University of Wisconsin–Madison

Episode 18: Roundtable with L&S TA Award Winners: Part 1

See the transcript for this episode.

Guests: Patricia Chan and Haley Johnson

In the first of our two-episode series featuring outstanding L&S Teaching Assistants, we host a roundtable discussion. Lynne Prost, Assistant Dean for Graduate Academic Affairs, and Molly Harris, Associate Producer for the L&S Exchange, talk with two Campus-Wide TA Award winners: Haley Johnson (Early Excellence in Teaching Award) and Patricia Chan (Advanced Achievement in Teaching, Dorothy Powelson Award). Haley and Patricia share evidence-based, inclusive, and innovative teaching practices that they use in their classrooms; give advice to new TAs and to faculty leading teaching teams; and discuss the joys of teaching undergraduate students.

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Unpack This Episode

Grab a drink, gather your colleagues, and discuss.

  1. Haley and Patty speak to the importance of setting expectations within a teaching team and being transparent about the overall vision for a course. What role do you play within a teaching team? How are expectations and vision defined and shared within your team? How do/might you contribute to the clarity and cohesiveness of instructor roles?
  2. Both Patty and Haley keep track of feedback they have received from students and supervisors and from observing others, both to improve their teaching and to reflect on the positive impact they have made. If you are a TA, how do/might you seek out and use feedback for your personal and professional growth? If you supervise TAs, how do/might you provide thorough and constructive feedback to your TAs?
  3. Patty talks about bringing her personal interest in art into the classroom to promote learning. What personal strengths or interests do you bring to your classroom? If you supervise TAs, how might you encourage them to develop their own professional identity and practices as an instructor?
  4. Managing one’s teaching workload alongside other responsibilities can be challenging for TAs. If you are a TA, what strategies do/might you implement to help you manage time and competing priorities? How might you support your fellow TA colleagues? If you supervise TAs, how might you encourage your TAs to invest in teaching in a sustainable way?
  5. What brings you joy about teaching at UW-Madison? What teaching memories can inspire you at challenging moments?

Further Reading

In this episode we mentioned, were inspired by, or wondered about the following resources and topics.

  • Campus-Wide TA Awards celebrate outstanding Teaching Assistants across campus in multiple categories. TAs may be nominated by faculty/staff in their employing department and nominations open each fall semester. Read more about the 31 TA Award Winners from 2024.
  • The College provides L&S TA Training in both fall and spring semesters with tailored offerings for new and returning TAs. Participants can engage in interactive Canvas materials and in-person sessions led by experienced UW-Madison TAs. The training presents evidence-based, inclusive, and sustainable teaching practices and encourages discussing questions, solving challenges, and sharing ideas among peers.
  • The Graduate School’s Delta Program offers workshops, courses, and Internship and Certificate programs for graduate students and postdocs in areas of teaching, mentorship, outreach, and advising.

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Acknowledgements

The L&S Exchange Podcast is brought to you by L&S Teaching, Learning, & Academic Planning and produced by the Instructional Design Collaborative. This podcast is recorded on ancestral Ho-Chunk land, a place their nation has called Teejop (day-JOPE) since time immemorial.

Production Credits

  • Producer: David Macasaet
  • Associate Producer: Molly Harris
  • Audio Engineer: David Macasaet
  • Audio Editor: David Macasaet
  • Website Support: Laura Schmidli & Molly Harris
  • Development Producer: Jonathan Klein
  • Planning Group: Jonathan Klein, David Macasaet, Molly Harris, Laura Schmidli, Antonella Caloro, Maria Widmer
  • Communications: Maria Widmer
  • Executive Sponsorship: Shirin Malekpour