from august 15 to 17, the cft hosted a three-day teaching assistant orientation (tao) to help prepare new teaching assistants for their new teaching duties that could include grading, consulting with students during office hours, leading a discussion or problem sessions, teaching labs, or giving lectures. this year, a total of 265 new tas and postdocs participated in the tao, where they explored evidence-based teaching practices, practical teaching skills, and knowledge needed to be effective in face-to-face and online learning settings.
below are a few quotes from the participants:

“the ta orientation helped to prepare me for my journey as a ta by providing me with the right material/skills. the resources that are necessary to succeed as a ta were thoroughly discussed. overall, tao helped teach me what to expect as a ta and how to create a welcoming environment.”

“ta orientation gave me syllabus creation resources as well as methods to deal with complex topics and discussions as a ta.”