The University of Iowa continues to develop innovative new programs to enhance teaching excellence and student learning to reach the goals established through its strategic plan. 

The TA Mentor Program, launched by the Center for Teaching as a pilot in fall 2023, embeds trained graduate students as peer teaching mentors in large courses and departments. The program aims to support graduate student teaching assistants (TAs), expand faculty capacity, and improve the undergraduate learning experience.

Building Collaborative Teaching Environments

In its pilot year, the TA Mentor Program assigned mentors to three courses that impact a large number of undergraduate students: Principles of Chemistry 1, Math for the Biological Sciences, and Foundations of Biology. These mentors provided support to approximately 20 TAs, who, in turn, served 3,283 undergraduate students across multiple sections. 

The cohort of TA mentors participated in a series of developmental meetings throughout the academic year, starting with training in late summer 2023. Topics included constructing meaningful mentoring relationships, recognizing inclusive teaching, and handling difficult conversations with peers. The mentors then conducted teaching observations of new and continuing TAs, hosted “teaching talks” within their department, and served as liaisons to communicate TA observations and suggestions to the faculty member leading the course. 

Faculty members quickly recognized the value added by TA mentors. One professor noted, "With the TA mentor, we were able to do more for TAs than we would have been able to do otherwise," highlighting how the program enabled faculty to focus on higher-order tasks and long-term projects aimed at enhancing student learning.

Developing Future Leaders

For the TA mentors, the program provided an invaluable professional development experience. Leading teaching observations and mentoring peers allowed them to reflect on their own teaching practices. One mentor shared, "This role has helped me develop more confidence in leading a group and sharing new ideas. Being a TA mentor has made me more open-minded, adaptive, and creative in how I teach."

These experiences offer tangible benefits for their future careers, with mentors gaining hands-on experience in peer mentorship—an important skill for academic and professional roles. As one mentor expressed, "This role as a TA mentor is exactly what I want to do and continue doing professionally."

Impact on Peer TAs

Peer TAs valued the mentorship and benefited from the teaching observations and feedback sessions with TA mentors. One TA mentioned how she was able to integrate new teaching practices after learning from her TA mentor, "She answered logistical questions about how to do an activity, and I would ask her directly, 'I’m not sure how I should be teaching this', and she would give me useful pointers."

The program also fostered a sense of community among TAs, encouraging collaboration and the sharing of teaching strategies. A TA commented, "The informational sessions led by the TA mentor during our weekly meetings benefited me the most by giving me new things to think about and new strategies to try as an instructor."

Looking Ahead: Expanding the Program

Building on the successes of its pilot year, the TA Mentor Program will expand to include additional departments such as Journalism and Mass Communication in the 2024-25 academic year. The program will also explore opportunities to integrate with other campus teaching opportunities on campus.

The TA Mentor Program has demonstrated its value in enhancing the teaching experience for graduate student TAs and improving learning outcomes for undergraduate students. As part of the University of Iowa's broader strategic initiatives, this program exemplifies the comprehensive, evidence-based, and collaborative efforts that achieve excellence in teaching and learning.