Grading and Assessment  

"How can I grade well and also use my time efficiently?" "How can assessment support student learning?" This issue serves up some tips and tricks backed by research and TA experiences.

  10 Tips for Grading Fairly and Efficiently 

Simple techniques can improve grading for students and teachers.  
  1. Use a rubric to specify grading criteria.
  2. Grade all responses to the same question together.
  3. Create a bank of comments.
Learn more in this article from the L&S TA Training & Support Team.

  Nominations Open for Campus-Wide TA Awards

The Campus-Wide Teaching Assistant Awards recognize outstanding graduate student teaching in four categories. Your teaching department may have a formal process for nominating TAs or TAs may seek nomination.  

Nominations for TA Awards are due Monday, Nov. 18.

  Roundtable with L&S TA Award Winners

Haley Johnson (Early Excellence in Teaching Award) and Patricia Chan (Advanced Achievement in Teaching, Dorothy Powelson Award) share teaching practices that they use in their classrooms; give advice to new TAs; and discuss the joys of teaching undergraduate students.

Visit the episode page to listen, discover conversation starters, and find further resources.

The L&S Exchange Podcast is produced by the Instructional Design Collaborative.

  Teaching Tips from Experienced TAs  

Teaching Mentors serve as facilitators at 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.

This Week's Teaching Mentor:

Haley Johnson is a graduate student in the English Department (Literary Studies)

"Grading Well on a Deadline" with Haley Johnson

"Grading can be scary — after forming a relationship with your students, now you have to give them direct feedback on their progress! Grading anonymously can help with this anxiety, as well as grading consistently a little each day rather than rushing through a stack all in one go. Scanning through and identifying the global concerns for the class as a whole can also help to generate standard language to reuse rather than coming up with completely unique feedback for each assignment: this will allow you to prioritize reflection for areas that a student really needs your devoted insight!"
 

Religious Observances Policy

State law mandates that any student with a conflict between an academic requirement and any religious observance must be given an alternative for meeting the academic requirement. Learn more about UW's policy.
Calendar of Religious Observances

Divisional Disability Representative

Divisional Disability Representatives (DDRs) support employee accommodation at UW–Madison, including teaching assistants. The DDR for student assistants and graduate assistants in the College of Letters and Science is Brenda Powles (brenda.powles@wisc.edu). Learn more accommodations in your role as an employee.

Political Activity Guidelines

"As a university employee, are there restrictions on my political campaign activities?" "May I encourage my students to vote?" This list of frequently asked questions advises how to follow state law and Regent policy.
Learning Forward is brought to you by the L&S TA Training & Support Team.

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