CAT is pleased to provide workshops, reading groups, and other programming and services designed to support graduate students in their teaching. Whether you are an experienced teaching assistant looking for additional professional development opportunities or completely new to teaching, we have a variety of events to connect you with inspiring colleagues and develop your pedagogical skill set.
Required TA Training
If you are looking for the Essential Policies & Practices for TAs, a fully online training required for Categories 1–5 TAs who need to get certified to teach, please see our webpage for upcoming training offerings and more information.
Workshops
CAT teaching workshops are interactive sessions (typically 1.5 to 2 hours) led by a CAT facilitator or other subject matter expert. In addition to providing opportunities to learn about effective approaches to teaching, they are also opportunities to discuss ideas with other graduate students across disciplines. The following are our current workshop offerings:
Communication & Support in the Classroom
Communication occurs in many forms in a classroom setting. From direct instruction, both verbal and in writing, to writing our instructions for assignments and feedback, our communication is a powerful tool for setting the tone and expectations of our teaching contexts. In this interactive workshop, we will explore questions such as, what are all the ways we communicate in our teaching? How do we convey high expectations for students coupled with high support for them? What do we do when a moment in class yields differing opinions and how do we make sure the conversation stays civil and academically productive? Join us as we delve into these topics and develop an action plan for effective communication in your teaching!
Facilitators: Caity Bente, Program Manager: TA Training & Professional Development & Zach Lloyd, CAT Teaching Consultant
Email: teaching-assistants@fsu.edu
Date/Time: Thursday, June 4th, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Location: In-person, Graduate Instruction Classroom 005A, Strozier Library Basement
Writing your Teaching Philosophy
Writing a teaching philosophy can be challenging, but it is also an opportunity to articulate your approach to teaching and learning in a way that reflects your values and practices as an instructor. In this workshop, we will guide you through the process of creating a compelling, evidence-based teaching philosophy. We’ll explore common challenges, discuss rhetorical strategies and essential components of the document, and highlight common pitfalls to avoid. Through discussion and hands-on activities, you’ll begin developing the ideas and language to capture your unique perspective on teaching.
Facilitators: Caity Bente, Program Manager: TA Training & Professional Development & Zach Lloyd, CAT Teaching Consultant
Email: teaching-assistants@fsu.edu
Dates/Times/Locations:
Virtual Workshop: Friday, June 5th, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m., via Zoom.
OR
In-Person Workshop: Thursday, July 16th, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., in-person, location TBD.
Designing Effective Quizzes
In this interactive workshop, we share resources for designing effective exams and quizzes, and guide you through a process of designing assessments that measure student learning as accurately as possible. We will also introduce how to write and/or improve exam and quiz questions, with a particular focus on close-ended style questions e.g. multiple choice or fill-in-the blank. Finally, we will discuss how to check the quality and clarity of your assessments. We look forward to working with you!
Facilitators: Darcey Liang and Hannah Hiester, CAT Teaching Consultants
Email: hhiester@fsu.edu & dliang@fsu.edu
Date/Time: June 25th, 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Making the Most of Class Time
In this interactive workshop we will consider how to design effective class sessions that adopt an active, learner-centered approach. We will discuss the importance of prioritizing what we have students do during class time, we’ll share active learning strategies, explore technology you can intentionally implement in your classroom, and consider how to prepare for facilitation. We hope you can join us as we think about making the most of the time you have with your students. We look forward to working with you!
Facilitators: Caity Bente, Program Manager: TA Training & Professional Development & Zach Lloyd, CAT Teaching Consultant
Email: teaching-assistants@fsu.edu
Dates/Times/Locations:
In-Person Workshop: Monday, July 20th | 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | In-person, Location TBA
OR
Virtual Workshop: Wednesday, July 22nd| 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Virtual, via Zoom
Reading Groups
Reading groups are a great opportunity to connect with colleagues across disciplines and discuss great books about teaching and learning. Groups typically meet three times (approximately 1.5 hours each session) across three consecutive weeks and are led by a facilitator from CAT. Reading groups are a relaxed, discussion-focused environment that encourages participants to share their experiences and questions on the book topics.
See below for upcoming reading group offerings:
How Learning Works
The newly updated edition of this important book translates decades of scientific literature into practical advice, introducing eight general principles of how people learn. The authors draw on cognitive, developmental, and social psychology, as well as educational research, anthropology, etc. The discussion spans issues from memory to motivation, integrating theory with real classroom examples. Participants will develop strategies for strengthening their own teaching through the application of these principles of cognitive psychology.
Dates/Times/Locations: June 2nd, 9th, & 16th, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. via Zoom
OR
July 8th, 15th, & 22nd, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., via Zoom
Email: teaching-assistants@fsu.edu
What the Best College Teachers Do
In the beloved book, What the Best College Teachers Do, Bain shares how great teachers cultivate powerful learning experiences that leave their students fundamentally changed. He draws on fifteen years of research that highlights how exceptional teachers create environments where students feel intellectually challenged, emotionally supported, and genuinely curious. We will discuss the analysis and models of teaching Bain provides and consider how to incorporate the strategies into our own teaching.
Dates/Times/Locations: June 2nd, 9th, & 16th, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m., Strozier Library Bradley Reading Room
Email: teaching-assistants@fsu.edu
The Opposite of Cheating
Published in 2025, this eagerly awaited book explores research on why students cheat—with a focus on the particular challenges presented by students’ access to generative AI—and shares practical advice about what faculty can do to promote learning and integrity instead in courses in any modality.
Dates/Times/Locations: July 10th, 17th, & 24th, 1:00 – 2:30 via Zoom
Email: hhiester@fsu.edu
Please Note — These reading groups are for graduate students only. If you have questions about a particular reading group, please email the email address listed for that reading group.