Fall Teacher Training for all TFs, TAs, and CAs

Instructor in front of classroom at Fall Teaching Week

During late August and early September, the Bok Center provided in-person, interactive trainings to over 1,500 instructional support staff – Teaching Fellows (TFs), Teaching Assistants (TAs), and Course Assistants (CAs) – teaching in the FAS this fall semester. This is the first required training for all FAS TFs, TAs, and CAs. Last year (AY25-26), the Bok Center trained all first-time TFs and TAs, reaching almost 700 people total. This year, the FAS and  Office of Undergraduate Education expanded the training requirement to all new and returning TFs, TAs, and CAs.

New TFs/TAs attended “Pedagogy in Practice (PiP),” which focuses on core teaching practices aligned with FAS priorities. The training strengthens teaching quality across the FAS by equipping new instructors with foundational pedagogical tools and empowering them to teach effectively, both in the classroom and as part of a teaching team. The workshop addresses how to design effective class sessions, foster participation, and give feedback through grading that supports student learning. A distinctive emphasis is placed on civil discourse: TFs/TAs learn how to manage “hot” and “cold” classrooms, how to handle controversial topics, and how to uphold professional norms. PiP also clarifies the role of TFs/TAs within teaching teams, including when and how to elevate issues to course heads.

students at a table at Fall Teaching Week

Returning TFs/TAs attended two workshops on advanced topics, including:

  • Teaching Controversial Topics
  • Grading
  • Teaching Academic Reading and Writing in the Age of AI
  • Active Learning
  • And many more! See all session topics.

CAs (undergraduate students who perform many of the same roles as TFs/TAs) attended their own version of Pedagogy in Practice, called “Foundations in Teaching,” which highlighted the key skills for teaching and being a course staff member. Workshop topics included communicating, being a role model, upholding policies, helping students feel included and able to speak up, supporting students who are struggling, and navigating the pressures caused by being both a peer and a member of the course staff.

Attendees praised the trainings as practical and valuable for their teaching this fall: based on exit ticket surveys, 99% of new TFs/TAs, 99% of CAs, and ~97% of returning TFs/TAs found their sessions useful and helpful. 

A new TF noted, “I love that the TFing process emphasizes collaboration, communication, and consistency across the team so that we are fair to all students and not alone.” 

Another new TF observed that their training gave them an “understanding [that] my role as a TF is to be my students’ mentor not their protector. That point really resonated with me, as I had a lot of anxiety regarding this point.” 

And a CA noted that their training helped them prepare to teach their peers and friends: “I have a few friends in the class I’m CAing, so I’m now more prepared to handle social situations with them as both a peer and a course representative.”

For TFs, TAs, and CAs who will begin their AY26-27 teaching during the spring semester, the Bok Center will offer training in late January and early February 2027.

Share on: