TAO is being held in person on Wednesday, August 13, 2025. This year, there are two options for attending TAO:
- Morning session: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Afternoon session: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Both sessions will take place in Wilson Hall.
Teaching Assistant Orientation
Wednesday, August 13 @ 10:00 a.m.
Registration closes July 25.
Graduate students balance many roles: student, researcher, mentor—and, in many cases, working as a teaching assistant (TA). While TA duties vary across departments, they all demand considerable skills and knowledge. These duties can include grading, consulting with students during office hours, leading discussion or problem-solving sessions, teaching labs or giving lectures.
To assist new TAs as they prepare for their duties, AdvancED offers a Teaching Assistant Orientation (TAO) each August. TAO sessions offer:
- Effective strategies for the varied teaching duties that TAs assume.
- Information on campus resources available to TAs.
- Advice from a panel of experienced Vanderbilt TAs across a range of disciplines.
Participation in TAO can make students’ work as TAs easier and can be a valuable addition to their curriculum vitae. TAO helps develop transferable skills useful for a wide range of careers, including effective communication, classroom management, problem solving, and time management.
Eligibility
Who should attend TAO?
- Graduate students who will begin TA duties during the 2025-26 academic year.
- Graduate students who have previous TA experience but will be returning as a TA during the 2025-26 school year.
- Some graduate students opt in to TAO, while some are required to attend TAO by their department. Please check with your department to find out its TAO attendance policy.
If you do not know whether you will begin your TA duties during the 2025-26 school year, please check with your department to find out.
If you have any questions or need further clarification, please reach out to the AdvancED team at advanced-teaching@vanderbilt.edu or 615-322-7290 for guidance. Register today to secure your spot and ensure you’re prepared to excel in your TA duties in the upcoming year!
TAO gave me guidance and ideas to think about when interacting and engaging with students. It’s also made me focus more on being a resource and helping students grow, rather than being a good grader.
— 2024 TAO Participant
I didn’t have a clear picture of what TAing would entail here, so TAO really provided a comprehensive idea of what the expectations are, how to effectively teach, and how to resolve issues.
— 2024 TAO Participant
TAO FAQs
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Fill out our form to register for TAO today.
For any questions about registration, or if you experience problems, please contact the AdvancED team at advanced-teaching@vanderbilt.edu.
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As a supplement to our in-person orientation event, we will offer a self-paced Brightspace course with additional learning materials and resources designed to benefit new TAs. The Brightspace course will be available for self-registration on August 13.
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For more information, contact AdvancED at advanced-teaching@vanderbilt.edu.