CONTENTS
I.
Introduction
II. General Purpose of Discussion Sections
III. Responsibilities
- TA's Responsibilities to Students
- TA's Responsibilities to the Faculty Member
- TA's Responsibilities to Themselves and Fellow TAs
- TA's Responsibilities to the History Department
- Supervising Faculty Member's Responsibilities to TAs
IV. Resources
- History Department Staff
- Office Equipment
- Instructional Development
- Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS)
- Fellow TAs
- TA Orientation Committee
- First Sections
- Promoting Discussion
- Administrative Concerns
- Grading
- Review Sessions
- Make-up Exams
- Office Hours & Alternative Classroom Arrangements
- Miscellaneous
- Add/Drop Procedures
- Honors Sections
VI. Campus, Department and UC Regulations
- Sexual Harassment
- Cheating
- Record-keeping
- Offices
- Dress Code
- Discrimination
- Learning Disabilities/Disabled Students
This manual has several goals. One is
to outline the responsibilities of teaching assistants and of the faculty
members who supervise them. Another is to provide general guidelines and
practical suggestions to help TAs become more effective teachers.
These goals cannot be achieved without
mutual cooperation and respect between faculty members and TAs. The faculty member provides guidance and support, drawing
upon his or her experience and expertise. The TA, in more direct and daily
contact with the students, keeps the faculty member informed of developments
in the sections. A feeling of common effort and an environment free of
intimidation, gossip, and destructive competition are essential conditions
for effective teaching.
II. GENERAL PURPOSE OF DISCUSSION SECTIONS
The principal aim of section meetings
is to provide a forum for students to discuss the ideas and themes of
the course. Discussion sections allow the student to speak in order to
gain knowledge and understanding and to exchange ideas and opinions. TAs
are essential to this process. The TA determines the general
course of the discussion, makes sure the most important issues are brought
forth, and keeps the discussion from wandering off track. The guidance
of the discussion needs to be done with firmness as well as tact. It is
the TA's duty to see that the students talk to each other and to each
other's points.
The section may be used for other purposes
such as quizzes and student questions. The student should feel free to
call upon the greater knowledge and experience of the TA to clarify matters
of fact or interpretation. The section, however, should not become a lecture
session. A good discussion will let the student, and sometimes even the
TA, emerge with new insights and understanding. It is not easy to run
an effective discussion section, but when it works it makes all the effort
worthwhile.
A. TA's
Responsibilities to Students
1. Come to section
meetings on time and prepared. You should come to class
with a plan in mind, having worked out a line of questioning that will
enable you to cover the main points and themes of the week's readings.
2. Do what is
not easily done in lecture hall. Section meetings are the arena where
students can ask questions and clear up any areas of confusion.
3. Learn students'
names--a high-priority task for you. Consider using name cards for each
student and yourself. This also allows for the students to learn each
others' names.
4. Try to identify
students who are experiencing difficulty early in the quarter. Keep a
watch for signs such as inadequate writing skills, poor study habits,
poor preparation, and repeated absences. If appropriate, offer personal
assistance, or recommend campus resources.
5. Clearly explain
what the section grade is based on and prepare a section syllabus stating
the section requirements and grading system (provide a copy of the syllabus
to the faculty member). Handle the administrative matters of attendance,
make-up exams, and add/drop petitions. [Clear all permissions for make-up
exams with the faculty member first. See part V.F (Practical Tips/Make-up
Exams) for the departmental policy on make-ups.]
6. Maintain
an environment conducive to learning. Elicit and support intellectual
dissent and critical thinking. Encourage students to think for themselves.
Actively supervise the discussion, but avoid dominating it and be alert
to ways to maximize the students' participation. Be gentle and supportive
(and always avoid sarcasm) when making corrections in class and on written
assignments.
7. Pursue and
maintain academic honesty and integrity. Make it hard for cheating to
occur.
8. Be sensitive to students' feelings, especially concerning issues
of race, sex, class, age, national origin, and religion. Use appropriate
gender and racial terms and be specific in your use of language. Be sure
to read the campus website on sexual harassment at www.shot9.ucsb.edu. (See section on Campus, Department and UC Regulations.)
9. Be available to students. Maintain two office hours per week
and schedule additional office hours by appointment as necessary. Consider
student needs when scheduling office hours. (Is
10. Read and
grade exams and papers in a timely fashion and supply ample feedback through
written comments. Under usual circumstances, written work should be
returned within one week. If you are a TA in a General Education "Writing
Requirement" course (e.g., History 4, 7, 8, 17, 80, 90), devote extra
effort to help your students improve their writing skills.
11. Be aware of campus deadlines and policies for dropping, adding,
grade option changes, withdrawals from a course, incomplete petitions,
etc. This will help you advise students more effectively.
12. Work with
the faculty member and fellow TAs to ensure consistency in grading. Find
out early in the quarter what your professor expects for a grad distribution.
13. You are
responsible for reporting final course grades for every student
on your class list. Make sure that every student in your section appears
on your class list, and that you can account for every student on your
class list.
14. Grades must
not be posted in any fashion nor given out over the phone or by email.
Students who wish to know their grade before the Registrar officially
notifies them must see you in person or make a written request to you.
Student's will sometimes give you a stamped envelope so you can send their
blue books back to them at the end of the quarter.
15. Know
where the fire exits are for your classroom.
16. At the end
of the quarter, you must submit your grades through e-grades. There is a link to the site on the history department’s
homepage.
B.
TA's Responsibilities to the Faculty Member
1. Attend all
lectures. Pay attention and take notes.
2. Read all
assigned readings.
3. Make sure
students understand lecture content.
4. Provide feedback
to the faculty member by expressing views from your experience as well
as relaying students' reactions and concerns.
5. Attend and
actively proctor exams. You must be available to your students and faculty
member during exams and to the faculty member for any grading meetings.
6. Be supportive of the faculty member in section. Remember, your
role is to explain and clarify the course material as presented. Avoid
negative undercutting of texts or the faculty member, but feel free to
express differing interpretations or other viewpoints.
7. Be ready to provide samples (or indeed sometimes all) of your
graded materials for the faculty member's inspection. This is one of the
best methods faculty members have of working to ensure uniformity of grading
over sections.
8. Provide the
faculty member with copies of your section syllabus and all handouts you
design for your students.
9. Sign up for
an e-mail account and learn how to use it. For an e-mail account, see
the U-Mail Help Desk in Phelps Hall for assistance. Be sure to give your
e-mail address to Catherine and Darcy.
You may also want to consider creating a website using u-web, www.uweb.ucsb.edu.
C. TA's Responsibilities
to Themselves and Fellow TAs
1. TAs
and all graduate students must be enrolled in 12 units per quarter.
(History 500 counts for 4 of these.)
2. As part of
the History 500 course, TAs are required
to attend the TA training seminars scheduled throughout the year.
3. Don't permit
TAing to eclipse your own graduate studies.
If you feel that you are spending too much time, go to the faculty member
and discuss priorities. It is, after all, a half-time job.
4. Confer regularly
with your fellow TAs. You are highly encouraged
to arrange to visit each other's sections, to get ideas and to see how
the same material might be handled differently.
D.
TA's Responsibilities to the History Department
1. As TAs, part
of your success depends on establishing a good working relationship with
the office staff. Practice courtesy and consideration in dealing with
the office staff. Know your responsibilities as a TA and be informed of
office regulations. Be aware of the staff's responsibilities, and try
to direct questions and problems to the appropriate person. (For
staff duties see Section IV, part A.) Except in extraordinary circumstances,
the office staff WILL NOT complete any of your administrative/paperwork
obligations, especially in reporting individual grades. (It is
imperative that you make sure that every student attending your section
is on YOUR grade sheet, not someone else's.) Finally, do not disturb the
office staff outside of the normal hours of operation (M-F 9-12, 1-4).
2. Hand out
course evaluations in all your sections at the end of the quarter and
have a trustworthy student return them in a sealed envelope to Mike Tucker
in the department. You and your supervising faculty member can review
the results of your evaluations after grades are submitted. A computer-generated
quantitative summary of these evaluations becomes a permanent part of
your file in the department.
3. TAs
must attend the annual TA orientation meeting and TA training sessions
throughout the year. This is a department requirement.
4. Follow department
add/drop policies. (See Section V, part H on
add/drop procedures below.)
5. Provide Catherine
Salzgeber and the faculty member with your office
hours as soon as possible. If these change during the quarter you must
inform the department (through Catherine), the faculty member, and your
students.
E.
Supervising Faculty Member's Responsibilities to TAs
1. Meet weekly
with all TAs to provide supervision, support and instruction. (TAs enroll in this lab/seminar as History 500 for 4 pass/no pass
units.)
2. Help TAs
prepare for their section by communicating lecture goals and themes. Suggest
discussion questions and themes to be elicited from the readings. Indicate
when certain material needs emphasis in sections because it will not be
covered in lecture. Give suggestions for dealing with a difficult section.
3. Provide guidance
in grading and help to create a uniform standard of grading among the
TAs. Often this involves extensive reviewing (or spot-checking)
of TA-graded papers and exams. Faculty members are responsible for setting
grading standards for exams and papers, and making sure the TAs understand
them. One efficient way to do this is to hold a meeting after each examination
to discuss grading standards.
4. Establish
clear and uniform policies for make-ups, incompletes, late papers, and
add/drops.
5. Evaluate
each TA's performance at the end of the quarter on the standard departmental
form. TAs can--and should--ask to see these evaluations at the end of
the term. Evaluation should be based in part on a prearranged visitation
of one entire section meeting for each TA. Provide feedback in the form
of concrete suggestions for improvement; this is often best done in a
private consultation with the TA right after the visitation. Classroom
visits should be undertaken with care to avoid undermining the TA's credibility
or jeopardizing rapport with the students. A faculty member may also want
to review a TA's course evaluations or a TA's videotaped section (only
with the TA's permission) and discuss these with the TA.
6. Monitor each
TA's grade curve for fairness and consistency.
7. Establish
a policy regarding contested grades. Cooperate and consult with the TA
involved when handling a contested grade or a difficult or disruptive
student. TAs should inform the lecturer of problems.
8. Recognize
that being a TA is a half-time job when developing the course requirements.
The TAs primary responsibility is to make progress in their coursework
and their research. Be realistic about the number of papers, quizzes,
and exams the TAs are expected to handle.
This section is designed to give you
some introductory information about resources that are available to you.
The staff will assist graduate students
in various ways relevant to their status as students, teaching assistants,
and teaching associates. The department as a whole seeks a cordial atmosphere;
please respect the staff's primary responsibility to their jobs. The following
is a list of the departmental staff and their duties relevant to graduate
students.
Maria
Perez:
893-2993 (Monday through Friday, 9-12 and 1-4); e-mail: perez@history.ucsb.edu. Maria Perez,
M.S.O., is the chief administrator for the department, supervising and
coordinating all staff in the office. She acts as the Chair's main staff
person. If a graduate student needs to see the Chair, she can arrange
the appointment.
Darcy Ritzau: 893-3056 (Monday through Friday, 8-12); e-mail: ritzau@history.ucsb.edu. Darcy is the
Graduate Program Assistant, the main staff person dealing with currently
enrolled graduate students. In consultation with the Chair, she makes
TA section assignments and handles the reapplication process for TAships. She also is in charge of student evaluations of TAs,
which you may see after grades are turned in. She assigns TA offices and
holds all office keys (including extras if you get locked out). Additionally, she handles TA fee remissions,
fee fellowships, and departmental money including fellowships and travel. Please note that she is in her office during
the mornings only.
Carolyn Isono-Grapard: Phone: 893-2224 (Monday through Friday, 1-5); e-mail:
isono@history.ucsbledu. Carolyn is the
Graduate Program Assistant for the Public History program. She deals with
graduate admission and deals with some aspects of administration for TAs,
such as employing TAs, verifying TAs' registration, and making changes
in employment information. See her to get on the payroll and to bring
your employment information up to date (your paycheck depends on this).
Please note that Carolyn is only here in the afternoons.
Loretta Holt: 893-2392 (Monday through Friday, 9-12 and 1-4); e-mail:
pfeil@history.ucsb.edu. Carol
is Staff Assistant for Accounting. She deals with necessary paperwork
for graduate student employment other than teaching assistantships (e.g.,
readers, graduate student assitants, etc.).
Carol also handles payroll. Signed monthly timesheets for hourly employees
are submitted to her. (NOTE: TA positions are monthly and require no timesheets.)
Please remember that if you have not checked in with Carol to do paperwork
for each new job (or change in existing position), it is
impossible to receive a paycheck for that job. Regardless of what a professor
says, the job does not exist until Carol inputs it on-line.
Carol administers extramural grant funding once it has been awarded.
(Catherine handles the whole application process, then
she turns the file over to Carol.) She
prepares the forms which initiate stipend checks associated with outside
funding.
Catherine Salzgeber: Catherine Salzgeber:_ 893-2991 (Monday through
Friday, 9-12 and 1-4); e-mail: salzgeber@history.ucsb.edu Catherine is the Academic Personnel Assistant
and the Contracts and Grants Liaison for the department office. She advertises
temporary teaching positions which grad students might be eligible to
teach as Teaching Associates, prepares employment forms for Teaching Associates.
She also assists grad students with grad proposal submissions through
the Office of Research. If you are going to apply for any grant
the first thing you should do is bring her a copy of the grant guidelines
so she can determine if you must submit your proposal through the Office
of Research or not. If you fail to do so the Office of Research and Accounting
will hold up your funding until you do so. Submitting your proposal
through the Office of Research will mean having to give the OR an extra
few days to review your proposal, so plan ahead and she Catherine as soon
as you decide to apply. don't wait until
you've written your proposal. She also collects and posts the office hours
in the first week of classes. It is important to give her information
on which sections you are TAing, where your
office is, and what arrangements for student contact you are making (availability
of home phone number, office hours, etc.). Any changes must be relayed
to her as soon as possible. She and Mike Tucker must be informed if your
section or office hours have been canceled due to illness or emergency
or if you are arranging other times and places to meet.
Mike Tucker: 893-2992 (Monday through Friday, 9-12 and 1-4); e-mail:
tucker@history.
Mike is Staff Undergraduate Advisor and Assistant. He deals with scheduling
of rooms, textbook ordering, undergraduate records, and assists faculty
advisors with undergraduate advising. If you need to make any changes
in section schedules, you must work through Mike. If you need a room for
a review session or a rescheduled section you must submit your request
to Mike at least ten days in advance to book a room through the registrar's
office. Make-up exams should be scheduled as far in advance as possible,
because space is limited. Mike WILL NOT PROCTOR or time your
make-up exams; that is the TA's responsibility.
Mike will also handle student evaluations as your sections turn them in,
and your grade sheets. Finally, Mike receives and files items for the
"student pick-up" bin and provides grade books. He and Catherine
must be informed if your section or office hours have been canceled due
to illness or emergency or if you are arranging other times and places
to meet. If you have any other administrative questions,
Mike will most likely know the answer.
Deanne Day- Phone 893-2991 (Monday through Friday, 8-3); e-mail: deanneday@history.ucsb.edu Deanne is an Administrative Assistant/Receptionist.
She answers the main History telephone line, sorts and delivers the mail,
duplicates materials for classes that don't have TA's, deals with copier
and duplicator problems, and inventories supplies. Deanne also assists
the Undergraduate Advisor with book orders andTA
evaluations; and is in training for contract and grant administration
B. Office Equipment
Use equipment at your own risk between
12 and
Digital duplicator:
The digital duplicator, located in the copier room, is for your use in
duplicating material for sections (it is only to be used for 25 copies
or more). The instructions are located on the front of the machine. You
must use this machine for duplicating course-related materials.
C. Instructional
Development – www.id.ucsb.edu
Instructional Development is located
in Kerr Hall on the first floor. This department directs the activities
of the campus TA training program. It also offers a videotaping service,
which gives you the opportunity to evaluate the teaching methods you currently
use, discuss what you would like to change, and explore new teaching techniques.
The History Department requires
that all TAs with three quarters of experience or less be videotaped in
a classroom during their first year. Please do this during the FALL QUARTER.
You may arrange for a videotaping of your section on your own, at any
time. You will then view and discuss your tape with an instructional consultant.
After this consultation, you will meet with a lead TA in the department
to discuss teaching strategies and substance. To set up a taping session,
call Television Services, 893-3341 or tavideo@id.ucsb.edu. The consultant's
evaluation of your tape will not become a part of your history department
file. Instructional Development will report to the department that you
have fulfilled your obligation.
Instructional Development publishes
the TA Digest, which offers tips on teaching. This office also
produces booklets that address specific teaching problems. A particularly
helpful booklet is Possibilities: Scenarios and Scripts to Help Teaching
Assistants Respond to Student Writing in All Disciplines. They also
maintain a set of videotapes on instructional strategies, including one
produced by history department TAs in 1987 titled "The History TA's
First Section."
D. Campus Learning
Assistance Services (CLAS) – www.clas.ucsb.edu
It is not always possible to provide
students with the help they need, either because of time constraints or
your own lack of training in dealing with particularly difficult educational
problems. You can refer students with serious skills problems to CLAS.
This program offers general study skills workshops, applied workshops
tailored to particular class requirements, and individualized writing
instruction. The general workshops cover skills such as exam preparation,
time management, note-taking, memory and concentration, textbook reading,
problem-solving strategies, textbook underlining, effective speaking,
rapid reading, and critical reading. The writing lab offers assistance
at all stages of composition, from planning to revision. CLAS services
are free and available to all registered UCSB students. Each quarter CLAS
publishes a schedule for the workshops. Students need to sign up for appointments
at the writing lab and the general workshops in advance.
Students should be reminded that whenever
a student talks to someone else (CLAS, another TA, etc.) about a writing
assignment, that student should double-check the other person's advice
with you. You will grade the assignment, after all.
Perhaps one the best resources available
to any TA, new or continuing, is a fellow TA. Experienced TAs can offer
suggestions on planning sections, dealing with problem students, grading,
adding and dropping students from sections, and almost any other question
that arises when you are TAing. And if they
don't know something, they can usually tell you who might. Visiting another
TA's section is an excellent way to see your own classes in a new perspective;
be sure to secure advance permission to visit. Since there is no "perfect"
way to teach, talk to several TAs to see how they would approach the problem
you are facing.
Committee members will be available
for consultation throughout the year. The lead TAs will hold weekly office
hours specifically to meet with TAs to discuss any problems or questions
related to TAing that may arise. Use of these
office hours might include, but are not limited to, such questions as
clarification of departmental policies, discussion of ideas or problems
regarding section, section videotaping, etc. In cases where the lead
TAs are unable to be of assistance, they can offer suggestions
regarding who to see in the department to handle particular problems.
The members of the TA Orientation Committee are:
John Lee: e-mail jwilee@history.ucsb.edu, 805-893-2286.
Joe
Campo
The following suggestions have been
culled from the TA Digest, experienced TAs, and previous departmental
TA manuals. These tips are not hard-and-fast rules, but they can help
you deal with issues that all TAs face. They may alert you to potential
problems, as well as provide you with possible solutions.
1. Encourage
everyone to say something in the first section. If students get used to
talking from the very beginning, they will usually continue to do so.
You might ask them to tell what historical figure they'd like to meet
and why, or ask them to analyze a brief document.
2. Since most
people are uncomfortable speaking in front of strangers, try to create
a common bond among the students in the first section. One method is have
several small groups work out the answers to questions (a non-threatening
quiz, or a textual analysis of a short passage from a primary source),
and then discuss their findings with the rest of the class.
3. Establish
your policies and grading in the first class. Clarify how participation
will influence grades, and do this early and clearly. Explain
how you define participation, and consider offering alternative assignments
to students who are uncomfortable speaking up in class, such as having
them talk to you privately in your office. Also remind students that they
must get a C, not a C-, if they are taking the class pass/no pass. It
is against University policy for them to tell you what their grading option
is.
1. Before initiating
discussion of a topic, stimulate student recall of the material. Ask for
someone to summarize the topics covered in lecture that week. Or provide
a brief summary of material that was covered last week. Or simploy
ask, "Did you like the reading?"
2. If you want
students to talk, consider the environment. Students may engage in a discussion,
as opposed to a question-and-answer session, if they can make eye contact
with each other. Arranging the desks in a semi-circle is one method of
furthering discussion. (Some TAs prefer to sit
in this circle, but if you use the blackboard a lot, you may prefer to
stand.)
3. Start with
questions that are basic (factual rather than analytical) and easy, ones
that everyone can answer, to maximize participation at the outset. Gradually
increase the difficulty level of the questions to ones which ask the student
to analyze and synthesize information from the readings and lectures.
4. Think of
classroom silence as productive. After all, students deserve a chance
to think before they answer. Try not to get impatient if nobody comes
up with an answer instantly.
5. When a class
appears reticent to discuss a topic, consider breaking it into small groups
briefly and reconvening it for reports, or consider allowing a student
to lead the discussion.
6. Small groups
or debates can be particularly effective if arranged the previous week:
divide the class, and tell each group what material it's responsible for.
You can also set up debates a week ahead, where students have to both
defend their side's position and defend it from the other side's "attack."
7. Try assigning
students to write a paragraph each week in preparation for class about
some selected portion of the assigned reading. Have them turn the paragraphs
in at the beginning of class. Groups of students can be assigned different
portions, thus ensuring that each student will be knowledgeable about
at least some part of the assignment.
8. Try to get
students to speak to the entire class, not just to you.
9. Ask students
to support their opinions and to give examples. This helps make complex
material easier to understand, and it reminds students that they need
to be able to support their ideas with evidence. Try to get your students
in the habit of citing their sources.
10. Vary the
types of questions you use. Use fill-in-the-blank questions for warm-up
exercises, or whenever you sense a sudden pocket of common ignorance in
the class. Open-ended questions permit students to elaborate and think
through their answer rather than just give a brief response. If students
cannot respond to your first question, rephrase it. Your follow-up question
can help the students to focus on previous material that might be relevant,
or to draw their attention to some limitation or inconsistency in a previous
response.
11. Develop
a game plan for silent students. Some can be emboldened to participate
if you stress that you understand that everyone worries about appearing
foolish or ignorant, and it is okay to say things that are not 100% accurate.
(Sometimes wrong ideas can promote a very lively discussion.) Assure them
that you want them to speak up when they don't understand something, for
it is very likely that quite a few people don't understand it also.
12. Encourage
and recognize students' contributions. Be alert to nonverbal cues signaled
by students who do not participate often, and give them the floor. Be
sure to recognize and praise particularly insightful or provocative remarks.
13. One way to increase student participation and encourage good
class preparation is to have the students prepare questions as if they
were the TA for the next section. Remind them that their questions should
be ones that bring out the important themes and ideas in the readings,
as well as questions which help tie the readings and lectures together.
The following week break them into small groups (for perhaps five minutes)
so that each group can chose three or four questions to ask the rest of
the section. Then have each group in turn ask a question, until they have
run out of questions.
14. You may
want to give weekly homework assignments where the students write a brief
essay (from one paragraph to one page in length), discussion questions,
or a thesis statement answering a particular question. Weekly homework
can provide a starting point for discussions in section. Such assignments
also allow students to see what you're looking for, and where their writing
needs work.
15. Provide
a summary or conclusion at the end of each class. By summarizing the main
points which have been discussed, you provide the students with a sense
of closure and help them remember. This can also be accomplished by having
students contribute their conclusions.
1. It is important
to keep weekly records of student participation, since your recollection
of student activity in the earlier part of the quarter tends to be hazy
if you haven't provided yourself with notes. There are several ways of
keeping these records. One is to write up your observations on the students right after class, and then use these notes when you
determine the section grade. Another is to use a scale of 0 to 3, [where
0= no show, 1=C, 2=B, 3=A] to rate student performance every week.
2. On occasion,
you may need to schedule make-up sections for an entire section. In fall
quarter, there's a two-day holiday for Thanksgiving that will affect Thursday
and Friday sections. In winter quarter, there are two Monday holidays.
You may want to have students come to your other sections that are not
affected by the days off; you may want to schedule a room through Mike
and hold one big make-up section.
Exams and papers:
1. It is imperative
that you grade exams and papers anonymously. Fold back the covers of the
blue books and don't check names. For papers, insist that students include
a title page on their papers, which is the only place their name should
appear. Fold back these title pages before you begin reading the paper.
This helps you guard against the influence of your personal feelings about
individual students.
2. Quickly read
about ten or so blue books or papers to get an overall sense of the range
of student response. It is useful to make initial comments in pencil,
and then go over them in ink. What we expect and what we get are often
radically different. Definitely write your initial grades in pencil.
3. Before grading
exams, go through your lecture notes and section plans and create a sheet
which lists information and examples that the students could reasonably
be expected to have at their disposal to answer the questions.
4. When the
students have a choice of questions on which to write for either exams
or papers, read all of one question at the same time. Then read the next
set.
5. On first
reading exams, stack broad categories first (A, B, C, D, F).
Then return to the piles for more refined judgments, making sure all of
the same grade are on a par, and adding plus
and minus signs. Expect to move individual exams from pile to pile on
re-reading them. Put the final grade on in ink only at the end of the
process.
6. Make marginal
comments pointing out factual errors, vagueness, awkwardness, or the need
for evidence. Always avoid sarcasm, put downs, or insulting remarks. At
the end of the essay, summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the exam,
so the student will know how to improve.
a) Use ink,
not pencil, when marking final grade.
b) Try to provide
students with substantial written comments on midterms and papers. Compose
a paragraph of commentary, which balances positive and negative comments.
Don't be concerned with merely justifying your grade by pointing out what
was wrong, but don't overdo praise either. This allows students to learn
from their mistakes, as well as to get a better sense of what they were
graded on.
c) For papers,
be especially vigilant in marking grammatical errors, vague language,
or awkward phrasing. Writing requirement courses are supposed to teach
students how to write; this will not happen if their mistakes are not
pointed out to them.
d) Many TAs
write fewer comments on final exams because most students do not return
the next quarter to pick up their exams. But you should jot down abbreviated
comments to remind yourself of how you evaluated the exam. You can volunteer
to write more extensive comments for those who do come by to ask for their
exam.
e) Inform your
students of the importance of picking up exams and papers, both so students
will learn from reading the comments and so that they will accumulate
a file of exams and papers that will be useful in the event that the student
needs a letter of reference from the instructor in later years.
7. Consider
composing your comments on a computer. Comments then may be edited, refined,
and reconsidered. Print out these comments and clip them to the exams
or papers. You then also have a permanent record of comments you have
made for each student.
8. Hand back
midterms and papers at the end of section so that students don't spend
the class hour brooding about their grade. Encourage students who have
questions about the exam to see you in office hours. Ask students to wait
at least 24 hours to discuss grades. You might ask them to write a one-page
explanation of why they think their work should be reevaluated. Express
your willingness to explain what was required in the exam or paper and
to help them improve their work. Encourage or require all students who
receive a C- or lower on any assignment to meet with you to discuss their
grade.
Complaints:
1. When a student
is not satisfied with a grade, recheck your own evaluation. It is best
to not reread the exam while the student is waiting for you because it
is too easy to feel pressured in that situation. After you have discussed
the work and its shortcomings together, if the student is still unhappy,
ask if you can show it to another TA for his or her opinion; the next
stage is for the student to see the faculty member. Students should understand
that reevaluation can lead to the lowering of a grade as well as raising
it (unless the faculty member has announced otherwise).
2. Recognize
that you can make mistakes and be willing to reconsider a grade, but be
sure that you stick to the standards you have established for the exam.
(Ask yourself, when you change a person's grade, if you are being fair
to the other students).
1. Review sessions
are more successful if you require student participation, rather than
lecturing on "what is important." Orient the session to a discussion
of prospective exam questions. Have the students brainstorm possible essay
questions and IDs, and then choose a few and have them come up with the
"answers." If the answer is incomplete or off-base, step in
and steer students toward the correct answer. TAs have
a responsibility to their colleagues and students not to disclose the
contents of exams unless the faculty member and all TAs have agreed to
do so.
2. Review sessions
are not required by the department. To hold one, you need to reserve a
room through Mike at least two weeks in advance.
Make-up exams
should only be allowed for students who were ill during the regularly
scheduled exam (it is suggested you ask for a doctor's note), and for
students who are registered with the Disabled Students Program as having
a learning disability. You or the faculty member need
to schedule a room with Mike Tucker a week in advance. Mike will
not proctor exams--you or another TA--will need to be present
in the room.
G. Office Hours
& Alternative Classroom Arrangements
1. If you need
to schedule appointments outside of your regularly scheduled office hours,
be aware that if your appointment conflicts with an office mate's regularly
scheduled hours, your office mate has first call on the office.
2. If you are
giving an exam or quiz in your office, you should post a sign on the door
so that your office mates don't interrupt.
3. Keep all
meetings with students academic and professional. Use care when choosing
the time and place for student appointments.
4. Be aware that some students do not feel comfortable meeting
TAs outside of their offices.
1. Most TAs
find it very useful to hand out weekly study questions to help the students
identify important ideas in their reading assignments. This requires reading
a week ahead in the textbook or course reader.
2. Read student
evaluations at the end of the quarter closely and apply what you learn;
most students are honest and observant. You may want to write specific
evaluation questions on the board for them to answer. This will give you
more feedback on, say, the effectiveness of your handouts or study questions.
3. To see the
faculty member's evaluation of your performance, ask the faculty member
or Darcy. These evaluations usually don't appear in your file until several
weeks after the quarter has ended, so time your request to Darcy accordingly.
4. If you have
one or two students who dominate the section, solicit responses from "non-talkers."
Be alert to nonverbal cues indicating that they have something to say
and call on them: "Did you want to say something...?" or "Let's
hear from some of you who haven't said anything yet." Do not call
on the "talkers" first. Wait to see if someone else raises a
hand or volunteers a comment.
5. Check yourself
for annoying mannerisms or habits that might distract students: constant
fiddling with pencils, chalk, your glasses, your hair; gum chewing; teetering
in your chair precariously, etc. Students DO mention these things on course
evaluations as major distractions.
6. Do dress
appropriately for attending lecture, section, and office hours.
7. Encourage
students to get e-mail accounts, and consider holding electronic office
hours. This is a quick way to answer questions. For further assistance
speak with the members of the TA Orientation Committee.
1. Be sure to have students officially add your
section if they are switching sections between TAs. This will ensure
that they will receive their grade at the end of the quarter and not get
lost in the shuffle. You should assign F grades to all phantom students
who appear on your final grade list. Please note that some students who
don't appear on your list may be Extension students. Their grades go through
the Extension Office (not the Registrar) and have an earlier date.
2. In accordance
with departmental policy, each supervising faculty member administers
the add/drop process. Consult closely with the faculty member to maintain
accurate section lists and to aim for uniformity in section sizes.
1. Honors sections
allow the TA and students to cover extra materials for the course. They
may also afford both students and TA an opportunity to discuss basic historiographical issues, or interpretative problems with
the time period in question. This section meets for two hours each week,
instead of fifty minutes, and ideally should contain no more than fifteen
students. The students generally read no more than 50 pages of primary
or secondary material, in addition to the normal course assignments. Students
who enroll in your honors section do NOT have to be in the university's
honors program, although if many students express interest, you should
limit the section and give priority to the honors program students. The
students receive an extra unit for participating in the honors section,
and often prepare some sort of extra project or assignment (like an in-class
presentation or group project). The honors section counts as two regular
sections for the TA, so a half-time TA would teach only one other sections.
(A quarter-time TA would teach honors only.)
2. You and the
faculty member should agree upon a day and time before the first lecture
of the course. In the first lecture, the faculty member will either make
a pitch for the honors section, or allow the honors TA to do so. You and
the faculty member should discuss beforehand
a) what materials students will read.
b) what sort
of student you're aiming the section at (i.e., students in the campus-wide
honors program only, history majors only, or any dedicated students) and
what you both want the students to get out of section.
c) what sort of extra project (if any) students will undertake.
d) whether/how
to use the L&S grant (see #5 below).
3. After the
first lecture, meet with the students who want to be in the honors section.
Have a sign-up sheet ready, so that each student can make an appointment
with you. These appointments will probably take about ten minutes apiece.
You may also want to prepare a simple questionnaire, asking for the student's
name, major, and interest in the honors section. Students can prepare
these in the after-lecture meeting or at the beginning of the appointment--the
questionnaire will give you something to discuss.
4. Adding students
to the honors section: Students will enroll in a regular discussion section.
Once you have decided who will be in honors, you can give these students
an enrollment code for the honors section, which signs them up for five
credits (one more than the usual four). You can give out these codes in
your individual meetings with students, or at the first honors section
meeting-students will not be charged if they add the section within the
first week of classes. Honors students should NOT stay enrolled in
the regular section, as this will cause problems for that section's TA
and may lead to bookkeeping problems at the end of the course.
5. The College
of Letters and Sciences can provide money (up to $325) for your honors
section if there are at least three students from the College Honors Program
enrolled in it. The faculty member for the course initiates this procedure,
and Lorettta Holt administers it. This grant can cover photocopying costs
for the honors section; when you photocopy material for your honors section,
you need to use the appropriate copy codes so the department knows to
which grant to charge the copying. The money can also be applied to slide
or movie purchases. Please keep in mind that the faculty member for the
course will make the final decision on how this money is to be spent;
you'll need to work with the instructor to get this grant. Usually the
deadline for applying for this grant is very early in the quarter.
VI. CAMPUS, DEPARTMENT, AND UC REGULATIONS
Be aware of the campus policy on sexual
harassment. Recognize that as a TA you are in a powerful position over
your students and that behavior which might be acceptable in another context
can be coercive given this unequal power relationship. The preamble to
this policy is:
"The
Dating students is highly discouraged
and may lead to disciplinary action. Even a voluntary and welcome relationship
with a student in your class may constitute sexual harassment. Be aware
that students who are not currently in your class may be in the future.
A romantic relationship with a student over whom you have direct grading
authority may have negative consequences that you cannot foresee. Other
students may file a claim if they believe they are put at a disadvantage
when they hear that a fellow student is dating their teaching assistant.
Copies of the UCSB policies and procedures
regarding sexual harassment are available from the Sexual Harassment Complaint
Officer, Paula Rudolph, who can be reached at Cheadle
Hall 2121, Paula.Rudolph@shot9.ucsb.edu,
or at 893-2546. See also http:///www.shot9.ucsb.edu.
The department and the campus are quite
serious about enforcement of the policies regarding cheating. The penalties
range from failure in the course to suspension from the university to
expulsion. Because the faculty member decides in each case whether he/she
will personally handle the matter or whether to have the Student-Faculty
Committee on Student Conduct handle it, TAs should notify the faculty
member regarding all incidents of cheating. All cases should be reported
by the faculty member to the Dean of Students so that the student's name
will be on file for future reference. For a more complete description
of the actual process and university policy, please refer to the brochure
which you received at the general orientation; copies are available from
the Office of the Dean of Students.
The best policy is to prevent cheating
from occurring. Warn students about the harsh penalties in your TA syllabus.
All TAs MUST be present at all exam sessions. Proctor carefully. If possible,
during large lecture-hall exams have students sit in areas corresponding
to their sections, so that you can monitor and recognize your own students.
Students should hand their exams directly to their TA. Compose exams and
paper assignments that make cheating difficult. Don't repeat questions
or paper topics from term to term and year to year. Don't exactly repeat
assignments given by other TAs.
The department issues a grade book to
each TA. This grade book MUST be turned into the department if you are
absent from the department for any length of time, and at the end of your
career as a TA. Keep all exam bluebooks for one quarter, and then throw
them away. You should detach the cover from each bluebook before discarding
it.
Keys to offices are obtained from Darcy.
Most offices will house two or three TAs. Due
to the scarcity of TA office space, offices will be allocated to History
Department TAs first and then, if space is available, the department will
try to accommodate history graduate students who are TAs in other departments.
Courtesy towards your office mates is
a must in the limited space. Be sure to arrange your office hours so that
they don't overlap, since there is not enough space to hold two or three
office hours at once. Ideally, your office mates should not be in the
office during your office hours, and vice versa, but this is something
for all TAs in the office to discuss and agree upon. Be aware that your
private conversations with office mates can often be overheard by students
waiting in the halls to see other instructors.
There is no dress code in the department
for TAs or faculty members. The expectation is that you will dress decently
and appropriately.
It is UC policy to prohibit discrimination
based on sex, race, age, national origin, or religion. Be aware of your
language and your deeds, as well as different cultural norms.
Consider your students' feelings. What
is sexist language? What is sexual harassment? What constitutes insensitivity
to students' feelings about age, religion, race or gender? Are you unconsciously
patronizing or penalizing some students by holding them to a different
standard of performance?
G. Learning
Disabilities/Disabled Students - http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/dsp/
Disabled students may require alternative
modes of examination or assignments. Be aware that there is a department
on campus that helps students with learning disabilities and those who
are either temporarily or permanently disabled. Students may need to take
exams orally, or be provided with more time to take the exam, or have
another person act as a scribe for them during exams. The people at the
Disabled Student Program either evaluate students
themselves or require documentation of a long-standing problem, so be
sensitive to the students' needs.
Students must alert you to the fact
that they have a learning disability, and they will inform you of the
strategies that they have developed with the Disabled Students Program
to handle the disability. It is the student's responsibility to inform
you of his or her needs BEFORE a scheduled examination. You are required
to honor these requests upon written official notification. You may want
to include a brief notice in your syllabus that students with disabilities
should contact you during your office hours.
If the student doesn't bring you an
official notification of a learning disability from the Disabled Student
Program, encourage him or her to do so. The program, located in SAASB
1201, can be reached by phone at 893-2668 (V/TDD).