Communicating with Professors, GSIs, and Staff

Meet with the professor and other GSIs to find out about the structure, content, and policies of the course and to ascertain what your specific responsibilities will be. Ask questions, such as the following:

What is the function of the GSI-led section vis-à-vis the lecture component of the course? Does the professor have specific activities in mind for section, or is the content of section to be determined by the GSI?
Are GSIs required to give assignments in section? If so, will the professor or the GSI design the assignments?
Will GSIs give a section grade to students? What percentage of the overall course grade is the section grade? Does the professor have a policy regarding the breakdown of the section grade (e.g., a percentage for participation, assignments, attendance, etc.)?
Is there a head GSI? If so, what functions will that GSI perform?
Does the class have Black Lightning notes that students can purchase?
Does the course have a Web site?
Is the class full, or can students still add it via BearFacts? Are all of the sections full? This is important because GSIs may need to direct students who try to “crash” their section to other sections that are not full.
Does the professor have policies about adding and dropping the course? What is the policy for enrolling people from the waitlist? When will decisions about the waitlist be made?
How do GSIs in the course get desk copies of books and course readers? Where can students purchase their copies?
When, where, and how long are the meetings that the instructor will convene with GSIs during the semester? (The revised Graduate Council Policy on Appointments and Mentoring of GSIs states that instructors are required to meet regularly with GSIs.) Will there be a pre-semester orientation?
Does the instructor want GSIs to enforce a particular attendance policy?
What are the professor's policies and procedures regarding plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty?
Will the instructor have review sessions for the mid-term, final, or other class assignments? Will the GSIs hold review sessions?
What are the due dates for class assignments? (These should be listed on the course syllabus.) How long do the GSIs have to grade assignments after students turn them in? Instructors generally let GSIs determine this issue; some instructors, however, have strict rules about getting assignments back to students in a set amount of time.
How many office hours should you hold per week? (This should be included in your appointment letter or the supplemental letter of appointment.)

Fellow GSIs are among your most valuable resources as you start teaching. Talk with experienced graduate students who have worked with the instructor in the past or taught as a GSI for the course with a different instructor. Seasoned GSIs often have helpful, “insider” knowledge about the course (e.g., the research paper assignment is demanding, and students need it broken down into steps; the first few weeks of lab are difficult but get easier as the course progresses, etc.).

Experienced GSIs can provide new GSIs with lesson plans, assignments, handouts, and other materials that will help new GSIs manage their time.

GSIs may consider making explicit arrangements with fellow GSIs to divide the work load--e.g., share lesson plans, alternate writing handouts and assignments, and develop a collective grading rubric. Sharing the workload with other GSIs can save time and ease stress. GSIs should check if their departments have files with lesson plans, handouts, and other materials from past semesters. (Your department's pedagogy course instructor or Graduate Assistant may have this information.)

Get to Know Departmental Staff--they typically know all the answers! Some questions to ask staff:

It may go without saying, but it is important to emphasize that departmental staff are extremely helpful--particularly to GSIs and faculty who treat staff members with respect and appreciate their work.