Ideas, Ideas, Ideas

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Sometimes we’re all challenged with thinking of something creative to do during a discussion section.

Measuring student understanding

How do you know - and show - that your students have understood the material? Here are some suggestions for informal and formal methods to try:

Notecards Assignments, Quizzes, etc.

Classroom activities to keep it interesting

For those moments when you're challenged for something "new" to try - here are some ideas other TA's have used:

Pairwork or Pair-Share Groupwork Debates
Each-one Teach-one Journaling & Reflection Quizzes & Games

Sometimes it’s not about creativity

Remember that it’s not always about being “creative,” but rather catering to the needs of your students – what do they need from you, the TA, at that moment. Maybe they need more review than creativity, maybe they're bored and need to be challenged…always make sure the class is focused toward what your students really need, not just what you have in your lesson plans!

Other resources

Teaching Strategies: Active Learning - The University of Michigan's Center for Research on Learning and Teaching provides a list of additional resources that may be of interest.

Richard Felder and his wife co-direct the National Effective Teaching Institute, and he regularly posts and updates teaching and instructional techniques on his website.

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