Lead Teaching Assistants (TAs) are experienced TAs who have been selected by their departments to assist newly-appointed or less experienced TAs in preparing for instructional responsibilities. Getting a Lead TA-ship is an honor, but it can also raise many questions. Many new Lead TAs are uncertain about the best ways to carry out the responsibilities of their position, or in some cases, what all their responsibilities are.

The roles and responsibilities of Lead TAs at the University of Washington vary across departments. Some common Lead TA roles include:

Serve as a Liaison: Most Lead TAs at the UW work as liaisons between TAs and professors, departments, and/or campus agencies to ensure that TAs are informed and represented at various levels.

Design and Implement TA Preparation: Lead TAs are often instrumental in planning, implementing, and evaluating the department's TA orientation programs. In some cases Lead TAs also play an active role in ongoing TA preparation activities, including departmental workshops, regular meetings focused on teaching, and/or professional seminars on teaching in their disciplines.

Act as Consultant and Mentor: Lead TAs are often a consulting resource for new and less-experienced TAs. In the consultant role, Lead TAs serve as advisors or mentors to assist individual TAs with teaching concerns, interpretation of student ratings, or feedback about their teaching through the use of classroom observations or videotaping.

Coordinate Instructional Materials: Lead TAs often gather materials from various campus resources or develop their own materials for use in orientation or ongoing training. In some instances, Lead TAs are responsible for setting up demonstrations, scheduling laboratories, and tracking the use of laboratory equipment.

CIDR consultants have extensive experience working with lead TAs to design or assess departmental TA orientations, pedagogy courses, and brown-bag series. Based on the needs of TAs in your department, CIDR staff can also design and deliver customized workshops on teaching. In addition, lead TAs often work with us to arrange microteaching (videotaped practice teaching sessions) for their new TAs.

CIDR consultants can help you develop a method for classroom observations or a mentoring program for new TAs; we can also put you in touch with lead TAs from other departments who have played similar roles, so you can benefit from their advice and experience.

If you would like to explore any of these possibilities further, just call 206-543-6588, or contact us by email to arrange an appointment.