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:
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: Zach Lloyd (CAT Teaching Consultant) & Caity Bente (Program Manager: TA Training & Professional Development)
Email: teaching-assistants@fsu.edu
In-Person Workshop: Tuesday, September 15th, 2:30 – 4:00 p.m., The Great Hall (4th floor — Honors, Scholars, and Fellows House)
Virtual Workshop: Wednesday, September 16th, 11:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m., via Zoom.
Please note that this is the same session with two date options. You do not need to attend both sessions.
Positive Communication & Motivation
Understanding students’ motivation isn’t just about being a cheerleader: motivation shapes the learner’s attention, their participation, and their behavior, so it’s an essential part of learning. (Lovett, et al., 2023). How we as instructors communicate with students has an impact on how students feel valued, connected, and driven to engage with the course materials. In this interactive workshop, we’ll identify factors that influence students’ motivation to learn. We will also generate practical, positive communication strategies instructors and TAs can apply to keep students motivated throughout the semester.
Facilitators: Leslie Richardson (CAT Director,) & Darcey Liang (Teaching Consultant)
Email: teaching-assistants@fsu.edu
Date/Time/Location: Wednesday, September 23rd, 2:00-3:30pm, Diffenbaugh 432
Providing Effective Feedback for Learning
In this interactive workshop, we will discuss implementing timely feedback that supports students’ learning. We will consider different types of feedback and the timing of feedback within a course. We will also identify the qualities of effective feedback and design feedback that helps students make progress toward course goals. We hope you can join us for this feedback-focused workshop. We look forward to working with you!
Facilitators: Zach Lloyd & Hannah Hiester, CAT Teaching Consultants
Email: teaching-assistants@fsu.edu
Date/Time/Location:Wednesday, September 30th, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Honors, Scholars, & Fellows Hours 3008
Teaching with AI
Curious about how AI can support student thinking and enhance active learning in your classroom? In this interactive workshop, we will first consider how AI impacts the learning process, and the opportunities and challenges this presents. We will then focus on strategies for integrating AI tools with active learning to design learning experiences that help students develop a thoughtful, critical approach to using AI.
Facilitators: Hannah Hiester (Teaching Consultant) & Caity Bente (Program Manager: TA Training & Professional Development)
Email: teaching-assistants@fsu.edu
Date/Time/Location: Thursday, October 8th, 2:00 p.m. -3:30 p.m., Shores Building Innovation Hub (Pitch Room 112)
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: 9/8, 9/15, & 9/22, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Diffenbaugh 432
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September 8th – Introduction, Chapters 1, 2, & 3
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September 15th – Chapters 4, 5, & 6
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September 22nd – Chapters 7, 8, & Conclusion
Email: glg24a@fsu.edu
OR
Dates/Times/Locations: 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m., via Zoom
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September 23rd – Introduction, Chapters 1, 2, & 3
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September 30th – Chapters 4, 5, & 6
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October 7th – Chapters 7, 8, & Conclusion
Email: teaching-assistants@fsu.edu
Small Teaching
How do I get my students’ attention? How do I help them to go deeper, to make connections, and to feel empowered by their own learning? James Lang’s book, now in its second edition, explores the science of learning and shares with us small changes we can make that will have a powerful influence on our students’ learning. Join us as we discuss a variety of practical tools and techniques that can help us answer these and other teaching questions.
Dates/Times/Locations: 9/29, 10/6, & 10/13, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m., Shores Building Innovation Hub (Huddle Room 125)
Email: teaching-assistants@fsu.edu
Relationship-Rich Education
Peter Felten and Leo M. Lambert argue that education is not merely a series of transactions, but instead an opportunity for students to form a web of meaningful relationships that are vital not only to their academic success but also to their sense of belonging and self-discovery. They explain that social connection and belonging are not just pleasant extras in college, but prerequisites for learning, especially for powerful learning. The book provides examples and strategies for how institutions can foster richer learning environments, and the reading group will discuss ways we can shape our teaching to cultivate community and connection in our classrooms. .
Dates/Times/Locations: 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 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.