Congratulations on your appointment as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)

You may be assigned to TA for an instructor and/or may soon be scheduled to teach your own course. In either case, the resources on this page are for you. Although roles and responsibilities vary across departments, types of courses (upper versus lower, lab versus recitation, etc.), most of your questions should be answered here. If I have missed something, do not not hesitate to ask. It is a good idea to have a copy of your Position Description handy and make sure you are aware of your responsibilities for your specific assignment. A sample PD (from Psychology) is posted below as an example:

GTAs who are assigned as an assistant to an instructor work under the supervision of the Instructor of Record, and are responsible for understanding course objectives and curricula, holding office hours, grading assignments, assisting with class activities and proctoring exams, and entering grades.

As a general rule, if you are ever in doubt about what to do related to teaching, ask your supervisor/instructor/me. Every instructor is different and may have idiosyncrasies (and quirks). Some instructors welcome feedback and critique from TAs, others do not. Get to know your instructor and their preferences well. If you are not clear on what you can and should give feedback on, just ask.

For some of you, teaching is a passion, whereas for others it is just a job. Some of you may not know how you feel about teaching and may never have been a TA even as an undergrad. My goal is to help you TA/teach effectively and efficiently and yes, maybe even to enjoy it. On the following pages you will learn all about the nuts and bolts of being a TA. Ensure you take all the important training that will inform you about student rights, and your legal obligations. You are now an OSU employee and will be interacting with students in a professional and official capacity.

Thank you for your efforts to serve students.