Undergraduate Teaching Assistantship (UTA) Programs
Math 100 UTA Program
The Math 100 UTA program serves our new Math 100 "Preparation for University-level Mathematics" course. This course is a combination of on-line and in-person instruction. UTAs, Undergraduate Teaching Assistants, are given a cohort of students to track through an on-line learning tool called ALEKS. Duties include grading, setting daily and weekly goals for students, in-person and on-line tutoring, and constant communication with students and the instructional team. For information about the Math 100 course, Math 100 UTA application process, duties, training, pay, and more, please see the Math 100 UTA web page. (Under Construction)
UTA Program (Math 124 and above)
We are pleased to announce that the UTA program will continue in Spring 2012. The application deadline is Thursday, December 08, 2011.
This program provides undergraduate math majors with the opportunity to learn about teaching mathematics by working with an instructor of an undergraduate course and meeting regularly as a group with a mentor. Duties include participating in the weekly UTA seminar, running review sessions, grading, possible classroom demonstrations, and a few hours a week of tutoring.
In the Spring 2012, undergraduate teaching assistants participate in the program for credit or for pay. The for-credit participants will be able to apply for 3 credits, and the credits may go toward their general GPA, but will not impact their math GPA. The for-pay participants will be paid $8 per hour for up to 10 hours per week, with a maximum earning of $1,250.00 per semester. Paid UTA positions are highly competitive.
For a participant's perspective on this program, check out the testimonials or the final reports from past UTAs.
Quick overview of how the program works
Pre-semester
- Submit a complete application form to the UTA Program Coordinator. The application includes a letter of recommendation from one of your math instructors.
- Pass the mathematics skills test.
- Attend a one-day orientation/training during the first week of classes.
During the semester (workload: 10 hours/week)
- Participate actively in the weekly UTA Seminar (Tuesdays, 5:30pm-6:30pm).
- Work with the course and the course instructor (6 hours/week), and meet every week (or every other week) with your sponsor to discuss performance and progress. Possible activities and responsibilities, decided with your sponsor, include:
- Holding office hours
- Leading review/study sessions
- Facilitating class projects, and assisting with in-class group work
- Proctoring exams and quizzes
- Writing study guides, notes, practice problems, and creating homework keys
- Grading
- Work in the Mathematics Tutoring Center, in MathEast 145 (3 hours/week).
Post-semester
- Write a final report to be posted on the Department of Mathematics web-site.
Parameters for Instructors
Pre-semester
We are interested in instructors who are not simply looking to unload some of their work, but also to develop the teaching skills of their UTA. While it is acceptable to have your UTA do some grading, this is not the focus of the program: it is important that you provide them with a robust experience by giving them many diverse opportunities to work with your course. The instructor will closely supervise and mentor the UTA for the first several weeks of the semester, and then have the confidence to entrust part of the instructor's workload to the UTA. Instructors should have brief regular meetings with their UTAs to keep the lines of communication open and allow for the UTA to ask questions about their experience (we suggest weekly meetings).
If you are interested in having a UTA, please contact the UTA coordinator Silvia Saccon at ssaccon@math.arizona.edu. Indicate which course(s) you would like help with, and include a brief description of activities for your UTA (2-3 sentences).