For Teaching Assistants


I sometimes send this page to prospective teaching assistants ("TAs", here including both undergraduates and graduate students) to ask them for important information and tell them my expectations. I may modify or add to these expectations in course materials or in my instructions to you.

Please send me the following information as soon as possible:

  1. Whether you can attend the class sessions; if you can't, the college may need to reassign you
  2. Whether you prefer having a physical copy of the course textbook (if there is one)
  3. Your name as you'd like it to appear on the syllabus
  4. Your email address for the syllabus
  5. Optionally, your pronouns for the syllabus (I always include mine)
  6. Office hours and location; choose two hours a week on different weekdays and different times of day between 9am and 6pm

Here are the typical categories of tasks I will ask you to perform:

  1. Attending class every day
  2. Reading required readings and watching required videos
  3. Circulating around the classroom to talk with students during group discussions
  4. Grading assignments, either according to rubrics I will provide or for completion
  5. Holding office hours
  6. Keeping track of students' membership in group projects

Here are some important details I should send you, and if I haven’t, please remind me:

  1. When my office hours are, and potentially those of other TAs, so you can choose different times for yours
  2. If I have a preference for where you hold office hours
  3. Whether there are grading deadlines you should be aware of for assignments
  4. A time for us to talk briefly at the beginning of the semester

I look forward to working with you. Let me know if you have any questions.