Teaching Assistant Resources

General Information

If this is the first semester in which you are a TA in the Math Sciences Department you should plan on taking only two courses. In addition to these two courses you must register for and participate in the TA Seminar. During other semesters in which you are a TA you should plan on taking no more than three courses.

The Master Teaching Assistant and the Graduate Student Coordinator are good contacts if you have questions or concerns relating to teaching in the Math Science Department.

TA Handbooks

The Graduate School Rensselaer TA Handbook which covers many helpful topics for TA's.

The University of Florida has a web page called The TA as Faculty Assistant. This covers topics such as negotiating responsibilities, dealing with problematic relationships, relations with students, etc.

Tufts University has a Tufts University TA Handbook and links to Other TA Handbooks that give different perspectives.

Sample Spread Sheets

There is a sample spread sheet available created in Xess. You can download this file by saving it as a .xs4 file and then edit it to fit your class. There is also general information and a tutorial available.

Articulating Symbolic Mathematics

It was suggested by several international graduate students that a page that provides examples of symbolic mathematics and methods of saying this mathematics would be helpful for some TA's for whom English is a second language. There are PDF, PS, and DVI versions of this document available. If you think there are things that should be added, contact the Graduate Student Coordinator.

Laptops

Rensselaer maintains a Web site called Laptop Information that answers many questions regarding laptop computers. In addition the Academic and Computing Services has The Red Book (html format) which gives many step by step instructions to frequently asked questions.

Addressing Academic Dishonesty

Rensselaer has a document that details how one should address a case of possible academic dishonesty.