Welcome to the TA Office
The TA Office is a platform where teaching assistants can offer each other support, share ideas, and enrich pedagogical practices.
Features
New TA Q&A
Read on to hear advice and tales of both triumph and tragedy from fellow TAs who have been where you are and lived to tell the tale.
Scavenger Hunts: not just for birthday parties by Sharon Fox
In this workshop we will explore ways to incorporate scavenger hunts into the classroom.
How to Build a Bridge from the Familiar to the Unfamiliar
Teaching a difficult concept? Learn how analogies can make difficult concepts more accessible to your students.
Quick Tips: Best Practices from the Community
Personal Literacy Narrative as an Assignment to Engender Empathy and Inclusion in the Composition Classroom
Personal Literacy Narratives as Agents to Engender Empathy and Inclusion in the College Composition Classroom
“This I Believe” Essays as Diagnostic Assignments
Want to start your writing courses with a diagnostic assignment that is both helpful and enjoyable? Consider implementing the “This I Believe” essay.
Meme-ing Course Content
Assess student learning using memes and TikToks.
Establishing Rapport with Students Through Memoir Writing
Memoir writing activities can initiate discussions about diverse topics and promote empathy and rapport between instructors and students.
Journal Entries vs Weekly Writing Assignments: Creating Safe Places to Explore Diverse and/or Difficult Topics
Journal entries and weekly writing assignments serve different purposes. Understanding the advantages of using both in the classroom can 1) aid in discussing diverse topics, and 2) help evaluate students’ understanding of concepts and composition merit.
Discussing Films in Class with Slack
Do you ever have problems generating discussion about readings in class? Don’t want to devote valuable class time to watching a film? Use Slack to #LiveTweet a film.
Teaching Rhetorical Appeals with Commercials
This post provides an easily adapted in-class activity using commercials to teach rhetorical appeals.
Grammar with Bacon: Creating a Well-Framed Sentence
Try this visual analogy to help your students understand the difference between an unfocused sentence and a Baconesque use of modifiers. (The Well-Crafted Sentence, ch 5).
Glossary Assignment-Understanding Key Terms
Want a great way for your students to engage with key terms and concepts?
Instagram feedback
Use Instagram to give quick and professional feedback to your students on things like topic ideas. It’s also a good place to host reminders and/or announcements in addition to anything you might post on Blackboard.