Establishing a partnership with faculty

Establishing a Partnership with Faculty

A shared understanding of course goals, policies, and expectations achieved through frequent communication between the TA and professor.

An effective partnership is characterized by a clearly defined division of teaching roles and responsibilities.

• Establishing communication before the class begins to identify course goals and align expectations of students, TA, and professor .
  
• Maintaining open communication throughout the course regarding students readiness levels, areas of strengths and weaknesses.
  
• Previewing activities used in discussion sections with the professor to get any guidance.

• Communicates to students that TA is competent and can be trusted.
  
• Reduces student anxiety and improves performance.
  
• Helps ensure that students’ behavior supports learning objectives.
  
• Increases teaching satisfaction and effectiveness.
  
• Helps TA anticipate and schedule his/her duties and responsibilities throughout the semester.
  
• Helps TA identify and target the most essential course content and skills for students to practice, and to better integrate discussion sections with course lectures, readings, and graded assignments.