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TA Services Offers Comprehensive Support to Teaching Assistants

The Center for Instructional Development & Distance Education’s TA Services supports ongoing development for graduate student teachers at the University of Pittsburgh. Our programs and publications are tailored to meet the needs of TAs from the first day of class all the way through the job search process.

The New Teaching Assistant Orientation (NTAO) is the first of many experiences graduate student teachers have with TA Services. In addition to preparing incoming teaching assistants for classroom issues such as academic integrity, testing, grading, and using technology, TA Services offers a wide range of instructional support.

TA Services organizes workshops and seminars focused on specific teaching concerns of graduate student teachers. Each year we offer seminars on developing a teaching portfolio, an essential tool for obtaining a permanent teaching position. Also, we provide, at no charge, classroom videotaping, which includes a follow-up consultation with an experienced teaching fellow to analyze and discuss teaching methodology in order to enhance instructor performance.

Online and print publications provide a variety of teaching-related resources. The Teaching Assistant Experience is a comprehensive guide to course instruction and classroom management. Available online at www.pitt.edu/~ciddeweb, this guide to teaching in a university setting provides advice on many of the challenges you will face in the classroom. Among other things, it includes practical suggestions for the first day of class and information regarding University policies. Our monthly online newsletter, TATALK, focuses on specific teaching-related issues and provides calendars for upcoming workshops and events.

Remember, TA Services is here to help make your teaching at the University of Pittsburgh a fulfilling experience for you, your students, and ultimately, the entire University community. To contact us, stop by our office at 624 Alumni Hall, e-mail us at TAHELP@cidde.pitt.edu, or phone us at 412-624-6671.

Two new teaching assistant consultants have joined CIDDE’s Teaching Assistant Services
Dean Wheeler is a PhD candidate in anthropology. His teaching experience includes volunteering at a school for underprivileged children in Mexico, instructing high school students on SAT test-taking methods, and teaching introductory and advanced seminar classes in anthropology to traditional and nontraditional undergraduates. Dean looks forward to talking with you about leading discussion recitations, dealing with difficult situations, and engaging students in the classroom.
Brenda N. Henry is a doctoral student in social work and a master’s student in behavioral and community health sciences. She holds a MSW from Michigan State University. Her teaching experience includes maternal and child health courses at the Graduate School of Public Health. She has conducted workshops and training on maternal/infant health and support services on the role of leadership in responding to special needs. Brenda looks forward to talking with you about developing creative lesson plans, facilitating engaging discussions, and incorporating cultural awareness and sensitivity into the classroom.

A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh

Center for Instructional Development & Distance Education
1996-2007 © University of Pittsburgh, CIDDE. All Rights Reserved.
Editor: Carol DeArment, Staff Writer: Michelle Lane, Copy Editor: Tim Kyle,
Art Direction, Graphic Design and Illustrations: Alec Sarkas, Photography: CIDDE, Photography & Electronic Imaging
Questions or comments, please contact CIDDE Webmaster, 09/21/2007