TA OrientationFall 2009

Dr. Jan Chomicki Director of Graduate Studies

Department of Computer Science & Engineeringhttp://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~chomicki

cse-dgs@cse.buffalo.edu

TA Responsibilities• Attend all lectures of course (if required by instructor)• Meet regularly with instructor• Teach “recitation” sections, grade, hold office hours, supervise

projects:– attend all your recitation sections– if you must be absent,

please let instructor or CSE office know– grade in a timely fashion– TA performance impacts reappointment!Expect to work 16-20 hours/week on average

• Obligation begins BEFORE classes begin& ends AFTER all grades are computed– Don’t plan to leave early for or return late from a vacation!

• Read the Grad Handbook, especially Ch. 9!

SPEAK Test• Required by UB

for all “international” grad students (TA, RA, GA)– unless “native” speaker of English– student has to pass during the first year of the TA

• Score ≥ 55 can teachScore = 45-50 need teaching demo & ESL 512Score ≤ 40 can’t teach;

need ESL 411/412; retake SPEAK

• http://wings.buffalo.edu/eli/esl_speak.htm

How to Teach• Was covered in CSE 501 (& will be again)

– Golden rule of teaching:• Teach others the way you would like to be taught

– “Advice for (new) TAs” slide show:• http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/cse501.ppt

– “How to Teach” website:• http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/501/501teaching.html

• UB Center for Teaching and Learning Resources– http://wings.buffalo.edu/provost/ctlr/index.htm

Give a midsemester course evaluation

• Course instructor should do this

• If not, you do it.

– 2 questions:1. What aspects of recitation would you like to see changed?2. What aspects of recitation do you especially like?

– Then give feedback to students.

If you have problems teaching…

• Speak to the course instructor

• Speak to me

End of presentation

• Any questions?