Resources for Departmental TA Development

Mentoring graduate students in relationship to their teaching responsibilities should be part of the departmental culture. Because teaching expertise represents a set of skills and attitudes acquired through training and experience, preparation for and practice in teaching is the core of a TA development program.

• University TA Standards
  Teaching Assistants (TAs) must meet University-wide standards prior to assuming one of the various instructional roles at the Florida State University. These standards can be found on the Graduate School's Blackboard organization site (requires Blackboard authentication) which houses forms, graduate policy update notifications, publications, and more.


• University Policy on Sexual Harassment
  Training on sexual harassment policy is required by the University for all TAs before they begin teaching. This training is offered by The Office of Audit Services at the PIE Fall Teaching Conference and in January during the PIE Spring TA workshop. Registration is available during those times. This training can also be scheduled at your convenience by contacting The Office of Audit Services.


• TA Supervisors
  PIE maintains a network of departmental faculty TA Supervisors to facilitate communication on issues related to TAs. Each year PIE holds an orientation for TA Supervisors to update and plan for the next year. The network functions as a leadership and planning group for TA issues at the University.


• Faculty Handbook
  The Faculty Handbook contains standards, policies and general information about teaching at FSU.
  
  
• Instruction at FSU
  This handbook has been designed to help those instructional faculty and graduate teaching assistants who are interested in being more effective teachers.
  
  
• Preparing Future Faculty (PFF)
  PFF assists doctoral students (and others headed toward academic careers) to get ready for faculty work. Through participation in coursework, workshops, mentoring, and partner institution site visits, PFF Fellows increase their awareness of expectations for faculty performance and of resources available to aid in scholarly careers, and build their readiness to address research, teaching and related demands of faculty life.
  
  
• PIE Fall Teaching Conference
  The conference helps orient TAs to their instructional roles and responsibilities at FSU and introduces them to best teaching practices and policies and services of the University as they relate to teaching. Since the conference accommodates TAs across disciplines and with varied teaching responsibilities it is usually followed by discipline-specific training sessions in individual departments.
  
  
• PIE Associate Program
  The PIE Associate Program helps to improve teaching across campus by helping departments enhance their TA training programs and establish interdisciplinary connections and community among graduate students at FSU. PIE Associates serve for one year and earn a stipend for his/her work.
  
  
• Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards (OTAA)
  The University recognizes the outstanding contribution TAs make to the instructional mission of the University with the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards. These awards are given to TAs in recognition of their distinguished contributions to undergraduate student learning through excellence in instruction.
  

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