Teaching Academy 2022 Program
[Please note that this is the 2022 program. For this year's program, please visit the main Teaching Academy page!]
Attend one workshop; attend them all! Please note below that most workshops are repeated in hopes of making them available and accessible.
*Sessions for Teaching Assistants Who are New to Teaching at UMass*
What’s It Like to Be a Teaching Assistant at UMass?
Monday, August 29th - 3:00-4:00pm, 2022, online OR
Wednesday, August 31st - 10:00-11:00am, 2022, online OR
Wednesday, September 7th - 12:30-1:30pm, 2022, 538 Goodell
This short orientation session will introduce you to the role of being a teaching assistant at UMass, including supportive offices, logistical concerns, and the pedagogical approach that UMass values: inclusive, active classes that support all learners as they grapple with the intellectual challenges of our disciplines. The Graduate Employee Organization (GEO) will also join us in the last 15 minutes to welcome you and share how they can support your teaching. Come for tips on teaching and navigating the TA role!
Succeeding as an International Teaching Assistant (Graduate Student Panel)
Thursday, September 1st - 11:00am-12:00pm, 2022, Campus Center Auditorium (first floor)
What do American undergrads expect from you and your class? A panel of international graduate students will share their knowledge of UMass undergrad culture, their first-hand experiences teaching, and strategies for teaching success so that you can feel comfortable in the classroom! Please note that this session will not be repeated. Co-sponsored by OPD and IPO as part of the Teaching Academy and International Student Orientation (ISO)!
*Sessions for All Graduate Students and Postdocs*
Breakfast Reception for all Teaching Academy Participants!
Friday, September 9th - 9:00-11:00am, 2022, 538 Goodell Lounge
Drop in to celebrate the first week of class! Join us for coffee, tea, and pastries - and good conversation about teaching! Please pre-register for the reception for catering purposes
Teaching Emotional or Controversial Topics
Wednesday, August 17th - 2:00-3:00pm, 2022, online OR
Monday, September 19th - 12:20-1:20pm, 2022, 538 Goodell
Students come to our classes with a range of backgrounds, life experiences, ideologies, motivations, and aspirations. While this diverse student make-up has the potential for rich class discussions, it can also make both students and instructors nervous to approach difficult and potentially controversial topics. In this workshop, UMass grad student Tiarra Cooper will discuss preparing students for challenging conversations by introducing “whole brain living,” establishing trust and setting boundaries by way of community building, and cultivating skills that can be used to defuse a situation.
Emotional Intelligence and Empathetic Teaching as Tools for Inclusive Classroom Engagement
Thursday, August 18th - 11:00am-12:00pm, 2022, online OR
Thursday, September 29th - 12:00-1:00pm, 2022, 538 Goodell
Are you struggling to build community in your classroom? You are not alone. Managing life post-pandemic is a challenge for both instructors and students. In this workshop we will articulate what stressors impact students' lives and learn specific tools for creating an emotionally safe learning environment that fosters empathy, equity, and inclusion. Join UMass grad student Cielo Sharkus to learn how to use empathetic teaching and emotional intelligence as a tool to create resilient and compassionate learning environments. This workshop features evidence-based methods and real-world examples of conflict management and resolution.
Inviting Student Identities and Experiences into the Classroom
Tuesday, August 23rd - 10:00-11:00am, 2022, online OR
Friday, October 14th - 1:30-2:30pm, 2022, 538 Goodell
A core principle of an inclusive classroom is acknowledging that your students are whole people with rich identities and experiences. The goal then is to actually bring their diverse identities and experiences into the classroom to foster learning. The connections that students make between your class and important aspects of their lives actually help them learn course content better. Join UMass grad student Fatih Cetin to reflect on strategies to include not only personal experiences but also identities and special needs in the learning experience.
Teaching an Unpopular Class
Tuesday, August 23rd - 2:00-3:00pm, 2022, online OR
Thursday, September 8th - 2:30-3:30pm, 2022, 538 Goodell
When something is required, not everyone is thrilled. Indeed, required courses (either in the major or gen-ed) are often met with resentment and negative feedback, or just a general lack of enthusiasm from many students. UMass grad student Rik Sengupta will offer tips to navigate the tricky world of teaching an unpopular class, and tuning out the feedback enough to be a caring, and helpful instructor.
Addressing Microaggressions in the Classroom
Wednesday, August 24th - 2:00-3:00pm, 2022, online OR
Wednesday, September 21st - 10:00-11:00am, 2022, 538 Goodell
Whether conscious of it or not, instructors and students bring who they are to the learning environment, including their stereotypes and implicit biases. Such biases can emerge in the form of (micro)aggressions during class discussions, in student-student interactions during group or lab work, or in interactions between students and instructors. If left unaddressed, microaggressions negatively impact the learning climate and can hurt students’ academic progress. UMass grad student Cierra Abellera will offer an introduction to communication frameworks used in addressing microaggressions in university classes. You will learn how to identify some microaggressions and explore a few strategies that can help you effectively respond.
How to Grade Writing Without Completely Alienating Your Students
Wednesday, August 24th - 3:30-4:30pm, 2022, online OR
Wednesday, September 14th - 3:00-4:00pm, 2022, 538 Goodell
Many students struggle with the high stakes of writing assignments when grading feels so subjective. Join UMass grad student Jeremy Levine to talk about inclusively supporting writing development through feedback and grading. To do so, we’ll check our assumptions about what good writing is, refocus on our course’s learning goals, and learn strategies for giving feedback that will actually help students become better writers.
How to Use Group Work to Increase Student Engagement
Thursday, August 25th - 2:00-3:00pm, 2022, online OR
Thursday, September 29th - 2:00-3:00pm, 2022, 538 Goodell
Dread group activities? Hate group projects? As an instructor or as a student, group work often inspires trepidation: unequal workload, quarrels, disappointing results, lack of communication, more work for the instructor. However, group work is essential in most careers. Join UMass grad student Brian Wermcrantz to learn to create a class environment to make group work thrive! This includes both in-class small group discussion activities, as well as group projects, papers, and presentations. We will share tips and best practices, and survey sample activities and projects.
Setting and Holding Boundaries in Our Classrooms
Tuesday, August 30th - 2:00-3:00pm, 2022, online OR
Thursday, September 15th - 2:00-3:00pm, 2022, 538 Goodell
Feeling burnt out or resentful of the labor of teaching? Feeling like your students might even be taking advantage of you? You might need clearer boundaries and expectations for your classroom! Join UMass grad student Sam Davis to learn how to establish boundaries that work for you and (as countless studies have shown) actually help your students learn!