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Leadership & Community

Orientation for New International TAs & Instructors (ONITA)

ONITA takes place during the week before the start of any regular semester. Prior to the fall semester, ONITA is scheduled for the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday immediately before classes start. Prior to the spring semester, ONITA is scheduled for the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday immediately before classes start. The orientation is required for all new international graduate students before the first semester of teaching or assisting with teaching at MU.

Orientation activities

At the orientation, international teaching assistants (ITAs) will:

  • Review principles of effective teaching
  • Develop familiarity with the cultural expectations of American college classes/labs and the discourse strategies used in MU classrooms
  • Apply principles in microteaching sessions

Orientation instructors include expert faculty and instructors, experienced ITAs and MU undergraduate students. Participants have found the orientation sessions to be extremely helpful in preparing for their actual teaching assignments.

Registration

Academic department contacts may enroll international graduate students in ONITA through the ITAP Canvas site for Department Contacts. Please contact ITAP at  or 573-884-1762 with any questions.