How to Train Your TA

Presentation Outline

Christopher Soper, ALWD Conference 2015

I. INTRODUCTION

  1. Why Use TAs?
  2. Grade papers
  3. Practice skills
  4. Create/teach research/citation
  5. Write model answers
  6. Answer questions
  7. Provide support
  8. Other Issues
  9. How to pick TAs?
  10. How many?
  11. Risks?

II. TA TRAINING

  1. Guiding principles
  2. TA training is worthwhile
  3. Start planning early
  4. Train as large a group as feasible
  5. Train incrementally
  6. Teach the teachers how to teach
  7. Be a role model for your TA
  8. Three phases of training
  9. Orientation – Before semester
  10. Small group sessions – During semester
  11. Debrief – End of semester
  12. Orientation
  13. Introduce pedagogical theory
  14. How to teach
  15. Assess how students learn
  16. Teach to various learning styles
  17. Provide clear expectations
  18. Instill confidence in students
  19. How to teach writing
  20. Emphasize writing is a process
  21. Work on major problem areas before “correctness”
  22. Explain TA’s role
  23. From cite-checker to colleague-in-training to junior colleague
  24. More responsibility = more benefits = more training
  25. Explain peer mentor role
  26. Be attentive
  27. You’re a tutor, not a preacher
  28. Don’t judge
  29. Don’t criticize the professor
  30. Go over course goals
  31. Skills to acquire
  32. Exposure to legal profession
  33. In any event, define clearly
  34. Introduction to commenting
  35. Purpose of commenting
  36. Diagnose problem
  37. Teach students how and why to edit themselves
  38. Prioritize
  39. Analysis and substance
  40. Organization
  41. Mechanics
  42. Style
  43. Use examples
  44. Incorporate active learning
  45. Have TAs do a sample critique
  46. Or a sample rewrite based on sample comments
  47. Preview common errors
  48. Bouncing from RARARA
  49. Conclusory analysis
  50. Comment guidelines
  51. Be specific
  52. Identify strengths as well as weaknesses
  53. Be professional
  54. Write it down
  55. Written guidelines for assignments
  56. Written guidelines for grading
  1. Small Group Work
  2. Early semester joint grading session
  3. Focus on assignment objectives and common problems
  4. Have TAs bring in student work to review and compare notes
  5. Discuss upcoming first major assignment
  6. Assignment goals for students
  7. Role of TAs
  8. Commenting guidelines
  9. Written guidelines
  10. Discuss student/TA conferences
  11. Careful listening by TA
  12. Framework for visits:
  13. Establish rapport
  14. Diagnose need/problem
  15. Identify goal for session
  16. Assist student in addressing the need
  17. Assess whether student understood
  18. Log visits
  19. Repeat during major assignment
  1. End-of-Semester
  2. Individual meeting with TA to debrief
  3. Solicit information from
  4. Yourself (review TA comments, office hour logs)
  5. Students (evaluations, informal feedback)
  6. The TA (portfolio, written self-evaluation)
  7. Assess TA development
  8. Do the students like me? (first stage)
  9. How do I lecture? (second stage)
  10. Are the students getting it? (third stage)
  11. Training Goals for You
  12. Assess how your TA learns
  13. Train to a variety of learning styles
  14. Preview expectations
  15. Show the TAs they can accomplish your goals