

How to Become and Thrive as a Teaching/Graduate Assistant
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this comprehensive and engaging course, you will be able to:
- List the key responsibilities of a Teaching Assistant (TA)
- List the key responsibilities of a Graduate Assistant (GA)
- Identify the key benefits and challenges of serving as a TA/GA
- Follow 3 proven strategies to find open TA/GA positions (incl. e-mail templates)
- Review the standard application materials required to apply for TA/GA positions
- Prepare answers to the most commonly asked interview questions for TA/GA positions
- Explore how to thrive in your role as a TA or GA
- Follow a 6-step process to resolve conflicts with your supervisor, students, or teammates
Instructor

Tyler McFayden, PhD is an NICHD T32 Post-doctoral Fellow at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, where her research focuses on how social communication develops in the absence of spoken language. Dr. McFayden received her PhD in Clinical & Developmental Psychology from Virginia Tech, after having completed her undergraduate studies at Davidson College. Having engaged in numerous service and leadership roles, including as a Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental Disorders (LEND) Fellow, a Project SHORT Graduate Student Mentor, and a PCSAS Student Representative at Virginia Tech, she is now an active ad hoc peer-reviewer and conference submission reviewer. In addition to having delivered dozens of conference presentations across the country, Dr. McFayden has published in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Molecular Psychiatry, Perspectives on Psychological Science, and Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.