COR 101 Teaching Assistants

The Teaching Assistant Learning Contract

Learning contracts encourage students to set goals for their development, monitor progress, and begin to establish their own set of academic standards. The instructor and assistant will write a learning contract that lays out the following:

Teaching Assistants should consider the following questions in creating their learning contract:

• Why did I want to become a Teaching Assistant?
• What do I hope to get out of the experience?
• What areas of my personal and professional growth would I like to develop?
• What does being a Teaching Assistant mean to me?
• How can I meet those goals?

Teaching Assistants should also consider the following when creating a learning contract:

1. Educational goals:
   • Personal skill areas to develop
     (interpersonal skills, public speaking and planning)
   • Area(s) of first-year transition to facilitate in class and develop for the COR 101 Symposium (see list below)
2. The role the Teaching Assistant will play in the COR 101 class:
   • The level of involvement with planning and presenting
   • The relationship the TA would have with the students
3. The final grade the Teaching Assistant would like to earn:
   • If you want to earn an "A", list all of the activities that constitute a grade of "A". The Instructor and TA should agree on the activities/work involved.
   • All of the activities that constitute the grade should be listed on the learning contract.
   • Assignments or objectives as determined by the TA and the instructor, including deadlines, when relevant (e.g., "By the fifth week, I will facilitate a discussion.") should also be listed.
4. Expectations of the Teaching Assistant and the Instructor:
             (meeting times, discussions, involvement)
5. Learning Contract format: TA's and Instructors can choose a format (i.e. report, outline) for the contract and add any additional objectives or information.
6. Contracts are typically due in the Advisement office by the middle of September.

Potential topics for the Teaching Assistant to develop and facilitate in class:

• Advisement and Registration
• Exam Preparation
• Residence Hall Living
• Multicultural/Diversity Education
• Opportunities Abroad
• Wellness
• Career Planning
• Writing Tips
• Time Management
• Choosing a Major
• Campus Resources
• Study Skills
• Homesickness
• Getting Involved
• Values Clarification
• Decision-Making Skills
• Learning Styles

Additional information for Teaching Assistants can be found at Stanford University's Center for Teaching and Learning.