Teaching Assistant – SOCW 601N – Anti-Oppression and Culture-Building Practice
Student
Palo Alto, CA, US
Position Title: Teaching Assistant I
Reports To: Marcos Apolonio
Department: Social Work
Status (Hours per week): Up to 10 hours/week
Start and end dates: 09/10/2026 to 12/16/2025 (Fall 2026)
Position Title: Teaching Assistant I – SOCW 601N
Salary: $20.00 Hourly
Palo Alto University (PAU), a private, non-profit university, founded in 1975 and located in the heart of Northern California’s Silicon Valley, is a community grounded in values of social justice, dedicated to addressing pressing and emerging issues in the fields of psychology, counseling and social work that meet the needs of today’s diverse society.
The Department of Social Work encompasses a new online Master of Social Work (MSW) program that offers a specialization in Culturally Informed Behavioral Health Practice (CIBH) with two tracks,
- practice with children and youth in school and community settings and (b) practice with adults in public behavioral health settings. The program’s goal is to graduate students who are competent and culturally sensitive behavioral health practitioners who provide care to underserved
populations in urban and rural regions of California. The MSW program is in candidacy for
accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA). The program’s website URL is: https://www.paloaltou.edu/academic-programs/master-social-work
Graduate Teaching Assistant Duties & Responsibilities may include, but not limited to:
- Support review and assessment of student assignments
- Moderate the classroom environment with technical assistance and organize student learning and engagement
- Facilitate group discussions and activities
- Provide tutoring and hold office hours
- Manage Canvas course, creation of Tasks and Assignments
- Helping with creating/presenting didactics and guest lectures if interested
- Making course materials accessible
- Support proctoring exams
- Creation and presentation of teaching materials
- Carry out duties and responsibilities remotely, except for providing assistance in-person for one day at the start of the quarter during the immersion residency.
- Attend the Teaching Assistant Orientation training.
- Other tasks as assigned, including providing teaching assistance for a BBS licensing course in the MSW program.
- Currently enrolled PhD or PsyD student in good standing at PAU in your 2nd or 3rd year of study.
- Advanced understanding of the subject matter (see course description below)
- Strong communication, interpersonal and organizational skills
- Excellent classroom management skills
- Able to create a comfortable learning environment for students
- A strong work ethic, dependable, and ability to prioritize multiple tasks and follow through in a timely manner
- Previous tutoring or teaching experience (preferred qualification).
To apply, please submit the following items combined into one PDF:
- Resume/CV
- Brief cover letter, including information on how your background and experience has prepared you to work at a high level of quality of work with students and co-workers from a variety of different backgrounds.
- Writing sample from a graduate course assignment at PAU
- Unofficial baccalaureate and/or graduate transcripts (optional)
601N - Anti-Oppression and Culture-Building Practice (2 unit)
This course prepares students for anti-oppressive, anti-racist, anti-sexist, and culture-building social work practice. The course examines how historical and contemporary patterns of racism, discrimination, and oppression influence social work practice and the professionalcommitments to marginalized groups and social work ethical standards. Students develop their awareness of power, privilege, and marginalization in individuals’ intersecting status
dimensions, including race, ethnicity, class, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, dis/ability, religion, and immigration. The course prepares students for anti-racist
and anti-oppressive practice at individual, family, group, organizational and community levels within the context of a commitment to dismantling the system of white supremacy and cultivating cultures of wholeness. Attention is given to contextualizing trauma experienced by diverse communities of color, the role of trauma and resilience across generations, and how race and racism become internalized and can be applied to other people of color. The course uses experiential and self-reflective activities and emphasizes critical thinking on controversial topics and challenging oneself to consider new viewpoints that promote human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
The University is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to non-discrimination in its hiring and other employment practices and in the application of its personnel policies. In compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists, employment decisions will be made irrespective of the staff member's race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except for minors), sex, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, sexual orientation, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic condition), disability and/or any another status protected by law. When necessary, the
University will reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities, if the individual is otherwise qualified to safely perform all essential functions of the position and if it will be done without undue hardship to the University.
Skills Required
- Currently enrolled in a PhD or PsyD program at Palo Alto University and in good standing
- Currently in the second or third year of study
- Advanced understanding of anti-oppression and culture-building social work practice
- Strong communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills
- Excellent classroom management skills
- Ability to create a comfortable learning environment for students
- Strong work ethic, dependability, ability to prioritize multiple tasks, and timely follow-through
- Previous tutoring or teaching experience
What We Do
Founded in 1975 as the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto University (PAU) is a non-profit and accredited institution dedicated to improving lives through education and research anchored in psychology, counseling, social work, clinical training and practice in a diversity of cultures, and service to communities around the world.
