MIT BE TA-Training-2009: Difference between revisions

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**Note that faculty should be the primary contact for working with the DSO; this link is provided in case you need additional support or information.
**Note that faculty should be the primary contact for working with the DSO; this link is provided in case you need additional support or information.


==TA panel discussion space==
==TA Panel Content==
 
===Draft Topics for TA Panel===
 
<font color = 0000CC>Initial note from Agi: Here's what John and I envision for now: Each TA will lead a discussion topic, but not be limited to speaking only about it of course! There will be a completely open Q&A from the audience at the end, and questions can be also taken intermittently (per topic) to keep things interactive from the start. Feel free to be as creative as you want, e.g., if you want to include a skit or demo of sorts. However, we understand that your time is limited. Thanks for participating!</font color>


The following discussion topics are adapated from the [http://tinyurl.com/ngqs9j 5.111 Boot Camp] as well as from past departmental TA trainings.
The following discussion topics are adapated from the [http://tinyurl.com/ngqs9j 5.111 Boot Camp] as well as from past departmental TA trainings.


#Making good use of office hours. (Rachel)
#'''Making good use of office hours (Rachel)'''
#*How do OH differ from recitations?  
#*How do OH differ from recitations?  
#*What strategies can make OH most effecitve?  
#*What strategies can make OH most effective?  
#Managing your time, in and out of the classroom (Bryan)
#'''Understanding undergraduate culture and managing your time (Bryan)'''
#*How to set limits with students behaving dependently.
#*How to set limits with students behaving dependently.
#*Resources available for you and for your students. <font color=red>'''(Make handout! (Agi will do))'''</font color>
#*Resources available for you and for your students.  
#Contributing to course building and administration (Venky)
#'''Your role in detecting and curbing academic dishonesty (Edgar)'''
#*What you might encounter, what to do.
#'''Contributing to course building and administration (Venky)'''
#*Preparing effective psets, solutions, and exam material.
#*Preparing effective psets, solutions, and exam material.
#*Balancing biology-centric and engineering-centric content for students with different backgrounds.
#*Balancing biology-centric and engineering-centric content for students with different backgrounds.
#*Special sessions for introducing new programming modules (MATLAB, Python, PyMol etc) and pre-exam revisions.  
#*Special sessions for introducing new programming modules (MATLAB, Python, PyMol etc) and pre-exam revisions.  
#*Using the course websites as a communication platform and its effective maintenance
#*Using the course websites as a communication platform and its effective maintenance
#Potential recitation roadblocks (Jeff)
#'''Potential recitation roadblocks (Jeff)'''
#*Dealing with gaps in your knowledge.
#*Dealing with gaps in your knowledge.
#*Helping weaker students without derailing recitation.
#*Helping weaker students without derailing recitation.
#*Engaging advanced students without dwelling on tangents.  
#*Engaging advanced students without dwelling on tangents.  
#Your role in detecting and curbing academic dishonesty.
#'''TAing a lab class (Robbie)'''
#*What you might encounter, what to do.
#And/or others as proposed by panel members…
 
Another thought: perhaps there are some BE-specific topics to cover, such as balancing biology-centric and engineering-centric content for students with different backgrounds. Oh, and something else to cover that came up last year is MIT undergraduate culture. [[User:AgiStachowiak|AgiStachowiak]] 08:52, 20 August 2009 (EDT)

Revision as of 09:07, 28 August 2009

Agenda

Day 1: Monday, August 31st

Monday, August 31st in Room 56-614

Time Event Speaker(s)
<9:00 AM Light breakfast
9:00-9:05 Welcome and definition of goals Doug Lauffenburger
9:05-10:00 Defining expectations Agi Stachowiak and John Essigmann
10:00-10:10 Coffee
10:15-11:15 Microteaching demonstration, introduction to
microteaching topics and team-building exercise 		Interactive
11:15-12:30 TA discussion panel and Q & A Robbie Barbero, Rachel Miller, Bryan Owens,
Edgar Sanchez, Venky Soundararajan, Jeff Wagner
12:30 PM Lunch

Day 2: Tuesday, September 1st

Tuesday, September 1st in Room 56-614

You will be put into groups of no more than 6 people for a practice teaching session ("microteaching"). Please sign up for a problem below by putting your name under the appropriate column. (Sample sign-ups are shown below.) Within a group, each person should do a different problem.

Microteaching is required for students teaching lecture subjects. If you are a lab subject TA and want a chance to practice, please see us - we may have a few additional slots available.

Problem # Link to problem statement Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4
1 prob 1, grp 1 prob 1, grp 2
2 prb 2, grp 1
3 prb 3, grp 4
4
5
6

Handouts and Links to Resources

Handouts

Final versions will go here and hardcopies will be available at the session.

Team-building exercise (PDF)

Links

Teaching Resources

Helping Students

Please do not hesitate to talk to the faculty member(s) teaching your subject if you encounter an extraordinary situation – you are not expected to shoulder the brunt of student difficulties. For your reference, some resources for students (that includes most of you, in fact!) are below.

  • Student Support Services
    • Room 5-104; 253.4861
    • Students who are experiencing academic or personal difficulty can be referred to the S3 office.
  • Resource List 1
  • Resource List 2
  • BE Tutoring Service
    • Tutors are available for many UG core classes. More details soon.
  • Office of Minority Education
    • Room 4-113; 253.5010
    • OME offers a tutoring service open to all students by appointment.
  • Disabilities Services Office
    • Room 7-145; 253.1674
    • Note that faculty should be the primary contact for working with the DSO; this link is provided in case you need additional support or information.

TA Panel Content

The following discussion topics are adapated from the 5.111 Boot Camp as well as from past departmental TA trainings.

  1. Making good use of office hours (Rachel)
    • How do OH differ from recitations?
    • What strategies can make OH most effective?
  2. Understanding undergraduate culture and managing your time (Bryan)
    • How to set limits with students behaving dependently.
    • Resources available for you and for your students.
  3. Your role in detecting and curbing academic dishonesty (Edgar)
    • What you might encounter, what to do.
  4. Contributing to course building and administration (Venky)
    • Preparing effective psets, solutions, and exam material.
    • Balancing biology-centric and engineering-centric content for students with different backgrounds.
    • Special sessions for introducing new programming modules (MATLAB, Python, PyMol etc) and pre-exam revisions.
    • Using the course websites as a communication platform and its effective maintenance
  5. Potential recitation roadblocks (Jeff)
    • Dealing with gaps in your knowledge.
    • Helping weaker students without derailing recitation.
    • Engaging advanced students without dwelling on tangents.
  6. TAing a lab class (Robbie)
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