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Job Description: Drama 101 TA

Teaching Assistant Job Description - 2020-21

Course Name: Drama 101, Introduction to the Theatre
Curricular purpose: Drama 101 TAs teach non-major students who are
interested in theatre and performance but do not
necessarily have prior experience with the art form.
Drama 101 also counts as a VLPA course.

TA Duties:

  • Attend all lectures
  • Attend instructor/TA meetings
  • Adhere to the policies outlined in the course syllabus
  • Conduct quiz section meetings
  • Facilitate discussions in quiz sections
  • Prepare discussions and activities for quiz sections
  • Hold regular office hours
  • Manage and respond to course-related e-mail in a timely fashion
  • If necessary, prepare exam review materials for quiz sections
  • Proctor exams as needed (and approved by instructor)
  • Maintain grading records
  • Maintain course attendance records for quiz sections (note: students cannot be graded on attendance)
  • Grade papers and projects
  • Maintain records on individual students’ assignment completion
  • Possibly contribute to exam questions, pulled from lecture and reading material
  • Calculate and submit quarter grades

Other specific duties:

Lead TA will also:

  • Assign TAs to specific quiz sections
  • Work with instructor to coordinate instructor/TA meetings
  • At times, aid instructor in facilitating communications to TAs
  • Obtain breakout rooms (working with Sue Bruns) as needed
  • Assist in getting exams administered and graded
  • Obtain keys to media equipment and attend an orientation, if needed, with classroom services.

Drama 101 TA

Assigned Course Drama 101, two sections
Faculty member or supervisor to whom the ASE will report

2020-21:
Scott Magelssen
Procedures used for evaluation (if any)

SCHOOL OF DRAMA TEACHING ASSISTANTS
EVALUATION CRITERIA
During your appointment as a teaching assistant, you will be evaluated by the TA evaluator. This evaluation will be placed in your employee file - not your student file. You will receive a copy, and will have an opportunity to comment on the evaluation. It will then go to the Administrative office for processing. This processing includes a confirmation to the Graduate School that the evaluation has been done, but no copy of the actual evaluation will be forwarded to them.

If the evaluator concludes that the TA is not meeting departmental criteria for teaching competence, then s/he will work with the TA to determine a specific, written plan for addressing the TA’s teaching difficulties.

A TA should feel free at any time to give input to the observation process. Any appeal, should one feel the need to appeal the outcome of any decision based on the observation, should follow procedures outlined in Executive Order 28. This appeal would begin with contacting the Executive Director of the School.

Criteria to be used in the evaluation will include at least the following:
Preparedness
   effective use of class time
   organization of material
   punctuality
Communication
   engaging full class
   clear direction on assignments
   articulation
   listening
Responsibilities to students
   office hours
   assignments returned in a timely manner
   teaching from the syllabus
   consistent grading
   understanding/enforcing University policy
Course meeting times and location Lecture: MWF, 12:30-1:30
Sections: T Th various times
The maximum number of students for which the ASE will be responsible Approximately 25 per section, each TA is responsible for 2 sections
Office hours (if applicable) TBA by TA
Training programs (if applicable) Center for Teaching and Learning TA training for new TAs, Sept 17, 2020
Drama 101 TA orientation Sept 18 and 21,  1:30-3:30pm.
Work location Classroom – see time schedule, TAs will be assigned to their sections by Lead TA
TA office – Hutchinson Hall, room 301
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