Teaching and Learning Excellence

“I think this program is very beneficial, especially as a first time TA. I think every TA should have to do this program because it’s great to learn from tips and tricks from professors and senior TA’s. I enjoyed that it wasn’t purely lecture style workshops because the interactive activities helped to keep me engaged and helped me learn. Overall, I think this program is amazing and so helpful”.

“I appreciate the TA Training and Professional Development Program! This was my first experience as a TA, and I gained a lot of valuable knowledge and skills. The program not only taught me specific techniques to support students' learning and reflect on my own, but it also allowed me to participate in aspects of the professor’s role. This hands-on experience is incredibly helpful for my career development, whether or not I decide to become a teacher in the future. Thank you”!

“I learned so much from the TA Training and Professional Development Program! Originally, I thought this training was only useful as a TA or in a future career in teaching. However, I use the training and techniques I learned during the workshops in my studying and everyday life! I really appreciate how each workshop had a little bit of food to engage students more during the session, and also how the slides used during the session were uploaded to Moodle for easy access. There was always something to learn during each workshop, and the teaching was very engaging. I got to meet new people during the interactive activities and learned how to better respond to situations. I would recommend this program to every TA”!

“One technique that I incorporated into my teaching was how to guide students toward the answer. Before, when I used to help my peers, I would give them the answer and hope they understood how to receive it. If they didn’t, I would explain to them how I got there. However, I learned how to guide them toward the answer in a way that helps their understanding and interactively engages them”.

“I made sure to keep track of hours spent marking. When time commitments began to exceed what was expected and outlined, communication between myself, other TA’s, and the professor prompted the search for an additional marker for the course. Because we communicated our concerns, we were met with a solution that benefited everyone”.

“[Training] was beneficial in learning how to communicate (especially over email) with students. In the workshops we learned to clarify with the professor when unsure of expectations, what to do in situations of inappropriate (angry/ unprofessional) emails, and to always CC the professor when communicating with students”.

IDEA in TAing: Building Inclusive Learning Spaces

“[This workshop] helped me reflect on any potential biases I may have had toward different learning styles. The training encouraged me to ask questions rather than make assumptions about students' abilities or learning strategies. By doing so, I was able to better understand their attitudes and approaches to learning”.

Effective Teaching: Using Feedback and Motivation

“[Dr. Ahern’s] handout really helped me in a way to look at the submissions from the students’ perspectives…. After [Dr. Ahern’s] workshop, I wasn’t nearly as quick to judge. I’ve implemented a step to look at their [student] submissions from their point of view and what they have as experience so far”.

Lesson Activities and Formative Assessment

“The techniques I learned from the TA training workshops have been very helpful, particularly the skills related to in-class activities. The course includes five in-class activities, and my supervisor gave me the opportunity to organize one of them on my own….Before leading the activity, I reviewed the material from our training program, focusing on Pre-lecture, Mid-lecture, and Post-lecture activities. The Concept Maps worked well to “break the ice” and foster participation at the start of the activity. The Exit Slips effectively wrapped up the session by encouraging reflection and feedback. I reviewed the questions students submitted with my supervisor, and we addressed them in subsequent lectures”.

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Was a TA

"[I learned from the workshops to] offer office hours/study sessions. My first year of TAing, I never introduced myself to my classes or offered additional support as my professor didn’t emphasize the importance of it. This year, I was sure to send out a “get to know me” message as well as introduce a system of office hours one day a week. I have had students reach out for simple questions (marking, syllabus, content) and I am glad I introduced this [support]”.

Accessible Learning

“I had very limited experience with [Accessible Learning Services] as I am not a student with [an] accommodation, but I was happy to understand its purpose and all the options it offers students. I had a student in my [class] struggling with how to approach [Accessible Learning Services] and how it works. I was able to answer a couple of her questions and give her appropriate contact information to get her in touch with the staff in [Accessible Learning Services]”.

Using Turnitin to Mark Assignments

“I found the training to be beneficial when inputting marks. Without attending the Moodle workshop, attempting to input marks, without any prior knowledge on how to do so, would have been extremely overwhelming. The workshop taught me different perks and shortcuts to help navigate Moodle efficiently”.