2026 Tracks

What are Tracks? 

We have grouped our Teaching Academy workshops into tracks. We think you will find value in attending all in a track - or design your own (see the last option below).

Tracks can help you document your commitment to teaching and professional development! While a workshop's true value is how it can impact your success in the classroom, documenting your dedication to teaching - such as on your CV - can be an important career asset. When you participate in a track, please feel free to modify and use the sample CV entry below. You can place it in your CV after “Teaching Experience” in a section such as “Pedagogical Professional Development” or “Teaching Workshops Attended.”

Tracks can help you when you are overwhelmed with all the workshops! We like to offer many options so that there is something for everyone and something that fits in your schedule, but this can feel like too many choices! These tracks will help you narrow down your choices, and help you see how a series of 2-4 workshops is valuable for your professional development. 

Not teaching right now? No worries! It’s always the right time to improve your teaching skills, so do join us!

Pedagogical Foundations and Classroom Management

This series covers the essential skills every  TA needs, helping you save time, avoid common pitfalls, and focus on what matters most: supporting student learning.

  • What’s It Like to Be a Teaching Assistant at UMass? 
  • Teaching Across Borders: Navigating Teaching as an International TA in the US (as relevant) 
  • Engaging Students with Authenticity as a TA 
  • The First Day (and Beyond) 

In your CV: 
Fall 2026 “Pedagogical Foundations and Classroom Management,” (5.25 hours*depending on what you attend) Graduate School Teaching Academy, University of Massachusetts Amherst 

Inclusive Teaching and Belonging in Education

This track is right for ALL TAs and instructors, as equity in the classroom is an institutional value at UMass. Whether you complete the track, or choose a single workshop, you are working to help all students feel a sense of belonging, which correlates strongly with traditional student success and academic achievement (UMass).

  • Supporting Multilingual Learners in Writing across Cultures
  • Create and Sustain Belonging in Your Classroom
  • Teaching Across Borders: Navigating Teaching as an International TA in the US (as relevant) 

In your CV: 
Fall 2026 “Inclusive Teaching and Belonging in Education,” (3.5 hours*depending on what you attend) Graduate School Teaching Academy, University of Massachusetts Amherst 

Dynamic Teaching Strategies for Engagement 

This track is ideal for returning TAs and instructors looking to dive deeper into specific pedagogical strategies! 

  • Making the Required Class Matter 
  • Getting Students Talking: A New Tool for Engagement and Problem-Solving 
  • The First Day (and Beyond) 

In your CV: 
Fall 2026 “Dynamic Teaching Strategies for Engagement,” (3.25 hours*depending on what you attend) Graduate School Teaching Academy, University of Massachusetts Amherst 

Pedagogical Pathways: Build Your Own Professional Development

No track right for you and your schedule? Build your own series of 2-4 (or more!) workshops. Still not sure what to choose? You might choose 1 from each of the above tracks for a broad exposure to best practices! 

In your CV: 
Fall 2026 “Pedagogical Pathways,” (X hours*depending on what you attend) Graduate School Teaching Academy, University of Massachusetts Amherst