CETLI Events Calendar

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 […]

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 […]