last year of teaching and preparing for your faculty interviews and teaching demos?
Partner with another L&S TA for one observation. You will also receive personalized feedback from an experienced observer.

Apply by Jan 27 for the Spring 2025 cohort.

  Prepare to Teach  

All the info you need to start the Spring semester strong, with a handy checklist to guide you. Plus a roundup of helpful events and guides! Get started.

This resource is provided by the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring.

  Podcast: Navigating the Hidden Curriculum  

Do your students know the hidden curriculum?
Lyn Macgregor and her colleagues in Sociology created a resource to help instructors uncover the hidden curriculum for students. The L&S Exchange Podcast discusses these innovative modular slide decks that feature local examples and reflection questions, all designed to help students navigate unspoken academic norms and expectations.

Learn more and explore the slides!

  Tips from Experienced TAs  

Teaching Mentors facilitate the annual L&S Fall TA Training event. Those selected to be Teaching Mentors have a proven track record of excellence as educators and a strong desire to mentor TAs.
 

Setting Expectations with Morgan Henson

"Setting expectations at the start of the semester can be nerve-wrecking. You’re in charge, you want things to go smoothly, but you also want your students to respect you, each other, and the material. The best thing to remember is that this space is shared by everyone. Expectations are created to ensure that things go smoothly for everyone: you and the students. We all have different experiences and ideas about how things should work; but as long as we remember that expectations help maintain respect for everyone, they become more acceptable for all."
 

Icebreakers with Rebecca Laurent

Icebreakers can feel cheesy, but they’re a low stakes way to get students to engage and connect with each other. They also allow you to get to know students and take attendance at the same time! I start all my classes with a check-in question (“how is this week going for you?”) and a fun question (“what are you watching/reading/listening to?”). When it comes to the fun questions, I recommend choosing something that will make students smile and relate to each other and something that everyone can answer (i.e. not “what character would you be on this TV show only I have seen?”).

Teaching Mentor Nominations Due Feb 13

L&S is looking for passionate TAs from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds to serve as instructors at the annual Fall TA Training. Those selected to be Teaching Mentors have not only a proven track record of excellence as educators, but also a strong desire to share their experience and mentor new TAs. Nominations are due Feb 13.

Paid Parental Leave

Graduate Assistants (including TAs) are eligible for paid parental leave under a new policy. Learn more from Human Resources.

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