Teaching Assistant Professional Training

TA Training Workshop Spring 2010 
As a requirement of Human Resources and the College of Graduate Studies, employment as a Teaching Assistant is contingent upon your completion of a two-day mandatory TA Training workshop to be completed from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday, January 11 and Tuesday, January 12, 2010. Schedule for the workshop is coming soon. Locations and topics will be announced. Topics will be similar to those in the schedule last fall. See below.

International TA Training Workshop Spring 2010 
There is an additional half day workshop for international students with teaching assistantships that is scheduled for Friday, January 8, 2010.  International students with a teaching assistantship are required to attend all three workshop days.

The Teaching Assistant Workshop, required of all part-time and full-time TAs located on the Moscow campus, is designed to improve the quality of your teaching and your assistantship experience.  Exceptional or emergency circumstances that preclude attendance at the fall workshop must be petitioned to the College of Graduate Studies. If a student has already taken Teaching Assistant Professional Training at the University of Idaho, their TA training requirement has been fulfilled.

Download Printable Schedule will be available soon

Spring 2010 agenda will be posted very soon and will be similar in content to the fall 2009 schedule (below).
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 International Teaching Assistants Only
Location: TLC 23

• 8:00 am - 8:30 am | Welcome, Introductions, and Overview of Workshop
  Margrit von Braun, Dean of Graduate Studies.
• 8:30 am - 9:15 am | Effective Communication Strategies with American Students In and Out of the Classroom
  Jo Ann Sellen, International Programs Office.
• 9:15 am - 10:00 am | Being a Professional In and Out of the Classroom
  Vicci White, Career Center.
• 10:00 am - 10:15 am | Break.
• 10:15 am - 10:45 am | Sharing Your Personal Culture in the Classroom
  Wudneh Admassu, Chair, Chemical Engineering.
• 10:45 am-11:15 am | Tips For Being an Exemplary Teaching Assistant
  Amin Ahmadzadeh, Animal and Vet Science.
• 11:15 am - 11:45 am | Tips for Teaching and Communicating with American Students
  Panel of International TAs, Paul Tseung, Kodjotse Afachao (Ro), and Simba Tirima facilitated by Jo Ann Sellen, International Programs Office.
• 11:45 am - 12:00 pm | Written and Oral Workshop Evaluation
  Alton Campbell, Associate Dean, College of Graduate Studies.

Thursday, August 20, 2009
Location: Renfrew Hall 112

• 8:00 am - 8:30 am | Welcome, introductions, and purpose
  Margrit von Braun, Dean of Graduate Studies.
• 8:30 am - 8:45 am | UI Policies and Employment Issues
  April Preston, Director of Employment Services.
• 8:45 am - 9:45 am | Understanding and Getting to Know Your Students
  Terry Armstrong, College of Education.
• 9:45 am - 10:00 am | FERPA-Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
  Cheri Cole, College of Graduate Studies.
• 10:00 am - 10:15 am |  Break.
• 10:15 am - 11:00 am | First Year and Transitional Student Issues
  Jean Henschied, Core Curriculum Director.
• 11:00 am - 11:50 am | Preparing a Lesson Plan, Tips for Lecturing and Holding Office Hours
  Jim Gregson, College of Education.
• 11:50 am - 12:15 pm | Mental Health Issues and Mental Health Education on line
  Joan Pulakos, Counseling and Testing Center.
• 12:15 pm - 12:30 pm | Written and Oral Workshop Evaluation
  Alton Campbell, Associate Dean, College of Graduate Studies.

Friday, August 21, 2009
Location: Renfrew Hall 112

• 8:00 am - 8:45 am | How to Lead an Effective Discussion
  Jean Henschied, Core Curriculum Director
• 8:45 am - 9:30 am | Grading and Evaluation Strategies
  Rodney McConnell, College of Education 
• 9:30 am - 9:40 am | Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA)
  Heidi Anderson, president of GPSA
• 9:40 am - 10:30 am | Academic Honesty and Plagiarism
  Bruce Pitman and Laura Hutchinson, Dean of Students office
• 10:30 am - 10:45 am | Break
• 10:45 am - 11:30 am | Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
  Carmen Suarez, Director, Office of Human Rights, Access and Inclusion
• 11:30 am - 11:45 am | Effective MultiMedia and Power Point Presentations and Using Blackboard
  David Schlater, Center for Teaching Innovation
• 11:45 am - 12:15 pm | Intercultural Communication
  Mikaela Marlow, Faculty, Dept of Psychology and Communication Studies
• 12:15 pm - 12:30 pm | Written and Oral Workshop Evaluation
  Alton Campbell, Associate Dean, College of Graduate Studies.

Training Description
Teaching Assistant Professional Training is intended to provide professional development opportunities for all Teaching Assistants. Topics include UI academic policies and procedures, available resources, teaching methods and more, which are highly beneficial to new and experienced TAs alike. This course is mandatory for all part-time and full-time Teaching Assistants located on the Moscow campus. It is highly recommended to take the course during the first semester of your assistantship; however, if you do not and subsequently switch to a research assistantship, you are still required to complete this course. (Students take the course one time only.)