Train Department TAs

CTL works with faculty and departments to design, implement, assist with, and evaluate programs that prepare new TAs for their teaching roles. We also support TAs as they carry out their teaching responsibilities.

Policies

Several policies govern the hiring and selection of TAs at Stanford including:

Faculty Senate Guidelines for Departmental/Program TA Training - The Faculty Senate TA Oversight Committee guidelines require departments and programs to implement and maintain an orientation, supervision, feedback, and teaching development program for TAs and to designate an Academic Council faculty member to oversee the TA training program.

Sexual Harassment Training - Stanford requires all graduate teaching assistants, course assistants, and other academic staff to complete training that addresses sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. Find out more about this requirement and how to complete the training.

English for Foreign Students Requirement - International graduate students who plan to serve as teaching assistants or course assistants are required to complete a screening exam.

Stanford Administrative Guide - This guide summarizes the regulations regarding Graduate Student Assistantship appointments at Stanford, including eligibility criteria, types of teaching assistantships, and other policy matters.

GAP Handbook- The Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures (GAP) Handbook outlines additional policies related to the academic progress of Stanford graduate students, from their application and admission to the conferral of degrees and retention of records.

Best Practices

The Teaching Assistant Oversight Committee (TAOC) conducted a 2008 study of Stanford departmental TA training programs and concluded that they were most effective when they included some or all of the following structures:

Orientation/training seminars at the beginning of the year or quarter for new TAs
A pedagogy course or opportunities for ongoing discussion with peers and faculty during the first year of teaching
Opportunities for TAs to be mentored by faculty or peers
Opportunities for practice or simulated teaching
A midterm or formative TA evaluation, as well as an end-of-term or summative TA evaluation process
A customized departmental TA handbook
An archive system for TA training materials and courses
Professional development opportunities
Customized presentations by CTL

What's Working in TA Training

CTL has developed a Teaching Team Resource Suite to support instructors who are working with TAs on instructional teams. This is a set of resources designed to help your teaching team set expectations, hold meetings, reflect on teaching, and otherwise collaborate effectively.

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The following sections present examples of TA training practices in various departments and programs on campus. We hope these examples will inspire ideas for TA training in your department or program.

TA Handbook and Guide Examples

Pedagogy Course Examples