TATP Alumni Portraits
To celebrate the Teaching Assistants’ Training Program’s 20th anniversary, we contacted former TATP staff to ask how working as a peer-training impacted their later careers.
Name: Robert Penfold
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Geography
Years with TATP: 2001-2004
TATP Role: Director*
Year of Convocation: 2004
Where do you work now?
Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
How to facilitate group discussions
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
In supervising PhD candidates, I advise them to get similar training before going out to be professors (if that’s their path).
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Post-doc in pediatric mental health at Ohio State
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
I supervise Masters and PhD students at the University of Washington and mentor junior faculty.
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Name: Adam Chapnick
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: History
Years with TATP: 2003-2005
TATP Role: Director*
Year of Convocation: 2005
Where do you work now?
Deputy Director, Education and Professor of Defence Studies at Canadian Forces College / Royal Military College
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
A diversity of approaches to supporting student learning that are equally valuable.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
TATP was my first position of leadership in the support of student learning; that experience enabled me to become the individual responsible for staff training and special advisor for the college on pedagogy / androgogy.
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
Keep an open mind; don’t consider anything other than a tenure-stream job your ‘plan B.’
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Sessional lecturer; writing tutor at University College Writing Workshop
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Yes to all of the above. I am a full professor; I teach graduate-level courses; I supervise graduate research papers; I run workshops for military staff on teaching and learning; I offer a series of ‘introduction to the academic world’ workshops to intermediate-level military personnel.
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Name: Vicky Kristman
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Public Health Sciences (now Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Years with TATP: 2003-2007
TATP Role: Director* (2003-2005), Trainer (2006-2007)
Year of Convocation: 2007
Where do you work now?
Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University; Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay, Ontario
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
How to develop a strong teaching dossier.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
My time with the TATP made me a stronger instructor. I generally receive very strong teaching evaluations from all levels of teaching (graduate and undergraduate medical students).
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
Make sure you enjoy what you do.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Post-doctoral fellowship at Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network.
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Yes, all of the above. I teach graduate level advanced epidemiology, mentor graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, and train medical students in epidemiology and evidence-based medicine.
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Name: Jacob Levman
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Medical BioPhysics
Years with TATP: 2005-2006
TATP Role: Director*
Year of Convocation: 2010
Where do you work now?
Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics, Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
Research Associate, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
The teaching and evaluation skills I developed while with the TATP are used on a daily basis as part of my teaching responsibilities.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
A post-doctoral fellow.
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Yes, yes and yes.
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Name: Benjamin Pottruff
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: History
Years with TATP: 2008-2011
TATP Role: Trainer (2008-2009), Humanities Coordinator (2009-2011)
Year of Convocation: 2015
Where do you work now?
Learning Strategist, Student Life, University of Toronto
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
The pace of first-time TA training helped me to overcome anxiety around presentations at the same time I was learning facilitation and learner-centered teaching techniques. I moved on from TATP with a much more flexible approach to teaching and, as a result, I feel like I am better at adapting my approach to the needs of the audience.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
TATP taught me to think a bit differently about approaches to teaching and learning, it really underscored how my own ideas are strengthened through a collaborative approach, and finally TATP instilled the importance of evaluating feedback and self-reflection in my continuing learning process.
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
Universities need capable researchers, facilitators and administrators who are acculturated to university learning. Early in my studies I thought the few outputs of a PhD were tenure-track, post-doc or even more precarious sessional work. TATP helped me to find a wider array of applications for my skills, so my advice would to think through (and practice) how to articulate your skills in relation to a variety of roles.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
“First job” is a bit of a loaded question as I worked multiple contracts through my PhD. My first full time job was with UTSC as a Program Advisor, although this was in parallel with the completion of my graduate studies. I’ve shifted roles a few times at UofT and began a part-time MEd program, so if anything, TATP taught me that the “working” and “learning” phases of my like can overlap in a meaningful way.
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
As a Learning Strategist I read, talk and think about teaching, training and mentoring on a regular basis. While my PhD committee provided a model for mentorship, the best mentorship I received through my studies was from the Assistant Director of TATP. Megan, I am forever grateful for your advice and encouragement throughout my studies, from early conversations during my time as a participant in the AUTP certificate program, through my TATP years, and beyond to post-degree career advice – you are one of the most important pillars of my success. Thank you!
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Name: Marie Vander Kloet
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: OISE, Sociology and Equity Studies in Education
Years with TATP: 2010-2011
TATP Role: Social Sciences Coordinator
Year of Convocation: 2010
Where do you work now?
I work as an Associate Professor in University Pedagogy at the Universitetet i Bergen in Bergen, Norway.
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
It is only if I stop talking that I get a chance to listen to other people’s good ideas. Also, lesson planning without consideration of time is essentially meaningless.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
Working at the TATP led me to take up work in educational development which set me on a different path than I anticipated when completing my PhD. I have worked at the TATP twice (as a graduate student and later as a staff member) and both times I have been grateful for the chance to work with intelligent, collaborative and critical colleagues.
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
You are fantastic and brilliant and don’t let the state of the job market convince you otherwise. If you stay and work in the university (or in education more broadly) – please try and make it a more equitable and accessible place.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
I had several contract jobs, at different institutions, after completing my PhD. I began working at McMaster University full time about a year after completing my doctorate.
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Yup…and researching all of the above.
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Name: Sara Carpenter
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Adult Education and Community Development
Years with TATP: 2010-2014
TATP Role: Trainer (2010-11), Social Sciences Coordinator (2011-12), Acting Assistant Director (2012-14)
Year of Convocation: 2011
Where do you work now?
Currently I am an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Alberta and coordinator of the Adult, Community, and Higher Education specialization.
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
I think one of the most important things I learned during my time at TATP was around working with and through groups. I learned a great deal about how to facilitate small group work in large classes. This has turned out to be more valuable than I anticipated as class sizes continue to grow in Canadian post-secondary contexts. I also learned a great deal about managing group processes and working with diverse skill sets from group members. This has been important in my role as a faculty member outside of the classroom.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
Now that I supervise PhD students, I often think about what I learned through my work at TATP. Supervision is a complex process, combining mentorship with self-directed and individualized learning. It is difficult to support folks, keep them motivated, and also encourage them to challenge themselves and keep growing. I find myself thinking about my work at TATP quite often because in many ways it was practice for my current work.
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
Be creative and confident in how you speak about your work. Understand your strengths and weaknesses. Know yourself as part of an academic community and be able to articulate the contributions you can make.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Well, my first job was TATP! I served as the acting assistant director for two years in between finishing my PhD and securing a tenure-track appointment. It was a good place to be during that time.
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Absolutely…and then some!
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Name: Mohammed Jalal Ahamed
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Years with TATP: 2010-2011
TATP Role: Trainer
Year of Convocation: 2012
Where do you work now?
Assistant Professor, Mechanical, Automotive & Materials Engineering, University of Windsor
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
I learned how to adopt and promote the culture of innovation in pedagogy, technology, and student engagement.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
Working at TATP was an extraordinary transformational experience. I had the opportunity not only to assist others but also to empower my own teaching and educational leadership skills.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Post-doctoral fellow
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
I teach various undergraduate and graduate courses in Mechanical Engineering. I am supervising and mentoring student research.
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Name: Limin Jao
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
Years with TATP: 2011-2013
TATP Role: Trainer (2011-2012) and Social Sciences Coordinator (2012-2013)
Where do you work now?
Assistant Professor, Department of Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University
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Name: William (Bill) Flanik
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Political Science
Years with TATP: 2011-2013
TATP Role: Trainer
Year of Convocation: 2013
Where do you work now?
Senior Lecturer (Education-focused) of International Relations
Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
Activities to build cohesion in a learning community on the first day of class.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
This is no hyperbole–I would not be where I am were it not for TATP. Through a tight-knit, supportive community of trainers, coordinators, and supervisors, I honed my teaching skills and grew to enjoy educational development work.
My participation gave me an edge in applying for teaching-oriented positions on the academic job market. In fact, a search committee mentioned that my TATP experience was a key factor in their decision to hire me for my first full-time job as an assistant professor of political science at a mid-sized regional university in the U.S. My experience remained an asset when I changed positions to my current institution.
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
If you love teaching and would be happy at a community college, liberal arts college, or teaching-oriented institution, then teach as many courses as you can as a sessional–even if this delays you finishing your dissertation.
If you cannot be a instructor of record, ask your supervisor to deliver guest lectures in her or his course, and have him or her write you a classroom observation.
Start building your teaching portfolio early. Get as many people to observe you and write class observation reports as you can. Gather informal course assessment data in your tutorials and classes that you can use to make mid-course corrections, and to fill out your portfolio. Take advantage of as many professional development opportunities as you can–including especially the Instructional Skills Workshops that are delivered periodically (check online for the next ISW near you). Start reading SoTL work in your discipline, and/or generally. Network with SoTL professionals and educational developers in regional, national, and international conferences–it’s a warm, welcoming community with less pretension and hierarchy than academics, in my experience. If you can’t get a paper or presentation accepted at one of these conferences, go anyway, if you can.
If you’re mobile and on the teaching-oriented job market, don’t forget to target community colleges in your search!
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Sessional Lecturer, University of Waterloo
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Yup.
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Name: Robin Sutherland-Harris
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Centre for Medieval Studies
Years with TATP: 2010-2017
TATP Role: Humanities Coordinator
Year of Convocation: 2017
Where do you work now?
Educational Development & Support, Continuing Education, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto (Part-Time)
Postdoctoral Fellow (2017-2018), Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies, Victoria University in the University of Toronto
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
About teaching: That it is a long-term process, open to experimentation, mistakes, reflection, and humour.
About educational development: The importance of collaboration and flexibility
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
My time at TATP led directly into my current part-time position in Physical Therapy, and has also opened up the possibility of an alt-ac career in educational development, which I am still in the process of exploring.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
See current positions above.
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
In the Department of Physical Therapy, I currently assist with program development, support, and delivery within Continuing Education, most of which happens on-line.
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Name: Sandra Campeanu
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Psychology
Years with TATP: 2012-2014
TATP Role: Trainer
Year of Convocation: 2014
Where do you work now?
Lecturer, Dept of Psychology, Lehman College, City University of New York
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
Think-Pair-Share
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
I infuse TATP activities in many aspects of my teaching. I use Think-Pair-Share activities regularly, and I use group work in every class.
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
Keep an inventory of the skills and strategies you learn – in some ways, you are developing a toolkit.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Lecturer, Dept of Psychology, Lehman College, City University of New York
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
My work involves all three, with a focus on teaching and mentoring.
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Name: Elliot Storm
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Political Science
Years with TATP: 2013-2016
TATP Role: Trainer, Social Sciences Coordinator, Microteaching Coordinator
Year of Convocation: 2016
Where do you work now?
Educational Developer at the MacPherson Institute at McMaster University
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
The skills I developed and mentorship I received had a huge impact on my decision to pursue educational development as a career after my PhD. My degree gave me the credential but my experiences at the TATP gave me the knowledge, skills, and networks to enter the profession on solid footing.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
This one!
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Yes, I teach workshops and seminars for faculty and graduate students, and run an experiential learning and mentorship program for graduate students who are interested in educational development as a profession.
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* In 2006, with the expansion of the TATP peer-training team, job titles changed from Director to Coordinator and Trainer.