New TA Conference

Overview

The New TA Conference is training for all new teaching assistants. Registration is required. Over one day, participants explore strategies and philosophies of good teaching while getting to know more experienced graduate students.

The New TA Conference will take place on Thursday, September 20, 2012.

Structure

After a brief orientation, new TAs work with a graduate student teaching fellow from their discipline (or a closely related discipline) to learn about specific strategies for teaching effectively within their departments.

New TAs then select from several concurrent workshops facilitated by TAFs and Center staff. In each session, participants reflect on their own teaching approach and practice techniques for: leading discussion sections, labs, problem-solving sections, or lectures.

Comments from Past Participants

Role playing put us in control, [we] learned the "hard" way that we will be dealing with all types [of students] ....[The TAFs gave us] a lot of chance[s] for us to give input--not just talking at us.
- New TA, Chemistry

I learned a lot about various grading strategies/criteria. It was very interesting to hear from people in different (but related) disciplines. I learned about lots of different teaching styles. How to anticipate and address problems in the classroom. [Our TAF gave] lots of practical application, [used] brainstorming sessions, [and gave] pointed and applicable feedback.
- New TA, Performance Studies

Contact Us

Email or call Rachel Ricci at 773-844-6789 with any questions about the conference.

September 20, 2012

Ryan Auditorium, Technological Institute

Time Topic Details
8:30am Check-In* Pick up your conference folder in the Tech lobby. Coffee, tea & bagels will be provided.
9:00am
 Welcome Introduction to Searle Teaching Center
9:30am Discipline-Specific Session

Meet your TAF to discuss how to get the most out of TAing:

  • Grading Strategies
  • Managing Office Hours
  • Navigating Administration
  • Working with Faculty
  • Getting students involved via active learning
11:30am Lunch Lunch for conference participants in Tech lobby
12:30pm Concurrent Session #1

Choose from:

  • Getting Ready to Teach in the US Classroom for International TAs
  • Preparing for the 1st Day of Class
  • Technology in Your Teaching
  • Preparing an Effective Class Period
  • Preparing an Effective Lab Section
2:00pm Break -
2:10 Concurrent Session #2

Choose from:

  • Preparing for the 1st Day of Class
  • Technology in Your Teaching
  • Preparing an Effective Class Period
  • Preparing an Effective Lab Section
  • Promoting Critical Thinking (Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences)
  • Promoting Independent Problem Solving (Sciences, Engineering & Quantitative Disciplines)
3:40 End
 -

*Online registration for the conference is requred.

Registration

Registration for the 2012 New TA Conference coming soon...

Questions about the New TA Conference or Workshops?

Email the TA Fellow for your department or contact the Searle Teaching Center at 847-467-2338. If you do not see your department listed in the chart below, email teach@northwestern.edu.

Department(s) TA Fellow(s)
Anthropolohy; Sociology Daphne Demetry
BMBCB; IBiS; IGP; NUIN Koshonna Brown, Shoai Hattori & James Antony
Chemistry Angela Chang & Natalie Gruenke
Communication Studies; Communication Sciences & Disorders Kate Johnston
Economics Alvaro Parra
Engineering (all departments) Xaver Neumeyer† & Karthik Sekar
English Winter (Jade) Werner*†
History Andrew Warne*
Languages
 Tatiana Filimonova† & Connor Doak†
Mathematics; Applied Mathematics; Statistics
 Daniel Visscher†
Philosophy; Religion
 Winter (Jade) Werner*†
Physics & Astronomy; Earth & Planetary Sciences
 Jennifer Hobbs*
Political Science
 Desiree Weber
Psychology; Sociology; Linguistics; Learning Sciences; Human Development & Social Policy
TBA
Screen Cultures; Media, Technology & Society
 Beth Corzo-Duchardt*† & Elizabeth Lenaghan†
Theatre & Drama; Performance Studies Kati Sweaney†

*Returning TA Fellow
†2011-12 Graduate Teaching Fellow