CETLI Events Calendar

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 […]

Why should we want to develop community in our classrooms, and how do we go about establishing it in courses both large and small? This workshop for new teachers and TAs will discuss the importance of community for undergraduate teaching, with special focus on building community between peers. Participants will draw on their own experiences […]

Academia provides many opportunities to engage in mentoring—of undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and colleagues. Join us for an interactive workshop where we will explore what it means to be a mentor, and how to seek out mentorship when we need it for ourselves. We will discuss the benefits and pitfalls of mentoring, and strategies for […]

Preparing students for exams in STEM fields involves more than just reviewing content; it requires fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective study habits. This workshop is designed to empower TAs in engineering fields with the tools and techniques to support students effectively. Participants will learn to design and implement engaging review sessions, utilize practice exams […]

All graduate students are welcome. This event grows out of concerns in the Nursing department, and so may be most useful to students in related fields. Please note that there is a Zoom option for this meeting and links will be provided to those who register. Counts toward the CETLI Teaching Certificate.

Want to design your own history course, but not sure where to start? Join us for an engaging and insightful workshop where we’ll explore the art and science of course creation, tailored specifically for the history discipline. In this session, we’ll break down the key elements of designing both lecture courses and seminar courses. Discover […]

In this workshop, we discuss how to tailor mathematical instruction to the needs and interests of computer science students, through the lens of Prof. Eric Wong's experiences with teaching mathematics for machine learning. We will examine what contributes to effective mathematics communication, including considerations such as pacing, presenting on the blackboard versus with slides, and […]

When the classroom is effectively engaged, student participation can be used as a tool to gauge the class's overall progress in the subject. In this workshop, participants will explore strategies for lowering the stakes for classroom participation and varying the ways students can participate in class so that all students get an opportunity to share […]

Managing office hours effectively can be challenging. This session will address strategies for respecting both students' needs and your own time. We’ll discuss approaches to streamline office hours, manage student interactions efficiently, and avoid extending office hours beyond what is practical. Faculty members who have successfully managed their office hours will share strategies and tips […]

This workshop will discuss different kinds of stress students might face and what TAs can do to help. Participants will gain hands-on practice responding to different situations, and leave the workshop with useful strategies to help students struggling with academic-based stress and anxiety, as well as a list of on-campus resources that are available for […]

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.

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

This workshop is designed to help graduate student instructors discuss and practice how to effectively communicate expectations so that students can succeed in their classes. To create a transparent classroom in which students understand the course expectations and the purpose of them, participants will discuss when and where to communicate expectations and conduct practice exercises […]

Special collections often contribute to our research as scholars. How do we use them as teachers, and make them an active part of our undergraduate classrooms? This graduate student workshop will give participants a crash course in how to teach with special collections, using the Kislak Center’s special collections as its focal point. Potential topics […]

How can we center inclusivity and accessibility in our roles as graduate TAs at Penn? In this workshop for new TAs, participants will explore the social landscape of Penn undergraduate classrooms and draw on their experiences as learners to consider how to decrease barriers to participation for students of diverse backgrounds. In particular, participants will […]

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.

How can we concretely incorporate active learning into our teaching? The goal of this workshop is for participants to leave with both general strategies for using active learning to enhance student outcomes and a specific menu of active learning activities to select from. When considering these activities, participants will reflect on how an activity may […]

This workshop will assist graduate students across disciplines with strategies for delivering an effective lecture. Topics will include conventional versus interactive lectures, the use of inclusive teaching practices, and strategies for improving public speaking skills. Workshop attendees will leave with ideas for ways to enhance student learning when delivering lecture-based content.

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

“Research shows three reliable effects when students are graded: They tend to think less deeply, avoid taking risks, and lose interest in the learning itself” (Kohn, 2006). Grading can feel transactional and penalizing for instructors and students alike, and there is some evidence that it often impedes learning. In this workshop, we will discuss practices […]