TA Orientation Fall 2009

1. TA OrientationFall 2009 Dr. Jan Chomicki Director of Graduate Studies Department of Computer Science & Engineering http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~chomicki cse-dgs@cse.buffalo.edu

2. 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!

3. SPEAK Test • Required by UBfor 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

4. 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 • UBCenter for Teaching and Learning Resources • http://wings.buffalo.edu/provost/ctlr/index.htm

5. Give a midsemester course evaluation • Course instructor should do this • If not, you do it. • 2 questions: • What aspects of recitation would you like to see changed? • What aspects of recitation do you especially like? • Then give feedback to students.

6. If you have problems teaching… • Speak to the course instructor • Speak to me

7. End of presentation • Any questions?