# Teaching Teams ## expand\_more *Course heads meet regularly with TF/TAs and other teaching staff to discuss approaches to teaching the course. Topics at teaching team meetings will vary, but the Bok Center recommends:* **Before / Early in the Semester** - **Responsibilities:** Clarify expectations of TF/TAs (e.g. attend lectures, run sections, hold office hours, write exam questions, monitor Canvas discussions, grade homework). - **Course Policies:** Define common policies across sections and how to handle exceptions (e.g. lateness, attendance, devices, generative AI). - **Syllabus:** Review the syllabus, clarify any areas of ambiguity. - **Classroom Norms**: Shared values or practices (in line with program, College, and FAS policies). - **Build Trust**: Discuss how each member of the teaching team plans to build a sense of community and trust in section. - **Discuss Teaching**: Decide what pedagogical approaches are the best fit for this course. Discuss potential problems proactively (e.g. what should you do when a student talks too much or another student doesn’t talk at all?) - **Sections**: Clarify the relationship between section and lecture. What should each section achieve? - **Grading**: Discuss consistency and standards in grading (e.g. review grading rubrics and/or examples from past classes), including the use of Generative AI. - **Generative AI:** Discuss policy on how your course will handle the use of Generative AI. --- ### **Throughout the Semester** - **Reflect**: Discuss how things went the previous week. - **Plan**: Define the main learning goal(s) for the week. - **Clarify**: Discuss the relationship between lecture and section goals. - **Assignments**: Clarify how readings & assignments relate to the week’s learning goals. - **Content**: Discuss how particular aspect(s) of the course material / readings that the teaching team wants students to grapple with. - **Anticipate**: Discuss what members of the teaching team expect to find challenging in the coming week, and how to help students engage with the material. - **Teaching Challenges**: Review strategies for addressing disengaged students and other student-related challenges (students who are not participating, doing subpar work, etc.). - **Grade**: Discuss assignment rubric and/or grade a sample assignment together, particularly when grading on qualitative criteria. Review policy on the use of Generative AI. - **Student feedback:** Determine how and when to collect student feedback. For a printable version of this list, see: [What to Discuss at Teaching Team Meetings](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r1I_oAJxnzS_hL6UlSitTVmokQPwhOgB6Ji7doYS_yU/edit?tab=t.0) --- **Additional Resources:** - The FAS Information for Faculty includes guidance on supervising instructional support staff: . - The Gen Ed Program Guidelines includes guidance for working with teaching staff: ().