Lead TA Institute

A Lead TA assists with training and mentorship for novice TAs at the departmental level (being a Lead TA is NOT the same as a Head TA for a single large course). The Lead TA Institute (LTAI) is held annually in mid-late August and is specifically for graduate students who have secured a position as an academic department’s Lead TA for the coming year. Registration opens in early Summer each year.

The focus of the LTAI is helping Lead TAs plan and develop their department’s TA Training program, orientation, workshops, and practical materials. The goals of the institute are encapsulated in the following list.

• Identify essential elements of TA Training for novice TAs.
• Share resources, ideas, and plans for TA training across departments.
• Increase Lead TAs' knowledge of University policies relevant to TAs and their students.
• Practice strategies that encourage student-centered teaching and active learning.
• Improve each Lead TA’s ability to mentor TAs and manage conflict through effective communication and consulting practices.
• Cultivate a community of Lead TAs with whom to improve TA training programs. 
• Outline and refine plans for TA Training in each Lead TA’s department.

The institute has both online and in-person elements, including a few hours of required pre-institute work. The total time commitment of the Lead TA Institute is approximately 12 hours in mid-late August.