Graduate Student Leadership in a TA Training Program

The pedagogical training of Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) is a crucial component of undergraduate education in chemistry and is often neglected due to lack of time and resources. One frequently untapped resource to support this effort is the population of experienced GTAs in the department. Graduate students who have recently been in the TA position are poised to speak to incoming graduate students from direct and relevant experience and can foster a positive climate around teaching with their incoming peers. In this account, we describe a GTA training program that relies on significant contributions from volunteer former TAs in the design and facilitation of workshops and activities throughout. This report describes not only the training itself but also the system of mentoring and revision that has been established for continual improvement and participation among the entire graduate student cohort. After four years of utilizing this system, we have identified potential benefits for all parties involved. Improved pedagogical training for incoming graduate students aims to influence (1) the graduate student teaching experience throughout the academic term and the resultant quality of undergraduate instruction within the department, (2) departmental teaching culture and attitudes about teaching, (3) the broader impact of campus-wide collaboration between departments and centers for learning and teaching, and (4) the experience of the senior graduate student volunteers as cultivators of curricula and change-makers within their department. In this way, the focus of training GTAs can move from an obligation to an opportunity for growth throughout the department.