Teaching Mathematical, Computer, and Statistical Sciences

Ryan Evans………………………rmevans@udel.eduIsaac Harris ……….…………….… iharris@udel.eduJason Vermette ….....vermette@math.udel.eduTonatuih Sanchez Vizuet….tonatuih@udel.eduJackie Yang ………………….jackie@math.udel.edu

Session Outline

• Balancing TA duties with your duties as a graduate student

• Preparation of the course you TA for

• Effective strategies for leading discussion sessions, laboratory sessions and grading homework

What do you think makes someone a good teacher?

Official workload for TA’s

• On average TA duties will take 12-15 hrs/week• Max workload is 20 hrs/week – Usually accrues during Midterms and Finals – You will have to proctor and grade exams

• Three hours a week are devoted to office hours

• Proctoring Mid-terms and Finals (even if you are not a TA!!!)

TA’s are responsible for:

• Running Discussion/Laboratory sections

• Holding office hours • Proctoring/Grading Mid-terms

and Finals • Among other requests at the

Instructor request – Taking attendance – Grading homework/quizzes – Etc.

Before Coming to the Classroom

• Understand your responsibilities• Understand your discretion on decision

making• Familiarize with the course material you will

be teaching• Write down a list of what you plan to do

particularly in the first week

Teaching Techniques

• Direct Lecture Group/Individual Work

• Raise Questions and Seek for Answers from Students

Making class run smoothly

• Prepare early and rehearse a bit if it is your first time

• Be open to questions from the students • Face the class when you’re speaking • If it is important it goes on the board!!!• Don’t skip a single step, even if it seems

obvious, its probably not to some of your students.

Making class run smoothly

• Talk to the course instructor and get to know the expectation from instructor

• Come to the lab early and make sure the devices are operational

• Try to be friendly with students but NOT too close

Be aware of your writing on the board

– Write big enough for everyone to see– Make sure it is readable – Don’t block the board – Emphasize key points by circling or underlining– What you write on the board should be a model

for how student solutions should look

Tips for grading • Use a Rubric if you can• Do not look at students’ names • What ever you do, be consistent • Grade one problem at a time• Consider partial credit

What might you have to deal with

Problems • A student Cheating

• Grade Complaint

• A student on their phone/comp/etc.

Solutions • Contact the instructor

about the cheating

• Look over the assignment, but final call is up to the Instructor

• Ask them a specific question to force participation

What might you have to deal with

Problems • A student Cheating

• Grade Complaint

• A student on their phone/comp/etc.

Solutions • Contact the instructor

about the cheating

• Look over the assignment, but final call is up to the Instructor

• Ask them a specific question to force participation

FERPA Laws

• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act– Right to inspect school records, and correct if

inaccurate.– Must have written permission from student to

release information about grades to anyone.– Do not disclose grades via phone or email (could

be unsecure).– http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/

ferpa/index.html

Questions??