Graduate Academy Program 2026
PRE-WORK: Activate your Graduate Academy eText! If you have already, move to the section below.
- eText Chapter “Running a Class Session” must be completed before live sessions begin on Wednesday, January 14.
- eText Chapter “Grading” must be completed before the end of the day Thursday, January 15.
- eText Chapters “Policies and TA Resources” and “Beyond the Academy” must be completed before Spring classes begin.
Wednesday, January 14
Complete asynchronous pre-work before live sessions begin in the afternoon.
1:30pm-2:15pm – Welcome & Keynote, face-to-face, Wohlers Hall room 141
Welcome, announcements, orientation to the program, and a few helpful tips. Room 141 Wohlers Hall.
2:30pm-3:45pm – Small Group Sessions, face-to-face, Wohlers Hall or David Kinley Hall
Locate your department on the table below and go to the corresponding room by 2:30 pm. If you don’t see your department, ask for help at the table in front of 141 Wohlers Hall.
Department Search Tool
| Department | Room |
|---|---|
| David Kinley Hall 125 |
| David Kinley Hall 209 |
| Wohlers Hall 245 |
| David Kinley Hall 113 |
| Wohlers Hall 166 |
| David Kinley Hall 119 |
| David Kinley Hall 123 |
| Wohlers 226 |
| David Kinley Hall 317 |
| Wohlers 130 |
4:00pm-5:00pm – GEO session, face-to-face, Wohlers Hall room 141
The Graduate Employees' Organization (GEO) is the union and sole bargaining representative of TAs, GAs, RAs, and PGAs on campus. We advocate for better working conditions, compensation, and rights - including negotiating graduate worker healthcare coverage. Come learn about your healthcare coverage, general healthcare information, and how to navigate the American healthcare system!
Thursday, January 15
9:00am-9:15am – Check in and announcements, face-to-face, Wohlers Hall room 141
Brief announcements and orientation in room 141 Wohlers Hall.
9:15am-10:15am – Concurrent sessions A, face-to-face, Wohlers Hall
Choose a session that appeals most to you and go to the corresponding room by 9:15am. If the room is full, go to your second choice.
| Title (Facilitator) | Description | Room |
|---|---|---|
| A1. Handling Difficult Classroom Situations (Abbas Aminmansour) | This session will cover establishing and uniformly applying course policies and practices to avoid difficult situations. Further, the session will address what to do or what not to do in case difficult situations such as incivility occur in your class. Finally, the working relationship between you and the course professor will be discussed relative to handling difficult situations. | Wohlers 241 |
A2. Managing Anxiety as a TA (Eden Rozing) | This session will focus on dealing with stress and anxiety as a teaching assistant to the benefit of both the educator and the students. We will briefly cover multiple related topics, including potential sources of stress for TAs and how anxiety can impact teaching and learning, as well as possible strategies to minimize and manage these feelings. While attendees will be encouraged to share their own experiences and approaches, doing so is not a requirement of attendance. | Wohlers 166 |
A3. Intercultural Communication in the Classroom (Kathryn Burden) | Have you ever encountered a puzzling intercultural situation? Did it leave you feeling confused and unsure of how to respond? Join us to decode that situation and discover how you can better communicate with those of different cultural backgrounds - particularly in the classroom! [Culture and Diversity Session] | Wohlers 245 |
A4. Responding to Student Writing (Carolyn Wisniewski) | Learn to respond to student writing in ways that are efficient, consistent, and valuable to students. You will gain strategies for providing effective feedback to support student writing and motivation while being mindful of your teaching goals and labor. | Wohlers 243 |
A5. Partners in Sexual Violence Prevention (Nora Peterson) | As teaching assistants, graduate students play a key role in creating a safe campus environment. Join staff from the Women's Resources Center and the Title IX Office as we explore ways sexual misconduct may show up in the classroom and identify action steps for teaching assistants to take as partners in sexual violence prevention. [Culture and Diversity Session] | Wohlers 226 |
A6. LGBTQ Cultural Humility in the Classroom (Dane Rivas-Koehl) | This workshop covers LGBTQ terminology, pronoun use, and how to be affirming of LGBTQ students in the classroom. The workshop also provides resources for TAs such as inclusive syllabus statements, name change information, and an all-gender campus restroom map. [Culture and Diversity Session] | Wohlers 152 |
| A7. What is GEO? | The Graduate Employees' Organization (GEO) is the union and sole bargaining representative of TAs, GAs, RAs, and PGAs on campus. We advocate for better working conditions, compensation, and rights - including negotiating graduate worker healthcare coverage. Come learn about your healthcare coverage, general healthcare information, and how to navigate the American healthcare system! | Wohlers 130 |
10:30am-11:30am – Concurrent sessions B, face-to-face, Wohlers Hall
Choose a session that appeals most to you and go to the corresponding room by 10:30am. If the room is full, go to your second choice.
| Title (Facilitator) | Description | Room |
|---|---|---|
| B1. Teaching with Compassion (Katherine Braught) | Learn how to teach with compassion—especially when students struggle. This session offers practical strategies for staying calm, giving supportive feedback, and managing stress, helping TAs foster better student outcomes and stronger student relationships without burning out. | Wohlers 243 |
| B2. Helping Distressed and Distressing Students (Ann Marie Morgan and Sue Stock) | College students are experiencing significant mental health problems, which makes it likely you will encounter a student in distress. Come learn some basic skills on how to help these students, and gain information on important campus resources! [Culture and Diversity Session] | Wohlers 245 |
| B3. So You Want More Discussion in your Science Discussion Sections (Christian Ray) | There are different ways to encourage active participation and discussion in science classes. We will look at ways to engage your science students, especially in a discussion-type setting. | Wohlers 241 |
| B4. Exploring Human-Centered Engineering at the Siebel Center for Design (Alex Pagano and Saad Shehab) | Explore how human-centered design enhances engineering education with the Siebel Center for Design. This interactive session for TAs includes hands-on activities, practical insights, and a tour of the Siebel Center for Design—connecting theory to real-world challenges through design thinking. | Siebel Center for Design 1046 |
| B5. Partnering with the Library to Better Support Student Research Challenges (Alex Deeke, David Henry Ward, and Merinda Hensley) | Are you teaching a course that includes a research assignment or research component for your students? If so, this is the session for you! Students often struggle with research-based assignments as they can be new to concepts such as developing a research question, navigating complex research landscapes, and identifying relevant and credible sources. We will share our expertise in designing effective research experiences, evaluating resources to help navigate complex information systems, and collaborating with campus instructors to provide specialized instruction on research skills. | Wohlers 152 |
| B6. Know Your Tools: Classroom Technology (Brendan Trauth) | The session will provide an overview of the Help Desk and available resources for classroom technology needs. We will review and demonstrate how to use the technology in a general-assignment classroom and common troubleshooting tips to resolve issues. Teaching is hard enough without having to worry about how to turn on the computer, so come to this session and get to know your tools! | Wohlers 226 |
| B7. What is GEO? | The Graduate Employees' Organization (GEO) is the union and sole bargaining representative of TAs, GAs, RAs, and PGAs on campus. We advocate for better working conditions, compensation, and rights - including negotiating graduate worker healthcare coverage. Come learn about your healthcare coverage, general healthcare information, and how to navigate the American healthcare system! | Wohlers 130 |
1:00pm-2:00pm – Concurrent sessions C, on Zoom
Choose a session that appeals most to you and join the corresponding Zoom room by 1:00pm. The title of the session is hyperlinked to the Zoom room. Be logged into your Illinois Zoom account to make sure you can access the Zoom room.
| Title (Facilitator) | Description |
|---|---|
| C1. Developing Responsive & Empathetic Teaching Practices through HCD (Carrie James) | Our students bring a multitude of lived experiences and diverse cultural heritages with them into the classroom. In this workshop session, attendees will learn concrete practices to help them develop responsive and empathetic teaching practices by using a human-centered design (HCD) approach. [Culture and Diversity Session] |
| C2. Supporting Anxious Writers: How TAs Can Give Better Feedback and Reduce Writing Anxiety (link forthcoming) (Nihan Sanic) | Description Forthcoming |
| C3. Canvas at Illinois: Key Features for Teaching Assistants (Dan Hahn) | This interactive session will provide a basic orientation on how to use the Canvas Learning Management System. Topics include how to get started in a Canvas course, including content creation, assessments, grading and course management. We'll also cover features for communicating with students and how to configure course and notification settings. No previous experience with Canvas is necessary. The session is scheduled for 60 minutes and there will be dedicated time for Q & A. |
| C4. Hidden Gems: Recognizing, Understanding, and Supporting FGLI Students in the Classroom (Casey Moore) | As the FGLI (first-generation, low/limited income) student population increases, understanding their unique challenges in higher education is crucial. This session explores fostering an inclusive environment and features FGLI students from the University of Illinois sharing their experiences. Join us to learn more. [Culture and Diversity Session] |
| C5. Leading Discussion Sections in Humanities & Arts (Kathleen McGowan) | This session will offer participants strategies for leading productive discussion sections in humanities and arts courses. We will discuss the strengths of these meetings and how to help students and TAs make the most of them. We’ll cover some practical examples of how to organize them—individually and over the course of the semester—as well as some troubleshooting strategies. |
2:15pm-3:15pm – Concurrent sessions D, on Zoom
Choose a session that appeals most to you and join the corresponding Zoom room by 2:15pm. The title of the session is hyperlinked to the Zoom room. Be logged into your Illinois Zoom account to make sure you can access the Zoom room.
| Title (Facilitator) | Description |
|---|---|
D1. Proactive Accessibility in the Classroom (Brie Kunstman) | This workshop examines the importance of proactive accessibility in undergraduate teaching, offering strategies to foster inclusive learning environments. Participants will explore tools and pedagogical approaches that anticipate diverse student needs, promoting equitable access and engagement across higher education settings. [Culture and Diversity Session] |
D2. Effectively Working with Students with Disabilities in your Classes (Ann Fredricksen) | Come and explore some scenarios of what you can and should do when you have a student in your course with a Letter of Accommodation from DRES. We'll be exploring: What do you do when your students are struggling to thrive in your course? What are your responsibilities if they need testing accommodations? Is your course material accessible? Are you interested in making your teaching more universally designed? Learn this and more! [Culture and Diversity Session] |
D3. Health, Wellness, and Well-being: A Conversation about Recognizing Stress & (potential) Burnout (Jeanine Bensken) | Engage in an interactive exploration of health, wellness, and burnout—reflecting on self-care, stress, and community support to foster well-being in academic life. |
D4. An Introduction to First Generation Student Initiatives (Jennifer Mendez, Maria Emerson, and Jordan Alcantar) | This virtual session will introduce a campus-level resource for students who are among the first generation in their families to attend higher education. Attendees will gain a stronger understanding of shared terminology, relevant campus enrollment data, syllabus updates, and how to make referrals to supportive staff/resources. [Culture and Diversity Session] |
D5. Normalizing Struggle: A Sense of Belonging Intervention (Katie Gifford) | Academic courses can bring uncertainty—about readiness, ability, or belonging. As your students face doubts about their abilities, you may have similar worries about your teaching effectiveness. Acknowledging these fears and struggles is powerful! In this session, explore research-backed strategies for fostering self-efficacy and delivering effective instructor messaging to support both you and your students in academic/work transitions. |
Friday, January 16 - Micro teaching
Participants attend one two-hour Microteaching session, which occur throughout the day, face-toface in David Kinley Hall. Participants will be able to choose a Microteaching time as soon as they are registered for the Academy.