TAing at PENN
Welcome to being a TA at Penn. This is an important step
toward becoming a professor: it will allow you to develop as
an instructor with the help of an experienced teacher and to
start forming your own ideas about teaching. As a TA, you
will also play a crucial role in undergraduate education by,
among other things, providing instruction in small sections,
leading labs, and grading.
This guide both connects you with the online TA Handbook
and lists resources that TAs often seek. The online handbook
is a reference tool for you to use during your teaching career
at Penn. Before the semester begins, consult the handbook
online and focus on the sections most appropriate to you.
Resources and Support for You and Your Students
Course Problem Notices
www.upenn.edu/isc/apps/CoursesInTouch
Critical Writing Program: The Writing Center
www.writing.upenn.edu/critical/
If a student’s work becomes unsatisfactory, sending a Course
The Writing Center provides undergraduate and graduate
Problem Notice alerts the student’s academic adviser and
tutors who can help students develop, organize, and struc-
other offices that may help the student.
ture their essays.
CaseNet
www.college.upenn.edu/casenet/
Communication Within the Curriculum (CWiC)
www.sas.upenn.edu/cwic/
CaseNet provides a centralized response to all College
students in academic difficulty. If you have concerns about
a student, a CaseNet director can answer your questions
and connect the student with resources.
Save this resource list for future reference.
For more about CTL
www.upenn.edu/ctl/
Weingarten Learning Resources Center
www.vpul.upenn.edu/lrc
Weingarten offers students one-on-one help and workshops
To contact CTL
ctl-help@sas.upenn.edu
in skills such as time management, reading efficiently, taking
lecture notes, and test-taking.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
www.vpul.upenn.edu/caps/
Students with concerns of a personal, emotional, social, or
educational nature can visit CAPS for help and guidance
without charge.
College of Arts and Sciences Website
www.college.upenn.edu
A valuable website for all things academic including policies,
grading, curricular requirements, academic options, course
selection and registration, procedures, and teaching awards.
CWiC can help undergraduate students preparing oral presentations and can offer suggestions on how to effectively
use student presentations in class.
Reference Services
gethelp.library.upenn.edu/reference/vanpelt.html
Reference librarians are available to help students assess
their research needs, evaluate how to start their research
projects, and find materials.
Tutoring Center
www.vpul.upenn.edu/tutoring
The Tutoring Center provides subject-specific tutors for many
of the core introductory and intermediate undergraduate
courses and some upper level courses.
Weigle Information Commons
www.wic.library.upenn.edu
If you or your students need help with instructional technology, WIC offers workshops and one-on-one instruction for
both beginners and experts. It also provides group space for
students and a variety of multi-media opportunities.
TA Handbook
Developing as a Teacher
For a more detailed discussion of TAing at Penn, consult the
The process of developing as a teacher is an ongoing one.
TA Handbook online.
In order to continue to improve you will want to reflect on
www.upenn.edu/ctl/resources/general_guidance/
penns_ta_handbook/chapter_1_introduction/
Like all teaching handbooks, Penn’s TA Handbook is a
starting point for your teaching. It contains some concrete
information but also discusses ideas about teaching and
strategies that may or may not work for you. As you teach
your experiences and evaluate what does and does not work
for you.
CTL offers the CTL Teaching Certificate which provides
a structured way to hone your teaching skills and official
recognition of your desire to improve as a teacher. For more
information, see the CTL website.
and reflect on what you are doing, you will gain confidence
and a sense of your own style.
In addition, whether you are an outstanding teacher, a
struggling one, or simply have questions about teaching at
In Penn’s TA Handbook, you’ll find:
•
Introduction: Being a TA at Penn
•
TAs and Time Management
•
Leading Discussions
•
Leading Recitations in the Sciences and
Quantitative Social Sciences
•
Teaching Science Labs
•
Lecturing
•
Grading
•
Constructing Assignments and Tests
•
Teaching Your Own Course
•
Teaching with Technology
•
International TAs at Penn
•
Resources
•
Your Teaching – Moving Forward
Penn, the CTL staff can help. CTL offers:
• Graduate student led workshops on teaching, within
and across departments.
• Consultations on any aspect of your teaching, from
classroom management to grading.
• Observation of your teaching, focusing on helping you
reach your goals.
• One-on-one and group discussions of your teaching
philosophy.
www.sas.upenn.edu/ctl/
www.sas.upenn.edu/ctl/
TA
Guide
to teaching
resources
at Penn