UTAs are active members of the classroom who fulfill a variety of instructional, administrative, and intermediary responsibilities. What these precise responsibilities are will be determined by each UTA-instructor pair, both before and throughout the semester.
UTAs often do some combination of the following:
Instruction
- Facilitate Lessons:
- UTA-Instructor Lessons: UTAs frequently facilitate or present part of an instructor’s existing lesson. For example, an instructor may introduce new material, and then the UTA might facilitate the subsequent activity.
- UTA Lessons: One of the requirements for 388V is that UTAs present at least twice in front of their students. UTAs are prepared for this requirement in 388V: they learn about lesson planning for college-level writing classes; create, peer review, and submit lessons; and practice delivering a portion of their lessons in front of their peers. UTA lesson plans range anywhere from ten to a full fifty minutes.
- Assist with Group Work: The teacher: student ratio is cut in half in UTA-supported classrooms, which is particularly handy during group work or peer review. The UTA and instructor can each work closely with 2-3 groups during the activity.
Administration
- Take attendance
- Track participation
- Assist with physical space
- moving desks, adjusting lights
- Assist with technology
- Getting presentation materials ready on the computer
- Setting up projector/ screen
- Choosing and playing good music for in-class writing
- Assist with presentations
- Writing on the board
- Advancing presentation slides
- Taking notes
Translation
UTAs can be invaluable in the following scenarios:
- Discussions: UTAs can help move a discussion along in several ways. If an instructor’s question elicits uncomfortable silence, the UTA can play the “fellow facilitator” role and rephrase the question for students, or she or he can play the “helpful student” role and answer the instructor’s question her or himself, ending her or his response with additional questions for students to move the discussion forward.
- Mediations: UTAs can do all kinds of things to bridge the student-teacher gap in class. Students may be lost, or have questions that they’re not willing to ask in front of everyone, or have zoned out completely. While instructors can often see this in students’ faces, UTAs are often better at diagnosing the communication gap and closing it by asking questions. Here are some common roles UTAs play:
- “The lost student”: UTA asks instructor to rephrase a complex idea
- “The translator”: UTA rephrases something themselves
- “The sly backup”: UTA asks instructor to repeat something to make sure students understand how important it is
- “The model student”: UTA explains an assignment from the student’s perspective after instructor has introduced it from his or hers
- “The cheerful mentor” (the teacher advocate): UTAs are in the unique position of both 1) knowing why students have been assigned something that seems tedious or unduly burdensome and 2) having completed the assignment themselves, when they were students. When students grumble or protest about an upcoming assignment, UTAs can reassure them that the task is not as bad as it may seem right now and that it will help them in the long run.
- “The stressed student” (the student advocate): UTAs can tactfully explain to the instructor why students may struggle with the proposed schedule and workload. Works best when the instructor and UTA have discussed this possibility in advance so that the instructor is not caught off guard. Boosts UTA and instructor ethos and improves student morale when they see that the instructor is willing to adjust based on their needs.
What This Can Look Like
My UTAs attended every class session and were fully prepared for each day’s lesson. They established an immediate rapport with students; first by introducing themselves on the discussion board, and then in class each day by taking attendance. I always ask a “Question of the Day” to record attendance. It’s a way for the students and I to all get to know each other and engage in conversation. The questions are usually fun and whimsical. [My UTAs] took attendance for their classes and came up with their own questions. They immediately put the students at ease and developed a trusting relationship from day one. Consequently, students felt comfortable emailing them questions, discussing their work, and requesting office hour appointments. [My UTAs] also facilitated group work, both online and in class. It was evident to me that the students looked up to [them]. The classroom atmosphere was positively enhanced all semester because of their friendliness and concern for the students’ well-being.
—Fall 18 Instructor
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Image by Jan Kahánek