Quick Help for TAs and Graduate Students

Top CTL Services Requested by TAs and Graduate Students

1. Quarterly TA Orientations
2. Workshops
3. Midterm Student Feedback
4. Presentation coaching and help with public speaking skills
5. Courses on teaching (by both CTL and other units on campus)

CTL Services for TAs and Graduate Students in a Nutshell

CTL assists TAs to be successful as teachers and future academic professionals by providing individual TAs, on request, with all of the teaching resources and assistance listed below, including consultation, classroom observation, student small group evaluations, and videorecording and analysis, and workshops and courses on teaching topics, public speaking and communication, and professional development.

For an extensive list of resources and services, please visit TA and Graduate Student Resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who can help me with my teaching statement?
A: In fall and spring quarter, CTL offers a teaching statement workshop and a teaching statement clinic session where feedback on statements is given. Keep an eye on the CTL website for updates, usually the first week of the quarter. If you have not attended a CTL teaching statement clinic, the Career Development Center can take a look at your statement (http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/cdc).

Q: What kind of tutoring support does CTL offer to graduate students?
A: Oral Communication Tutoring
Graduate students are welcome to schedule oral communication tutoring appointments. For more information, visit http://speakinghelp.stanford.edu or contact Lindsey Paul, Oral Communication Tutor Manager, at lpaul@stanford.edu. 

CTL Peer Tutoring
CTL only provides subject tutoring to undergraduate students. We recommend that grad students speak with their instructors about getting any additional help they need. We’re sorry we can't be of more help.

Q: What’s the difference between end-of-quarter and mid-quarter evaluations?

A: The end-of-quarter evaluations are mandatory and handled by the Registrar's Office, and they do remind students about them. Those evaluations also have some built-in incentives for students, since students get to see their grades two weeks earlier if they complete the end-of-quarter evaluations.

The midquarter evaluations are optional. The Center of Teaching and Learning handles the online system itself to ensure anonymity in the responses and to create the summary reports, but the announcement of the evaluation itself is in the hands of the instructor. For more details, please see Midquarter Evaluations. 

Q: Where can I find a tutor to help me with my writing project (e.g., thesis, papers, etc.)?
A: Undergraduates and graduate students can request help at the Hume Writing Center (http://hwc.stanford.edu/) at (650) 724-3487 or email writingcenter@vpue.stanford.edu.

Q: Who can help me with my English since English is not my first language?
A: Contact English for Foreign Students (http://www.stanford.edu/group/efs/) at (650) 723-3636 (Tracey Riesen, triesen@stanford.edu). Limited EFL conversational help is provided by the Oral Communication Program. Contact speakinghelp@stanford.edu