CETLI Events Calendar

This workshop is focused on strategies to critically read scientific articles and how TAs can help students' reading development. Join us for a discussion of fostering critical reading skills and actionable ways to implement these techniques in the classroom. All graduate students are welcome. This event grows out of concerns in the Chemistry department, and so may […]

How can educators better communicate concepts of mathematical intuition over rote formula memorization? This seminar, facilitated by Professor Val Tannen who has extensive experience in teaching mathematically intensive courses to a broad range of students - ranging from undergraduates to graduates, including those in online settings - focuses on discussing effective methodologies for imparting complex […]

The liberal arts undergraduate curriculum at Penn requires all undergraduates to fulfill general education requirements in STEM fields (Sectors V, VI and VII; Quantitative Data Analysis) regardless of their background preparation and interests. This poses specific challenges for teaching STEM content and skills to non-STEM majors. This workshop will focus on thinking beyond WHAT we […]

What resources on Penn helped most in a future career? How does that differ in academia and careers outside of academia? What words of advice would current professors give their grad student former selves? Join recent alumni from the Penn Political Science Department, including Gino Pauselli (Princeton), Katie Rader, (Christopher Newport University), and Gabe Salgado […]

All graduate students are welcome. This event grows out of concerns in the Bioengineering department, and so may be most useful to students in related fields. Counts toward the CETLI Teaching Certificate.

What are liberal arts colleges and how do they differ from other academic institutions? What's the balance of research versus teaching commitments for professors at liberal arts colleges? What do hiring committees at these institutions look for in applicants? Join recent Penn Econ alumni Alice Gindin (Assistant Professor, Middlebury College) and Ashwin Kambhampati (Assistant Professor, […]

In this workshop, TAs will learn how to design their own courses using intended learning objectives. This student-centered approach will focus course design on students gaining desired skills and knowledge through measurable objectives. TAs will get the opportunity to design their own course with peers and receive feedback. All disciplines are welcome. Counts toward the […]

All graduate students are welcome. This event grows out of concerns in the Classical Studies department, and so may be most useful to students in related fields. Counts toward the CETLI Teaching Certificate.

In this workshop, we will discuss how to effectively teach students introductory programming, through the lens of Prof. Steve Zdancewic's experiences with CIS 1200 (Programming Languages and Techniques). Topics we examine may include 1200's choice to teach two programming languages, OCaml and Java; considerations when designing programming projects; and strategies for managing a large course — […]

In this workshop, a panel of faculty from Penn’s School of Nursing will discuss the use, benefits, and challenges of various teaching strategies, including delivering synchronous and asynchronous virtual content and flipped classroom approaches. All graduate students are welcome. This event grows out of concerns in the Nursing department, and so may be most useful […]

Often, students in a STEM class are non-majors who want to apply the material from the class to their preferred field of study, and effectively teaching these students can present unique challenges. In this workshop, participants will discuss ways to make students feel welcome in class regardless of their interests, uncover strategies to make course […]

Essay exams can be a source of stress for students, who might often turn to TAs for answers. In this workshop, participants will gain practical skills and strategies to prepare students for written examinations, learn ways to make the most out of review sessions and pre-exam office hours, and explore case studies and scenarios to […]

Transform your history lectures from ordinary to extraordinary! Join us for an interactive workshop where we’ll explore the essentials of crafting engaging and memorable history lectures. In this session, you’ll learn the foundational strategies for organizing your lectures to ensure clarity and engagement. We’ll also dive into innovative ways to incorporate multimedia elements that bring […]

As graduate instructors, we are often called to support, guide, and advocate for struggling students. It can sometimes be difficult to determine whether a student needs encouragement and advice on coursework or should be referred to other resources on campus. In this session, participants will discuss scenarios, tools, resources, and strategies for navigating these situations […]

Working as a TA can be overwhelming, especially when we need to fit preparing and delivering classes, grading, and holding office hours into our already tight schedules of coursework and research projects. In this workshop, participants will discuss practical tools and techniques to manage time efficiently and effectively in their dual role as a teaching […]

What is it like to teach English literature at a small liberal arts college? A public research university? A state school? A college in Canada? This roundtable convenes recent PhDs from the Department of English who have taken tenure-track lines at such schools, and uses the opportunity to discuss what they’ve learned—and what they wish […]

All graduate students are welcome. This event grows out of concerns in the Mathematics department, and so may be most useful to students in related fields. Counts toward the CETLI Teaching Certificate.

All graduate students are welcome. This event grows out of concerns in the East Asian Languages and Civilizations department, and so may be most useful to students in related fields. Counts toward the CETLI Teaching Certificate.

Humanities courses can pose various challenges to students majoring in other fields. In this workshop, participants will discuss how TAs can foster an inclusive learning environment for students of different strengths, interests, and background knowledge. In particular, this workshop will focus on how TAs can help non-major students with their recitation performance, papers, and exams. […]

In this workshop, participants will explore how students’ learning can be deepened by carefully structuring opportunities to work with their peers. They will discuss what instructors can do to make group work more effective, and learn about intervention strategies to make groups function more equitably. The goal of this workshop is for participants to leave […]

In an age where so many students use AI to assist in their writing process, what are the implications for how we design writing assignments for our courses? In this workshop we will think together around how young people use AI from the beginning ideation phase of writing to editing finishing touches, considering how these […]

Undergraduate (and sometimes graduate) students can often feel as if they don't have a voice in their classroom. As a result, they mute themselves in class discussions or say things they think the instructor or peers will accept. In this workshop, Murali Balaji offers tips on how to maximize engagement with students while allowing them […]