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New TA Orientation Schedule

Fall NTAO 2008

Day One
Friday, August 22, 2008
David Lawrence Hall, First Floor

Day Two
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Barco Law Building

Workshop Descriptions:

Getting Started in the Classroom

Setting the right tone on your first day of class can lay the groundwork for a successful semester. The main focus of this session will be on practical topics such as learning student’s names and what should be covered in a recitation or lab syllabus. We will also be discussing how to get the most out of your relationship with your supervising professor. The workshop will be presented in two break-out sessions. International TAs will receive specialized instruction on what to expect in an American classroom and will have the opportunity to practice their classroom communication skills.

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Dealing with Difficult Situations

Diversity in the classroom is one of the most challenging issues in higher education today. This workshop will suggest strategies for balancing a diversity of points of view in your classroom while at the same time making your classroom more accessible to everyone. A variety of difficult situations will be presented and workshop participants will brainstorm solutions. We will also cover university policies that seek to ensure a collegial atmosphere for all, including policies on sexual harassment, affirmative action and faculty-student relationships.

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Leading Discussion Recitations

This session will focus on strategies for facilitating student learning in discussions. Topics will include getting feedback from your students on their understanding of the material and your teaching, motivating students to become actively involved, presenting material in order to maximize comprehension, and reviewing and integrating material covered in lectures. They will also help you anticipate some of the problems commonly encountered by TAs as well as suggesting solutions and strategies for preventing them.

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Teaching Labs

This session will focus on strategies for facilitating student learning in laboratory settings. Topics will include getting feedback from your students on their understanding of the material and your teaching, motivating student to become actively involved, presenting material in order to maximize comprehension, and reviewing and integrating material covered in lecture.

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Teaching Problem-Solving Recitations

Similar to Teaching Labs session, but will focus on ways to demonstrate for your students the problem-solving techniques that increase learning.

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Teaching an Independent Class

Similar to the Discussions session, but will also include additional techniques to use when you are managing your own class, such as writing an effective 50-minute lecture and how to lecture interactively.

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Testing and Grading

These workshops will focus on writing test questions in various formats that accurately assess student learning. We will also discuss how to use a grading rubric to ensure consistency and objectivity in grading. Sessions will focus on the different kinds of assignments TAs grade in various fields. Social Science and Humanities TAs will focus on grading essays, while Natural Science, Math and Engineering TAs will focus on grading lab reports and projects or problem sets.

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Cheating and Plagiarism

These workshops will introduce the University of Pittsburgh's Academic Integrity policies including the cheating and plagiarism policy. Different sessions will focus on the special problems encountered by TAs in various disciplines.

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Review of TA Services

Learn about the wide array of services available to TAs and to undergraduate students at the University of Pittsburgh.

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For further information, email TA Services at TAHELP@cidde.pitt.edu or call us at 412-624-6671.