Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows need teaching resources. Those needs often fall into these broad categories.
These resources will help you address "just-in-time" needs you have related to your current teaching responsibilities.
These are policies that you need to uphold as an instructor at Michigan State. You also need to educate your students about their role in upholding these policies.
Many opportunities exist on-campus, at off-campus locations, and online for you to learn more about specific teaching strategies.
In addition to programs hosted through GREAT, the Office of the Provost sponsors a variety of teaching workshops for MSU faculty. These workshops are open to postdocs, and many are open to graduate students.
Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows planning for a career in postsecondary instruction have a variety of resources at their disposal.
Faculty members in your discipline can give you insight into the academic job market of your field.
Disciplinary societies often hold educational programs and networking events for those pursuing academic positions, particularly when teaching is the focus.
This five-hour workshop includes panel presentations from faculty at 2- and 4-year institutions as well as interactive sessions that allow participants to prepare for all aspects of the application process and learn more about the cultures at 2- and 4-year institutions.
Registration opens each September on The Graduate School workshop registration page.
CIRTL is an NSF-supported program focusing on promoting a high quality and inclusive STEM teaching workforce in postsecondary education. Michigan State is one of the first universities (there are now 40 members) that launched this initiative.
There are webinars and short courses that graduate students and postdocs can take advantage of.
All TAs should familiarize themselves with MSU Grades/Appeal Policies. Also, make sure that your grading policy is clearly outlined in your syllabus.
If a student does challenge a grade, you might sit down with them and have a conversation about the grade they received - and consult with the Instructor of Record if need be.
Most cases will be re- solved at this level. There is a terrific article about MSU Grade/Appeal policies on the website of the Office of the Ombudsman.
Undergraduate students will be coming to campus with varying writing abilities. Always talk to your instructor of record about how to consider writing quality in course assessments. There are a range of resources both on- and off- campus that can assistant your students in improving their writing ability.
Ask yourself the following questions to promote self-reflection that may lead you to use more optimal communication strategies that will benefit your students:
Always feel comfortable referring students to the MSU English Language Center if you believe they need further assistance.
If an adult student (18+ years) tells you they were a victim of child abuse, you (as an employee of MSU) must consult with the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education & Dean of Undergraduate Studies (“Associate Provost”) when they receive a report of prior child abuse.
The Associate Provost will confer with campus experts to determine whether, based on the information available, there is reasonable suspicion a child is currently being neglected or abused.
The Associate Provost will then make any necessary reports to CPS and the MSU Police Department. The Associate Provost will also advise the employee regarding information to share with the disclosing student, including campus resources.
According to Article 2, Section 10 of the Academic Freedom Report, “The student and the faculty share the responsibility for maintaining professional relationships based on mutual trust and civility.”
Acts of incivility performed by a student can be handled in several different ways. Be sure to keep open communication in the classroom. Early in the class, be sure to set a supportive tone and set expectations.
Using a syllabi as a guideline for outlining classroom behavior is also useful. See the “Civil Discourse for Educators in the Classroom: A Guidebook” Page on the iTeach Commons website for details on how to handle disrespectful students.
Always consult your instructor of record or course TA coordinator for advice.
If a teaching assistant suspects a student of plagiarism or any other type of academic dishonesty, he or she should consult with the instructor of record for the course.
There are numerous policies dealing with academic integrity:
A growing problem at MSU is the use of electronic devices to facilitate cheating. TAs, in consultation with their instructor of record, should consider delivering this message to their students:
“Please turn off, not place on silent, any electronic devices including cell phones, PDAs, iPads, etc. If it has a power button it needs to be turned off. Also please remove any watches, Bluetooth earpieces, or any other electronic devices you might be wearing.”
If you and your Instructor of Record utilize TurnitIn in your course, MSU recommends language to put in your syllabus.
These are policies that you need to uphold as an instructor at Michigan State. You also need to educate your students about their role in upholding these policies.