Teaching Training
The Bok Center provides training for Teaching Fellows (TFs), Teaching Assistants (TAs), Course Assistants (CAs), and others at similar career stages engaged in the teaching of Harvard College undergraduates. Teaching is central to your professional development as a scholar. Whether you are new to teaching, new to teaching at Harvard, or an experienced teacher, the Bok Center provides training, resources, and pragmatic advice to help you build confidence and competence in your teaching. This training is required for all TFs, TAs, and CAs teaching in the FAS.
The materials on this page are designed for Teaching Fellows, Teaching Assistants, and Course Assistants who support Harvard College courses. Teaching Resources for faculty and graduate students can be found here.
Fall 2026 Teaching Training
The Bok Center is offering a number of different required trainings for various audiences this fall. Use the buttons below to find the right training for you!
If you have questions about which training to attend, please email bokcenter@fas.harvard.edu.
Teaching Roles
A teaching fellow (TF) or teaching assistant (TA) provides support for course heads and run sections and labs to supplement lectures. They are often the primary contact for students in a course. Rarely, TFs and TAs teach their own courses, which are typically seminars for upper-level students within a concentration.
Teaching Fellows
Teaching fellows are candidates for advanced degrees at Harvard schools (except DCE). They work with a faculty-led teaching team and may serve as section leaders, tutors, and laboratory section leaders.
Teaching Assistants
Teaching assistants engage in similar work to teaching fellows but are not enrolled as candidates for an advanced degree at Harvard (except for DCE degree candidates) or undergraduate students.
Course Assistants
Undergraduate course assistants are current Harvard undergraduates who, under faculty-led teaching teams, assume limited instructional responsibilities.
Teaching Fellow and Teaching Assistant Training
Pedagogy in Practice: TF/TA Training
The Bok Center's Pedagogy in Practice workshop introduces TFs and TAs new to teaching in the FAS to the key role that they will play as part of a teaching team. We will cover foundational topics in teaching and learning by focusing on core concepts (i.e., lesson planning; fostering vibrant and open discussions that help students connect with one another; active learning; grading; and giving and requesting feedback). Pedagogy in Practice also provides techniques to encourage and manage respectful and productive discussions of challenging or divisive topics.
View the session materials from Fall 2025 (Harvard Google Workspace sign in required)
Fall Teaching Week
The Fall Teaching Week is a series of sessions designed to prepare new and experienced teachers for their roles as TFs & TAs in the FAS. Typically scheduled the week prior to classes start, sessions will cover fundamentals of teaching as well as more advanced topics tied to classroom practice, communication, and other core topics on teaching and learning.
Foundations in Teaching: CA Training
The Bok Center's Foundations in Teaching training introduces undergraduates teaching in the FAS to the key role that they will play as part of a teaching team. We will cover key professional skills for the role (i.e. communicating with the teaching team; shaping the learning culture of the course; upholding FAS policies; and balancing the dual role of peer and course staff member). And we will equip participants with core teaching skills (i.e. how to turn good content knowledge into good teaching; how to help students feel included and able to speak up; how to grade and give feedback; how to deal with conflicts of interest and peer pressure). The training also offers methods for encouraging and managing open dialogue and respectful disagreement among students.
TF/TA Resources Training Site
Whether you are new to teaching or want to enhance your teaching practice and consider your professional development as a teacher-scholar, this online program has resources for you. TF/TA Resources provides: an introduction to core teaching skills; practical strategies you can implement in your course; and resources for your professional development.
Teaching Resources
Teaching Teams
Collaborating with others on your teaching team including the Faculty member, Head TF, and other TFs/TAs is essential. As the Bok Center also supports Harvard faculty, our faculty-facing page has guidance for working on teaching teams. We have resources for Teaching Teams to use together to discuss what each person’s role is, what the work includes, and how to communicate across your team.
Sections
Sections are an opportunity for students to engage with the course content beyond the lecture to enhance their learning. Check with your course head or teaching team to see if they have prepared materials for you or if you will need to plan your section materials. Ideally, faculty and TFs/TAs should work together to determine what to teach and how to teach it.
Head Teaching Fellow Materials
As a Head Teaching Fellow in a large lecture course, a graduate student can see how an experienced instructor sets the tone for a course, prepares materials, and manages their teaching team. Head Teaching Fellows may have many responsibilities. The duties they are asked to perform, and how independent they are, will depend on the expectations of the course head.
Professional & Scholarly Communication
The Bok Center provides communication training including on how to give effective presentations. Public speaking in your capacity as a teacher and scholar can help you share your expertise, expand your network, and inspire your students.