TA/GTA Induction

Often, new tutors are anxious about starting their new role and need to know what is expected of them. To prepare you for the specific tasks, training workshops are offered by departments and schools in a community of instructors and other TAs and GTAs before the semester starts. There are many questions.

To get you thinking about the things you may need to ask, review the Conversation starter checklist before meeting with your course coordinator or departmental training session

To help you transition into your role as an employee, you are required to complete the online tutorial on Addressing Bullying, Harassment & Discrimination for all staff. It takes about 30 minutes of your time and completion of the module is mandatory for all new teaching assistants in the Faculty of Science. You will be paid one additional hour, this is to be entered through a timesheet with a comment “Completed Bullying and Harassment on-line course”. Faculty will check that you have actually completed the course before approving the additional pay. You can also register for a follow-up professional development session (not paid for though, you need to do this in your own time). If interested, please register via CareerTools.

Training in your department/school

The sessions are tailored to each subject area and the contexts in which they are taught (e.g., field trips, labs, online tutoring) and you can expect guidance on the following general topics:

Interacting with students in a professional way
Presentation of self
Lowering tutor anxiety
Interaction with staff and other TAs/GTAs
Reaching out when there are problems
Addressing student anxiety
Planning and preparing the classroom/lesson plans
Marking and giving feedback to students
Case scenarios related to the subject-specific practice
Health and safety

What makes effective teaching assistance? Listen to the perspectives of senior academics and former teaching assistants