As a graduate student in our department, you will very likely end up being a Teaching Assistant (TA) for one of the undergraduate chemistry courses. Because it's the largest, the majority of our TAs help out with General Chemistry 1 & 2 labs, and then move to more senior level courses as they gain experience and confidence. While this can be a great opportunity for you to learn how to communicate and teach chemistry concepts, which helps you better master the subject yourself, we also understand it can be intimidating and overwhelming when you first start. So, here are some resources, tips and tricks to help you gain the most you can from this experience, while also not spending too much time on it since you also have to balance courses and research.
Why should you care?
Honestly, I get it. You came here to earn a graduate degree. You want to focus on your research and your courses. Maybe not all of you, but I'm sure several are only TAing because you were assigned it, and if you had a choice in the matter you'd have gone straight to an RA position. But, I hope now that you have this assignment you'll take the time and put in the effort so that both you and your students will benefit from it.
If you plan on staying in academia, being a TA is incredibly important for your future. As I'm sure you've noticed from your time here and at other universities, most PIs also teach, even if it's only once every year or two. So when you're applying for those jobs, it's a good idea to have teaching experience on your resume along with your research experience. Employers want to know that you can handle both aspects of the job, not just one.
If you're not planning on staying in academia, there are still many benefits to being a TA and you'll only really gain them if you put in the work while you have this assignment. The CTL (discussed more below) had a seminar dedicated to the "Transferable Skills of Teaching" which will help you in any future job, and if they host it again I highly recommend attending it for yourself. In summary, being a Teaching Assistant will help you gain skills in: (1) communication - both in a professional setting and in being clear and concise when people aren't as familiar with a topic; (2) supervision and project management; (3) feedback and evaluation; (4) personal skills; (5) problem solving.
And lastly, just remember what it was like for you as an undergraduate student. TAs can be the difference in passing or failing for some students, and I'm sure many of you can remember both an amazing TA you had and an awful one. You're going to make a difference in a lot of these students' lives, and if you just put a little effort into your work it will be a difference for the better.
The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
Here at UTD, we have an office on campus dedicated to helping professors and TAs be the best they can. They offer a number of seminars and workshops every semester tackling common issues you'll face in the classroom and can help connect you to other resources if you have a more unique situation. Additionally, you have the option to earn a Graduate Teaching Certificate by just taking a few online trainings, attending some of the above-mentioned seminars, and being observed while you teach a class. If you have any interest in teaching in the future, including as a professor, we highly recommend looking into this certificate so you can show future employers that you're fully prepared.
For the schedule of events hosted by CTL, you can look here.
Additional Resources
Below are a few links for extra resources on how to be a good and efficient TA.