THE TEACHING ASSISTANT TRAINING AND TEACHING OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM (TATTO), introduces GDR students to the profession of teaching in a supervised and gradual manner.  Participation in the program is required of all GDR students.

TATTO Stages

The four stages of the TATTO program provide GDR students with consistent training and optimal teaching experience, while ensuring that they are not overwhelmed with teaching responsibilities.  No student may serve more than a total of four semesters in any combination of teaching assistantships and associateships during her or his period of coursework at Emory.

1. The first stage of TATTO is a short course offered in late summer, before the fall semester begins.  It should be taken immediately prior to a student's first teaching experience.  The GDR discourages teaching in the fall semester of the student's first year of residence.  Faculty for this course are drawn from among the best teachers across Emory University.
2. In the second stage, the GDR provides training that addresses intellectual problems and teaching strategies from the perspective of religion.  This course is provided for GDR students before the fall semester of the second year in residence, after the student has, generally, completed at least one teaching ass istantship.
3. The teaching assistantship, the nominal third stage of the program, is a controlled, carefully monitored teaching opportunity.  It is closely supervised by a faculty member who provides continuing guidance and evaluation.
4. The fourth stage of the TATTO program, the teaching associateship, advances the student to a teaching opportunity with greater responsibilities.  The GDR favors a co-teaching model for this stage, one in which the student and a faculty member collaborate in all aspects of a course.

Other Teaching Opportunities

Students who demonstrate exceptional teaching ability may be eligible to apply for appointment as Dean's Teaching Fellows.  This opportunity is not granted until a student is in candidacy, meaning he or she has completed all GDR requirements except the dissertation.

The Graduate School discourages taking on instructional responsibilities outside those required by TATTO without the approval of the dean of the Graduate School.