While incoming freshmen prepare for college classes by attending precollege, teaching assistants might lack preparation before the first day of class.

The training of TAs is an issue that sparks many different views among the members of the Ohio University community.

At Sunday's Graduate Student Senate meeting, Carol Blum, interim vice president for research and graduate studies, addressed concerns about the classroom training provided for graduate students who are TAs.

"If students are concerned over personal abilities, they should challenge the departments," she said. "If they expect you to go to a classroom, you should expect training."

But there is no university-wide training program; each department has its own standards. There also are many opportunities within departments and through the Center for Teaching Excellence, she said.

The program gives general tips for teaching and introduces graduate students to the services available, said Karen Sandell, director of the Center for Teaching Excellence.

Still, the lack of unification creates problems, Myron Beasley, TA counselor and interpersonal communication doctoral student, said.

Very few departments take advantage of the center, and some students are not aware of it, he said. But Beasley said he feels OU should offer increased training for TAs.

"I've heard cases of TAs being told a day before classes what they have to teach," Beasley said. "All they're given is a book."

Beasley, who has previous teaching experience, works with the center evaluating TAs around campus and helping in the workshops they provide.

In the interpersonal communication department, TAs teach two classes and must take a minimum of 15 credits a quarter, he said.

Tasks such as grading tests, lecturing and writing syllabuses require training. There is not much hands-on training for students. Like undergraduates, graduate student are lectured also, he said.

The psychology department is one department that has an alternative method of training TAs.

The department requires all graduate students to take a two credit class before they teach the introductory psychology classes, Associate Chairman of Psychology Daniel Moates said.

The program videotapes TAs practicing lectures. Then, they view themselves as a professor critiques them, he said.