To gain some valuable teaching experience in higher education institutions in the UK, most doctoral students will choose to be teaching assistants (GTA). I am one of them. This blog is about my personal experience of being a teaching assistant and some tips on this role.
Overall, I have contributed to the core and optional modules of master-level programs, to short courses for undergraduate students, and been invited as a co-presenter to a lecture and a workshop offered to Ph.D. students and early career researchers. Luckily, I have enjoyed all these experiences without any issues.
One of the biggest factors contributing to the success of this role, for me, was to receive clear guidelines and kind guidance from the module leader or whoever oversaw the teaching I was assigned to. Therefore, it is significant that you are clear about what is expected from this role of teaching and then you could prepare accordingly. If something is not clear to you regarding the role, make sure that you ask instead of going ahead with your planning or teaching. Smooth communication can help prevent problems down the line.
Here are some tips I would like to share concerning the role of a teaching assistant.
Apply for the opportunity
The email indicating the need for GTA usually comes one month before a new academic year when the department is sure about how many new GTAs are needed. These roles do not work under the rule of first come, first served but make sure you do apply before the deadline.
Communicate with the lecturer
Usually, the lecturer you are expected to work with will contact you at least one week before your teaching. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to make sure about what is expected from your teaching. Make sure you also discuss your teaching plan and the teaching slides with the lecturer to get approval. This is to avoid any possible misunderstandings that you may have regarding what is expected from you. After getting the approval, you will also feel more confident and comfortable about your upcoming teaching.
Attend the lecture
Since you are teaching the seminar of the lecture, it is beneficial for you to attend the lecture to have a clear idea about what the teaching points and learning outcomes are. If there are some things the lecturer puts a lot of emphasis on, they could be worth discussing or mentioning again in the seminar. This is also a second chance for you to make sure that your teaching plan is appropriate for the lecture topic.
Conduct the seminar
When it comes to the actual teaching session, teaching will not always happen exactly according to plan. So, relax and be flexible. It is not necessarily a bad thing if some changes are made during the session. That is preferable to rushing through the whole session to cover everything that you had planned. Therefore, less is more. Usually, two activities will be more than enough for a one-hour session. Make sure that your students will have sufficient time to think, discuss and reflect.
Give feedback
I always send feedback to the lecturer whenever I finish teaching. This is not only to keep the lecturer updated about what has happened in the seminar, but also a chance to express my gratitude for this working opportunity as well as the kind guidance and support the lecturer offered for my role. Therefore, maybe you could consider doing this as well. It will also help you to leave a good impression on those you are working for. Hope the above tips help. Enjoy teaching!
Thinking about being a Graduate Teaching Assistant? Let us know by emailing doctoralcollege@warwick.ac.uk or on X @DC_Warwick.
If you’d like to find out more, why not take a look at: You’re allowed to take holidays, Summer is for balance, not overwork, Dealing with homesickness.
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