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Pedagogical Training for All Professions
Whether a graduate student in our program plans a career in academia or not, a significant component of their graduate education is devoted to teaching undergraduates, and that teacher-training provides crucial professional experience. Virtually every post-graduate career, even those outside of academia, will demand the ability to establish goals along the lines of course learning outcomes and develop detailed plans for how to meet them (what is essentially a syllabus). Most also require the ability to explain complex concepts and detailed information, both orally and in writing, to diverse audiences, including non-experts. Many also require experience in critical reading and editing of others' writing.
Departmental Efforts
Since undergraduate education is one of the department's core missions, we are committed to training excellent teachers. We offer faculty supported and independent teaching opportunities (e.g., as the instructor of the undergraduate capstone course or for summer classes) as well as professionalization workshops on pedagogical topics including syllabus and assignment design, academic freedom, the inclusive classroom, teaching writing, and student conflict, etc.
In addition, graduate students have access to the department's Teaching Commons Canvas site, the Writing Resources site, as well as a set of workload guidelines, Guidelines and Best Practices for Graduate Student Teaching, created by faculty and graduate students working together to set clear expectations.
Most aspects of teaching positions in the department are governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the University and the Graduate Labor Union–United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (GLU-UE), including both parties' obligation to create a respectful workplace, as well as appointment duties and scope of work, benefits, hiring procedures, and workload.
The agreement requires that the department provide meaningful feedback on TA performance, and we consider this to be not simply a human resource or employment matter, but more importantly an opportunity for pedagogical training and feedback. Faculty who supervise TAs are free to provide that training and feedback in various ways, including completing an end-of-semester evaluation form, which they share with the TA and the DGS, as a means of fostering a discussion.
College Resources
Within the College of Liberal Arts, some pedagogical training is offered through the Office of Undergraduate Education (UGE), which provides information on such topics as Classroom Management and Student Conduct and Behavior. It is also the center of CLA undergraduate advising and provides resources to undergraduate students (such as emergency financial help) about which it is useful to know so as to advise and offer help to your students.
One purpose of the Liberal Arts Technologies and Innovation Services (LATIS) office is to help faculty and graduate instructors effectively integrate new technology in their classrooms. They offer individual consulting (z.umn.edu/LX-Zoom-Room), training programs and certificates. They also provide LATIS Equipment Rental to instructors who need to borrow laptops, video cameras, editing equipment, etc.
University Resources
Beyond our departmental efforts to train the next generation of teachers, there is the Center for Educational Innovation, which is a wonderful resource that offers:
Guidelines, documents, workshops and training videos on a wide variety of pedagogical issues including course design, assessment, AI in the classroom, inclusivity, and universal design.
Certificate programs in Preparing Future Faculty and Teaching Assistant and and Postdoc Professional Development.
Direct consultation on your teaching and classroom observation.
Training on how to prepare a teaching philosophy and document your growth as a teacher in the academy.
Help for Your Students
Red Folder (resources to help you recognize indicators of student distress)
The Center for Writing provides student writing support
Tutoring and Academic Success Center
Letters of Recommendation
Sometimes undergraduates will ask their TA to write a letter of recommendation for a job, internship, or graduate program. The department has sometimes offered Professionalization Workshops on how to craft such letters, but you should know that you are under no obligation to provide them (your compensation as a TA doesn't include that extra labor). If you don't feel comfortable doing so, direct the student to the faculty instructor or the DGS. You might point out to the student that a letter from a faculty member will have more impact, particularly for applications to museum internships and graduate school.
Capstone Projects
Undergraduate majors in art history are required to complete a capstone paper under the supervision of a faculty member. They obtain a form from the main art history office and bring it to the faculty member for their signature, and one that is obtained they are given a permission number to register.
Sometimes undergraduates will ask a graduate instructor to serve as their capstone adviser. Graduate students are prohibited from serving in this role. If you wish, you may meet with the student informally to provide guidance on specific content in which you have expertise, but if a student brings you a capstone form to sign, please direct them to the faculty or the DGS.
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