Teaching Assistants' Training Program

Description

Teaching assistants often provide personalized support to their students, whether it takes the form of office hours, extra help with course content, disciplinary guidance, or conversations about mental wellness. Such personalized support can be crucial to student success, especially when educators are striving to maintain accessible, equitable learning environments. However, the labour associated with these forms of care and individualized connection can often be difficult to quantify and prepare for, and it can sometimes trouble the boundaries of teaching appointment contracts. This informal discussion invites participants to reflect on the personalized support they offer their students. What techniques do you have for managing expectations and setting boundaries while still allowing your students to feel seen and supported? What contractual, personal, and/or ethical challenges have you confronted as you try to incorporate care and sensitivity into your teaching practices?  Facilitators will guide the discussion, but this session will not be a formal workshop. Instead, it will offer a supportive environment in which participants can share strategies and challenges, with the ultimate goal of benefiting themselves and their students alike.