Western Carolina University

Graduate Assistant Teaching Experience (G.A.T.E.)

G.A.T.E. is a program designed to enhance the graduate experience by providing a thoughtful and thorough preparation in the art of teaching. The sessions are interactive and innovative, and an experienced team of WCU faculty will model many of the practices that they use in their own classrooms.

The Coulter Faculty Center began offering G.A.T.E. workshops in 2005 after receiving an overwhelming number of requests from graduate assistants and graduate program directors for more opportunities in faculty and career development. The G.A.T.E. sessions have evolved from basic nuts and bolts sessions to more advanced workshops designed to develop skills for teaching in higher education and more. Regardless of your background in teaching or other jobs, there is a G.A.T.E. workshop for you.

All graduate students who participate in the GATE sessions will be given a certificate for their attendance. Those who complete all four GATE workshops will be presented with a special completion certificate and honored at the end-of-year banquet for their achievement.

Gate Flyer (PDF)

Gate Brochure (PDF)

G.A.T.E. Orientation (Required for all New Graduate Teaching Assistants)

An intensive session that provides graduate teaching assistants with the information they need to be successful in the classroom

Date: Thursday, August 20, 2009
Time: 2:00-3:30 PM
Place: 301 Forsyth

Workshop 1 : Nuts and Bolts

An introduction to philosophy of learning in higher education, tips and tricks for effective teaching, and an interactive segment on new methods in course design, creating learning-centered syllabi, and integrating course elements towards pedagogical goals.

Date: TBA Time: Place:

Workshop 2: How to Tell How Well You're Doing and How Well They're Doing

A critical evaluation of a variety of formative and summative assessment methods including frequently asked questions (and answers) on grading policies.

Date: TBA Time: Place:

Workshop 3: How to be an Effective Manager

Role-playing exercises on how to handle frequently encountered classroom situations with questions and answers from experienced teachers. Topics include plagiarism, sexual harassment, teamwork, leadership and personality conflicts.

Date: TBA Time: Place:

Workshop 4: How Technology Can Enhance What You Do

Hands on experience with using the latest and greatest technological tools to achieve scholarly outcomes.

Date: TBA Time: Place:

Coulter Faculty Center (828-227-7196) http://www.wcu.edu/7062.asp
WCU Graduate School