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:
Designing for Learning
This interactive workshop will help participants design effective learning experiences of any length, from courses to modules to class sessions. First, we’ll discuss adopting a learning-centered approach to teaching, in which instructors shift their focus from covering content to facilitating learning. Then, we’ll practice using a backward design process to set learning goals for students, design and align assessments, and make good use of class time by providing students with opportunities for practice and feedback. We hope you can join us for this fundamental workshop that helps lay the foundation for the rest of the TDP. We look forward to working with you!
Facilitators: Caity Bente, Program Manager: TA Training & Professional Development, Hannah Hiester, CAT Teaching Consultant, & Zach Lloyd, CAT Teaching Consultant
Email: teaching-assistants@fsu.edu
Dates/Times/Locations*:
May 28th, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m., Strozier Library Bradley Reading Room
OR
May 29th, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., via Zoom
*Note: This is the same workshop offered on two different dates. You do not need to attend both events.
More Workshop Topics Coming Soon!
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.