Graduate Teaching Assistants

Career Description: Assist department chairperson, faculty members, or other professional staff members in college or university by performing teaching or teaching-related duties, such as teaching lower level courses, developing teaching materials, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers. Graduate assistants must be enrolled in a graduate school program. Graduate assistants who primarily perform non-teaching duties, such as laboratory research, should be reported in the occupational category related to the work performed.

Industry: Education, Training, and Library

Other Job Titles for Graduate Teaching Assistants:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Lead discussion sections, tutorials, and laboratory sections.
• Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, and papers, and record grades.
• Return assignments to students in accordance with established deadlines.
• Schedule and maintain regular office hours to meet with students.
• Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work such as lab reports.
• Prepare and proctor examinations.
• Notify instructors of errors or problems with assignments.
• Meet with supervisors to discuss students' grades, and to complete required grade-related paperwork.
• Copy and distribute classroom materials.
• Demonstrate use of laboratory equipment, and enforce laboratory rules.
• Teach undergraduate level courses.
• Complete laboratory projects prior to assigning them to students so that any needed modifications can be made.
• Develop teaching materials such as syllabi, visual aids, answer keys, supplementary notes, and course websites.
• Provide assistance to faculty members or staff with laboratory or field research.
• Arrange for supervisors to conduct teaching observations; meet with supervisors to receive feedback about teaching performance.
• Attend lectures given by the instructor whom they are assisting.
• Order or obtain materials needed for classes.
• Provide instructors with assistance in the use of audiovisual equipment.
• Assist faculty members or staff with student conferences.
• Perform administrative duties such as serving as department head.
• Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
• Maintain geographic information systems laboratories, performing duties such as updating software.
• Perform spatial analysis and modeling using geographic information system techniques.
• Act as advisers to student organizations.
• Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
• Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
• Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development, such as games, arts and crafts, music, and storytelling.
• Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
• Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guest speakers or other experiential activities, and guide students in learning from those activities.
• Organize and label materials and display students' work.
• Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.
• Administer standardized ability and achievement tests and interpret results to determine student strengths and areas of need.
• Supervise, evaluate, and plan assignments for teacher assistants and volunteers.
• Involve parent volunteers and older students in children's activities to facilitate involvement in focused, complex play.
• Perform administrative duties such as assisting in school libraries, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.
• Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.
• Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
• Sponsor extracurricular activities such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.
• Write instructional articles on designated subjects.

Emerging Tasks

• Tutor and mentor students who need additional instruction.
• Review papers for colleagues and scientific journals.
• Participate in cultural and literary activities, such as traveling abroad and attending performing arts events.
• Recruit, train, and supervise department personnel, such as faculty and student writing instructors.
• Teach classes using online technology, such as course web pages.
• Teach writing classes.
• Write letters of recommendation for colleagues and students.
• Write original literary pieces.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• collect academic research data
• communicate student progress
• conduct field research or investigative studies
• conduct laboratory research or experiments
• convert information into instructional program
• design classroom presentations
• develop course or training objectives
• develop instructional materials
• evaluate student performance
• maintain educational records, reports, or files
• make education presentations
• organize educational material or ideas
• prepare educational reports
• record student progress
• teach college level courses
• teach individuals work-related techniques or skills
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve educational data
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use public speaking techniques
• use teaching techniques
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve educational data
• use current social research
• use geographical information system (GIS) software
• use knowledge of geographic coordinates
• use library or online Internet research techniques
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use public speaking techniques
• use scientific research methodology
• use teaching techniques
• write research or project grant proposals
• write scholarly or technical research papers
• write scholarly or technical research papers
• use scientific research methodology
• use teaching techniques
• use technical regulations for engineering problems
• write research or project grant proposals
• write scholarly or technical research papers
• use knowledge of multi-media technology
• use motivational techniques in education
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use public speaking techniques
• use teaching techniques
• write public sector or educational grant proposals
• write research or project grant proposals

Overall Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education
A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, physicists, school psychologists, and surgeons.

• Average annual wage (2007) - $28,060.00

• n/a

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