Teaching Assistants' Training Program

A hands-on workshop and discussion of practical strategies that you can use to motivate and support your students to follow the University of Toronto’s Code of Academic Conduct. It will include strategies for grading, office hours, and in-class (lab, tutorial) sessions.

Being a TA can be incredibly rewarding, whether it is engaging with students and supporting their growth as learners or strengthening your abilities as an educator. Whether you facilitate discussions during tutorials, supervise labs, or grade papers, TA-ships can also offer unique professional development opportunities to strengthen various transferrable skills as a graduate student. In […]

“What relevant skills do you have for this position?” You or your students will probably hear this question, or something similar during a job interview. And you may feel  concerned about how you will answer it in a compelling way. What skills can you identify and discuss? Adaptability. Communication. Decision making. Flexibility. Initiative. Innovation. Leadership. […]

Are you interested in reducing barriers to learning and increasing student engagement? Do you want to respond to the needs of all your students? Do you want to create a genuinely inclusive environment in your classroom? Join us for a workshop on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) - a set of principles for curriculum development […]

What do you do with students who are baffled by Library research?  In this session, U of T librarians will share their top picks of tools, services, and research guides, and work with you to strategize responses to typical undergraduate research and essay problems.  Help your students go beyond Google and Wikipedia, discover ways to […]

The teaching dossier is a comprehensive record of teaching activities and accomplishments that is now required in applications for permanent positions at the University of Toronto and at an increasing number of institutions across North America. In this session, we will review the elements of a successful teaching dossier and discuss how to use it […]

How do you know if your students are learning what you intended them to learn? Effective assessment design is key to successful and meaningful student learning. Assessments often shape what students interpret to be the important learning objectives for a course. But assessments can also shape attitudes, motivate, inspire, question assumptions and so much more. […]

At this brown-bag lunch, we’ll discuss strategies for troubleshooting difficult teaching situations that arise unexpected in our tutorials. What do you do if you are challenged by a student on course content while in your tutorial? How do you help students navigate the fine line between constructive and destructive critiques of course content? How do […]

This interactive workshop will highlight how integrating images, audio and video can enhance the teaching and learning experience. Through discussions and group activities, this session will •  Share the evidence for multimodal teaching and learning, •  Offer practical tips related to accessibility and recommended sources for media • Demonstrate some constructive uses of media in […]

The statement of teaching philosophy (STP) is the foundation of any teaching dossier, is often requested as part of an academic job application, and is an important part of the tenure and promotion process. This short statement needs to effectively communicate your ideas, beliefs, and values about teaching in a condensed space. In writing your […]

Have you ever felt like you do not belong at university? Do you doubt your abilities and think that you are not smart enough? Do you feel like you are not qualified to teach? Do you ever feel like you don’t deserve to be here? These feelings are common among undergraduate and graduate students and […]

Do you want to offer your students additional writing support, but feel constrained by the time limits of your tutorial? Do you teach in a discipline where students are expected to write, but where there is minimal time given to writing instruction? In this workshop, we’ll explore ways to build your students’ writing capacities - […]

Community-engaged learning courses integrate several key features, including community placements for students and reflection assignments, into academic for-credit courses in a variety of disciplines. As a teaching professional working in this field, you will face unique challenges and opportunities as you negotiate the needs of your students and the given community.  In this session we […]

This workshop will help you with two interrelated tasks. First, you will be guided through the creation of your teaching philosophy statement, a short document that functions as a stand-alone essay describing your personal approach to, and rationale for teaching. Second, you will learn to navigate creating a thorough teaching dossier, a crucial first step […]

This session includes teaching strategies and reflective activities focused on building our knowledge and capacity to create more equitable and inclusive classrooms. Working in both individual and group activities, participants will be tasked with thinking through their own discomfort with equity work and critically reflect on how their experiences might shape their practices as teaching […]