Overview
Teaching is an integral part of the mission of the Department of Chemistry. As a Teaching Assistant, you will develop and improve your teaching and communication skills by interacting on a one-one basis with undergraduate students.
Guidelines
- All graduate students are required to teach for minimum of two semesters and teach a minimum of 2 sections per semester to receive teaching credit.
- Internationalstudents must pass the English proficiency requirements to be eligible to teach.
- Graduate Assistant-Teaching (GAT/TA) positions are for a full semester. Teaching Assistants are required to fulfill their responsibilities for the entire semester.
- Non-teaching appointments, such as grading, instrument operation, or instructional assistant positions (IA), do not count toward the teaching requirement.
- Graduate students must fulfil the two semester teaching requirement before they can serve as an IA.
- Graduate students should be enrolled in the appropriate section of CHEM 697-Methods of Teaching.
Performance of Duties
In order to provide an appropriate learning atmosphere for undergraduates students, it is imperative that laboratory courses be properly instructed and that all assigned duties be carried out conscientiously. Graduate students assigned for teaching must be present during each assigned class period, as well as during the week prior to the start of the semester for required training. Substitutions, such as to allow a TA to participate in other program related activities, may be possible and require prior approval of the instructor or laboratory coordinator.
Teaching Evaluations
The following evaluation procedures are designed to provide you with information to develop and improve your teaching effectiveness. Evaluations are also used to nominate outstanding graduate students for departmental and university teaching awards.
- TAs may be evaluated at mid-term by the faculty lab coordinators.
- A final evaluation will be completed by undergraduate students in every section at the end of the semester. Faculty lab coordinators may complete a final evaluation form as well.
- The final course evaluation scores will be reviewed by the Chemistry Graduate Advising Office.
- If you receive poor evaluations (less than 3.0 on a 5.0 scale), you may be asked to attend a teaching workshop or similar activity to improve
Remediation for Underperforming Teaching Assistants
The following actions will be taken when a GAT fails to perform assigned duties:
- The TA will meet with the teaching supervisor or laboratory coordinator to discuss the issue.
- A written warning will be issued by the teaching supervisor or laboratory coordinator and copy will be sent to the student's research advisor and the Graduate Advisor.
- Graduate Students who continue to fail to perform assigned duties will not be permitted to receive financial support from teaching for a minimum of one year.
Title IX/Student Assistance Services Processes & Procedures
- Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities at institutions that receive federal financial assistance.
- Sexual harassment, including sexual violence, is a form of sex discrimination and is therefore prohibited under Title IX. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct is so severe, persistent or pervasive that it explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual's work or educational performance, or creates an intimidating or hostile work or educational environment.
- Texas A&M University is committed to providing an environment of academic study and employment free from harassment or discrimination to all segments of its community; its faculty, staff, students, guests and vendors; and will promptly address all complaints of discrimination, sexual harassment, and related retaliation in accordance with applicable federal and state laws. (See Notice of Nondiscrimination and Abuse)
- Visit the TMAU Title IX website https://urc.tamu.edu/title-ix/ ) for more information.
Related Links
Procedures for Resolving Student Concerns
Teaching Assistant Responsibilities
Lab safety requirements