Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are vital to the teaching mission at the University of Kansas, serving as instructors who shape the learning experiences of countless students. To ensure you’re fully prepared for this important role, all new GTAs are required to complete the mandatory New GTA Orientation, offered by the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) or an approved alternative provided by your department.

The CTE-led New GTA Orientation is designed to equip you with the essential tools and knowledge you need to succeed as an instructor at KU. This comprehensive training is divided into three key components:

1. New GTA Policy Tutorial
   Familiarizes you with KU's teaching policies and practices.
2. New GTA Conference Modules and Sessions
   Provides an introduction to best teaching practices through synchronous sessions and asynchronous modules.
3. New GTA Follow-up Session
   Offers an opportunity to reflect on your teaching experiences and further develop your instructional strategies.

New GTAs must complete this training within their first semester of teaching. The CTE Conference, a central part of the orientation, consists of two synchronous sessions held the week before classes start and five asynchronous modules available through Canvas. These modules are designed to provide you with both a broad overview and specialized insights tailored to your specific teaching role.

For those in departments with an approved alternative orientation (e.g., Communication Studies; English; and French, Francophone & Italian Studies), only the Policy Tutorial and departmental training are required. 

New GTAs beginning their appointment in the summer are expected to complete orientation prior to the start of their teaching assignment. While we do not offer a separate summer orientation, these GTAs can complete the Spring GTA Orientation asynchronously through our Canvas course. 

If you are onboarding a GTA for the summer, please send their KU email or student ID to Kaila Colyott (KColyott@ku.edu). They will be enrolled in the Spring course and receive instructions for completing the required modules.

Summer 2025 deadline: All orientation requirements must be completed by Sunday, June 1 at 11:59 PM (prior to the first day of classes). To allow adequate time for completion, we recommend starting the course at least two weeks prior to this deadline.

The Fall 2025 New GTA Orientation Conference will take place in person on Monday, August 11th, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 3:15 PM. Attendance is mandatory for all new Graduate Teaching Assistants. This full-day event is designed to prepare GTAs for their teaching responsibilities and to connect them with key resources and support networks at KU.

Additional details—including location, session descriptions, and materials—will be shared via KU email once the New GTA Orientation Canvas course opens on August 4th. Please check your email regularly and review the Canvas course materials in advance.

Other Deadlines for Fall Orientation

Essential Modules
Must be completed by 9:00 AM CT on August 11th (prior to the start of the in-person event).

Policy Tutorial and Breakout Modules
Must be completed by end of day on August 17th (before the first day of classes).

Follow-Up Session

In addition to the orientation conference and online modules, all new GTAs are required to complete a one-hour follow-up session later in the semester.

• You’ll receive a Qualtrics link via email to sign up when registration is available.
• Follow-up sessions will take place between September 8th and October 10th.

As part of the Fall 2025 New GTA Orientation hosted by the Center for Teaching Excellence, the materials linked below address topics related to classroom communication, non-discrimination, and navigating social and cultural differences in higher education. These materials are designed to help new instructors build respectful, effective learning environments.

Download: [Fall 2025 Orientation Materials on Respectful Teaching & Classroom Dialogue (PDF)]

These resources were created for educational purposes and reviewed in collaboration with the Office of Audit, Risk, and Compliance. 

This page offers a condensed overview and direct links to essential teaching policies and practices for KU instructors, specifically designed for Graduate Teaching Assistants. Drawing on insights from discussions with new instructors, these resources address common teaching scenarios and provide guidance on policy-compliant responses. We aim to provide a valuable reference for your role as an instructor and community member at the university. For comprehensive policy details, please visit the Teaching-related Policies and Practices page. 

Fridays | 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Watson Library, 4th Floor

Fridays on Fourth is a collaboration between KU Libraries, the Writing Center, the Office of Graduate Studies, and the Center for Teaching Excellence that gives graduate students space and support to focus on research, writing, and teaching. Drop in any Friday to:

• Research Help: Meet with librarians to refine your topic, find sources, manage data, and organize citations.
• Write-Ins: Set aside focused time to work on your dissertation, papers, exams, or applications.
• Workshops: Learn practical skills for research, writing, and teaching. Topics this semester include citation tools (Zotero, EndNote), thesis formatting, scoping reviews, AI for research, and career preparation.

🔹 New this semester: On October 24, join a workshop on Checking In With Students Through Grading. This session will explore how grading can be more than evaluation, it can also be a chance to connect with students, provide meaningful feedback, and manage workload effectively as a GTA. We’ll explore strategies to make grading manageable while also helping you consider what your grading practices say about student learning, especially useful if you’ll be talking about teaching on the academic job market.

Graduate Student Success Week (GSSW) offers a full week of workshops and events to help graduate students build skills for research, writing, teaching, and career development. Sessions this fall include graduate-level writing strategies, time management, building a professional network, AI in the job search, LinkedIn makeovers, and more.

🔹 Featured Session: Telling Your Teaching Story
Tuesday, September 9 | 12:00 PM
Learn what makes a teaching statement effective and how to start writing your own. In this session, you’ll reflect on meaningful teaching experiences and practice turning them into compelling material for your job documents. This is especially valuable if you are preparing for the academic job market or want to strengthen your teaching narrative.

📌 View the full schedule and register here

Workshop Series: Preparing Your Teaching Materials for the Academic Job Market

Transform your teaching experience into compelling job market materials through this three-part online workshop series. Using backward design principles, we’ll help you develop materials that tell a cohesive story about your teaching identity and effectiveness. You can attend individual sessions or participate in the full series—each workshop builds on previous concepts while remaining accessible to new participants.

🔹 Session Details

• Topic 1: Using Backward Design to Craft Your Teaching Materials. Learn how backward design principles can strengthen both your teaching and your job market materials. Through guided activities, you’ll identify your core teaching values and begin mapping your teaching narrative. Thursday, September 18 | 10:30 AM–12:00 PM (Zoom)
• Topic 2: Crafting Your Teaching Statement. Develop a compelling teaching statement that clearly articulates your teaching philosophy and practices. You’ll reflect on meaningful teaching experiences and practice turning them into compelling material for your job documents. Thursday, September 25 | 10:30 AM–12:00 PM (Zoom)
• Topic 3: Building Your Teaching Portfolio. Learn how to select and frame teaching materials that provide evidence for your teaching statement claims. We’ll explore how syllabi, assignments, and student feedback can strengthen your portfolio. Thursday, October 2 | 10:30 AM–12:00 PM (Zoom)

📌 Click here to register for workshops

One-on-One Consultations
Need personalized advice? Schedule a 30-minute consultation to discuss your materials in depth. Whether you need help refining your teaching statement or preparing a portfolio, we’re here to provide tailored feedback and guidance. 

📌 Click here to schedule a consultation

Coming Soon!

We’re currently planning our Fall 2025 GTA workshop series and would love your input! These workshops will provide practical strategies and interactive discussions to support your teaching and professional development as a GTA.

📢 Have a topic in mind? If there’s a specific challenge you’d like to explore or a teaching skill you want to develop, let us know! Your feedback helps us create workshops that are most relevant and useful to you. Share your ideas with us by providing your feedback here.

🔹 Past topics have included:

• Encouraging student engagement in discussions
• Designing fair and effective assessments
• Managing challenging classroom situations
• Time-saving grading strategies
• Teaching with AI

📌 Stay tuned for more details on upcoming workshops!

CTE staff members are available to consult with graduate students on any topics related to teaching and learning.

Classroom Practice

We are happy to meet with you about specific situations that arise in your class, whether you would like to learn more about lesson planning, discussion leading, classroom dynamics, or need support with particular challenges.

📌 Book a 30-minute appointment with Kaila

If you have questions outside of these topics or aren’t sure who to meet with, feel free to 📧 Email Kaila Colyott at KColyott@KU.edu, who will be happy to either assist you directly or connect you with the right person.