Needs of First-Time GSIs
Members of the faculty who pedagogy courses for new GSIs have highlighted several areas in particular in which first-time GSIs need training. These topics are addressed in the GSI Teaching & Resource Center’s Teaching Guide for GSIs.
Developing a lesson plan
- Defining learning objectives
- Selecting learning activities
- Creating a lesson plan
- Evaluating a class session afterward
Time management
- How to keep teaching preparation and grading hours within paid time
- The semester is “lumpy”: expect midterm and end-of-term crunches
- Managing class time: getting back on track when student questions take class off track
Grading student work
- Understanding faculty member’s expectations of student work and of GSIs’ grading
- How to keep grading practices consistent among sections
- Creating course policies that protect GSIs from unjustified requests for regrades
Professional etiquette
- Using word choice and courtesy appropriate for the professional setting
- Treating staff members with respect
- Being a colleague to other GSIs and a junior colleague to the faculty member
Working with faculty members
- Negotiating differences with the faculty member and among GSIs
- Understanding the faculty member’s expectations for grading
- Respecting a faculty member’s approach when it differs from one’s own
Understanding students’ intellectual growth
- Theory and research about how students learn
Developing a teaching philosophy
- How to make explicit the beliefs that support and drive one’s teaching (see GSI Center materials on developing a teaching portfolio)