Teaching Fellows (TFs) are very important contributors to the departmental teaching mission. We value the investment of time and effort that teaching fellows make each semester.  

Basic Expectations

The Teaching Fellow job is 20 hours per week, typically for 17 weeks, starting the week before the semester begins and concluding after final grades are submitted.

Here are some basic expectations of teaching fellows. The list below should not be considered complete; TFs and instructors should be in frequent communication to determine specific expectations.

  1. Teaching Fellows must be aware of the course requirements, expectations, pre-requisites, deliverables, and dates/deadlines. Take the time to read the syllabus and schedule thoroughly.  Ask for clarifications as needed.
  2. TF duties begin before classes start. Preparation for the semester is part of the work. TFs should get in touch with instructors well before the start of the semester to find out what work is needed. 
  3. TF duties last through the final exam period, until final course grades have been computed and submitted. In particular, TFs should not leave town before final grades are submitted (unless there is a prior agreement with the instructor), because it can lead to major problems in submitting final course grades.
  4. Teaching Fellows are required to hold all labs/discussions, office hours, etc., as scheduled. Students rely on the regular schedule and availability of the teaching fellow. TFs must not cancel labs, office hours, or other scheduled activities without prior written approval of the instructor. 
  5. Office hours should be scheduled on multiple days (not all on one day, and not all in the same teaching time slot). Office hours should be held in an appropriate location and at times useful to the students (actual times must be worked out with the instructor).
  6. Teaching Fellows should be professional, courteous, and helpful with students during office hours, labs, and tutoring hours. Students should feel welcome to ask questions. Teaching fellows should be patient in explaining material and answering student questions. Teaching fellows should give appropriate feedback to students to help reinforce confidence in their learning.
  7. All duties, including communication, should be carried out in a timely fashion. Be responsive to email, or whatever other communication system your course is using (e.g., Piazza, Slack).
  8. Teaching Fellows are responsible for knowing the course material; they should speak with the instructor if they are unsure. A TFs who is learning the course material for the first time may need to work ahead of the students to understand assignments and solutions. 

Historically, the grand majority of teaching fellows have done an excellent job! However, in rare cases the department has had to terminate teaching fellowships or not rehire students as TFs for subsequent semesters.

Weekly Duties and Time Allocation

The TF job is 20 hours per week. Below we provide an example of weekly time allocation. Actual duties vary significantly depending on your course assignment and should be determined in conversation with the course instructor.

  • Communication with instructor, planning, and course administration: 3 hours
  • Preparation for labs/discussions: 3 hours
  • Conducting labs/discussions: 3 hours
  • Office hours: 3 hours
  • Grading and grader supervision: 4 hours
  • Answering email / online communication with from students / etc: 4 hours

Total: 20 hours/week 

Student Evaluations

At the end of the semester, students will complete an evaluation form giving feedback on the teaching fellow performance. This feedback can be helpful in identifying strengths and areas for improvement. When reading evaluations, it is important to look at the “bigger picture” and “global trends.” In larger service courses, there will always be a couple outliers or odd comments. However, if there are clusters of similar comments (positive or negative) then these should be considered seriously. Each year, the Department acknowledges excellent teaching fellow performance in the PAS meeting and letters. There is also a College teaching fellow prize awarded each spring. Student evaluations provide information used in nominating teaching fellows for the College prize.