What does a Graduate Teaching Assistant do?
Published 3 min read
A graduate teaching assistant is a student at a university who is responsible for leading discussion sections and helping to grade assignments in undergraduate courses.
Graduate Teaching Assistant job duties include:
- Assisting professors in the classroom
- Leading discussion sections or lab sessions
- Grading papers and exams
- Holding office hours to help students
- Creating and grading assignments
- Providing feedback to professors on student performance
- Attending lectures and taking notes
- Researching topics for papers and presentations
- Presenting papers or leading discussions on research findings
Graduate Teaching Assistant Job Requirements
A graduate teaching assistant typically needs to have a bachelor's degree, although some jobs may require a master's degree. In addition, most teaching assistants need to be certified in order to work in the classroom. Teaching assistants also typically need to have some experience working with children or teaching in a classroom setting.
Graduate Teaching Assistant Skills
- Patience
- Creativity
- The ability to convey information clearly
- Good organisation and time management skills
- The ability to motivate and inspire students
- Good behaviour management skills
- The ability to work well under pressure
- Good communication skills
- Good interpersonal skills
- The ability to work well in a team
- The ability to use your own initiative
Related: Top Graduate Teaching Assistant Skills: Definition and Examples
How to become a Graduate Teaching Assistant
The first step to becoming a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) is to research the requirements at your school. Each school has different requirements, but most will require that you be a current graduate student in good standing and have completed at least one semester of coursework. Some schools may also require you to have a minimum GPA. Once you have determined that you meet the basic requirements, the next step is to find out what courses are available to GTA.
Most schools will offer a GTA training course, which will cover topics such as teaching methods, classroom management, and assessment. This course is usually mandatory for all new GTAs. In addition to the training course, you will also need to complete a GTA application, which will include an essay component. Once you have submitted your application, it will be reviewed by the departmental GTA committee. If you are selected to be a GTA, you will be notified and given further instructions on how to proceed.
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