During times of disruption, you will likely support student learning through virtual platforms. If you have Teaching Assistants (TAs)—graduate and/or undergraduate—their responsibilities, expectations, and/or tasks are likely to change, and you may be wondering how you can best support your TAs in this new context. Here are a few things to keep in mind:*

• Check in with your TAs. Your TAs are human beings first, students second, and TAs third. They are likely struggling with the transition and uncertainty as much as you and your students are. Graduate TAs may be uncertain about their research progress, and undergraduate TAs may be concerned about the credit/no credit options for their own courses. While you are not expected to take on the emotional burden of your TAs, you will want to make sure they are okay.

• Discuss TAs’ responsibilities and expectations. Unless your TAs were grading electronic assignments as their sole TA responsibility prior to the disruption, their roles and responsibilities will change, even if you may not think they will. It is important to make sure you have a two-way conversation with your TAs. And remember, your TAs are there for pedagogical support, not technical support.

Some questions to discuss with your TAs:

• What are your goals for student learning at this point? In what ways can TAs support this learning? How much time will be needed for both you and your TAs to make this work?
• How have the responsibilities and expectations changed for your TAs? For you? What resources and support do your TAs need to be successful in this new context?
• What course materials have changed and are your TAs aware of these changes?
• How much extra time are your TAs spending on their new responsibilities? Is this reasonable given the current context?
• What other factors (personal, professional) may be important to share with each other? What happens if one of you gets sick and cannot teach/TA? Decide if and how you will discuss with your TA(s) the potential for extra emotional labor during stressful times. Start with a definition of emotional labor and how it can manifest in learning environments.

• Communicate regularly with your TAs. Just like you, any given disruption is likely a new experience for your TAs as well. Provide information to your TAs as quickly as possible, even if all the details are not in place yet. Let them know if and when they can expect more specific information, and where they can find it.

Some other suggestions for communicating with your TAs:

• Remind your graduate assistants (and yourself!) that this is a triage situation: you are not expecting perfection, and everyone will need to be open to adaptation as the remainder of the semester unfolds.
• Set up a tentative communication plan for the semester, confirming your TAs' availability, and providing instructions with what to do if that availability changes. Remember that–just like you–your TAs availability may shift as they navigate changes in their coursework, research, own health, and personal commitments (e.g., caring for children, travel restrictions, etc.). Be direct but flexible and consider sharing your own limitations and challenges as well.
• Consider implementing a weekly check-in with your TAs. You can use this time to both make sure they understand what you need from them and to get feedback from them on how the course is progressing.

*Revised from Morris, Z. & Poproski, R. (2020). Working with TAs during significant disruptions. University of Georgia Center for Teaching and Learning.