Spring 2014
ST. GEORGE WORKSHOPS
EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE LAB TEACHING
Leanne De Souza, TATP Science Trainer
Andreea Lupascu, TATP Science Trainer
CORE
Leading and teaching laboratory sessions is a complex task that even the most experienced teaching assistants constantly aim to refine. This session will address the most relevant challenges and needs specific to leading laboratory experiments that are effective and engaging. TAs are encouraged to raise issues and discuss innovative solutions. We will discuss and practice strategies for engaging students, checking for understanding, activating prior learning and including applied examples in lab sessions.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
10am – 12pm
CTSI, Blackburn Room
4th Floor, Robarts Library
Lana Kuhle, TATP Course Instructor Training Coordinator
Erin Vearncombe, TATP Humanities Trainer
CORE
In this workshop, we’ll discuss how you as a TA can help demystify some of the study skills that students frequently struggle with. By the time we’ve reached graduate school, some of these skills (such as taking good notes) may be second-nature to us, while some (such as managing school-related anxiety) may be less so. In either case, it can be difficult to know what practical advice to offer students who are struggling to develop basic learning skills. We’ll talk about strategies for managing course readings, effective note-taking, and studying; how we can communicate these strategies to students; and the campus resources that we can direct them to.
Monday, May 12, 2014
2pm – 4pm
CTSI, Blackburn Room
4th Floor, Robarts Library
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ON CAMPUS: IDENTIFYING AND RESPONDING TO STUDENTS
Janine Robb, RN, MSc, Executive Director, Health and Wellness
This interactive workshop will be an opportunity for teaching assistants to develop greater confidence in their ability to recognize and respond to student mental health issues. This workshop will include discussion of the following:
• Common mental health issues faced by university students
• How to identify and respond to students who may require mental health support or services, based on case studies
• Information and resources available to UofT (including UTSC and UTM) communities and how to make a
1pm – 3pm
CTSI Office, Blackburn Room
Robarts Library, 4th Floor
SUPPORTING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS: WHAT TAs CAN DO
A part of the Teaching and Learning at U of T workshop series for teaching assistants
ELECTIVE
When considering how to teach and advise English language learner (ELL) students, teaching assistants (TAs) sometimes feel constrained by their limited contract hours or their lack of expertise in language instruction. However, there are ways that we can make a significant difference. In this workshop, we will discuss strategies that TAs can use to:
- Provide clear instructions and make explicit any hidden expectations in the curriculum
- Lower barriers to class participation
- Give effective feedback so that ELL students can improve their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills
- Effectively refer students to English language support when needed.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
2pm-4pm
CTSI Office, Blackburn Room
Robarts Library, 4th Floor