The developmental task faced during adolescence is, in part, to find a self which is accepted as both authentic and genuinely recognized and valued by others. The graduate student in the American university is generally a young adult facing developmental tasks beyond those of adolescence. He is still vulnerable, however, to conflicts involving identity and role confusion if seemingly secure competencies and support become threatened and insecure. There are many of these anti-developmental features in graduate education and teaching assistantships (TA). (1) There is usually not enough opportunity for voluntary free choice of any kind in the TA's job. (2) He often finds nothing important or involving in his assigned or available duties. (3) His disposal to and interest in innovative and off-beat modes of instruction are generally ignored or neglected. (4) He often has limited appropriate interaction with and little support from the faculty. (5) In the classroom, he may misinterpret student feedback, and come to doubt his own competence. Graduate education should be changed so the TA can be: protected from these anti-developmental features; encouraged to become committed to significant tasks; and rewarded for good teaching. (AF)