The Lead Graduate Teacher and the Graduate Teacher Program

Teaching assistantships (TA positions) and graduate-student instructorships (GPTI positions) are a primary source of financial support for Linguistics graduate students, and these assignments are important preparation for academic careers. However, these assignments can be stressors, because they require graduate students to balance teaching, coursework and research responsibilities. The mission of the Graduate Teacher Program (GTP) is to assist graduate students in their teaching and professional development. To this end, the GTP offers Graduate Teacher Certification as well as Professional Development Certification.

Each year the Linguistics department faculty selects a Lead Graduate Teacher, who is then trained by the Graduate Teacher Program. The Lead’s role is to help support Linguistics graduate students who are currently teaching recitations, labs or full courses, as well as those who plan to do so in the future.

The Lead Graduate Teacher undergoes a comprehensive training program addressing academic management, learning styles, teaching styles and how to effectively consult on teaching. Leads are provided with models for departmental TA training programs. They learn to lead microteaching sessions, perform videotape consultations and conduct non-evaluative classroom observations. The Lead then assists with training of new TAs, conducts a pre-semester teaching orientation, and helps TAs achieve the requirements for GTP certification.

If you have any questions, please contact this year’s Linguistics Lead Graduate Teacher: Michael Thomas. You can also get more information on becoming a Lead and the Graduate Teacher Program at the GTP website.