T EACHING A SSISTANT (TA) ORIENTATION Faculty of Engineering Mining & Materials Engineering

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

TEACHING ASSISTANT (TA) ORIENTATION

Faculty of EngineeringMining & Materials Engineering

Feb. 21, 2014

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

WELCOME TAs in ENGINEERING!

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Faculty of Engineering is committed to making the teaching experience a

rewarding and positive learning experience for all involved.

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

Rights of the TAs and rights of the Course Instructor or Course Lecturer (CL):• The employment contracts are between the TA and McGill University;• For any questions or concerns, a TA is invited to talk to his/ her Course

Instructor or a contact person in the Department or School;• McGill’s TA positions, as well as the CL positions are unionized and

their collective agreements need to be respected; the TA union is: A.G.S.E.M. (Assoc. of Graduate Students Employed at McGill)

• Course Instructors and Course Lecturers have management rights for the employment relationship.

Rights

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

Responsibilities of the TA:

• Depending upon the TA assignment, responsibilities can include:

– Grading assignments, exams and laboratory reports– Organizing and instructing laboratory sessions– Giving tutorials– Holding office hours and mentoring students– Generating/updating course web sites

Responsibilities (1/2)

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

Responsibilities of the Course Instructor or CL:• Once the TAs is appointed, the Course Instructor arranges to

meet with the TA

• This one-on-one meeting provides the opportunity for a clear mutual understanding of the:

– Rights and responsibilities of the TA– Role of the collective agreement (AGSEM)– Definition of the expectations and tasks– Finalization of the hours of work and workload form

Responsibilities (2/2)

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

BUILDING Good RELATIONSHIPS

BETWEEN TAS AND STUDENTS

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

Be professional

• Your goal is to provide intellectual challenge along with instructional support

• Know your subject and convey the enthusiasm you have for it to your students

• Be professional - be a teacher, not a “buddy”• Get to know your students: be respectful, consider for

example cultural diversity

Building Relationships (1/2)

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

Trust, Respect, and Duties: • Build trust between you and the student, and you and

the Course Instructor.• Be reliable. When you are supposed to be there, be

there on time. • Respect deadlines – people count on you.• Prepare for your duties – prepare, prepare, prepare!• Treat your TA position as a job - you are expected to be

available to cover all duties – this is a job. If you plan to attend a conference- you must arrange well in advance and gain permission to be away.

Building Relationships (2/2)

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

SUPPORT

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

Support for TAs:• Attend the University AGSEM TA Training sessions:

www.mcgill.ca/skillsets/calendar (The 3 hours are paid for first time TAs)

• Attend the Engineering pedagogical workshops: Further details to follow; e-Handbook for Engineering TAs

• Learn the Student Code of Conduct: www.mcgill.ca/files/student-records/Code_of_Student_Conduct.pdf

• Adhere to McGill’s values and ethical conduct:www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/academicrights/integrity

• Handbook on Student Rights and Responsibilities www.mcgill.ca/secretariat/policies/students/handbook-student-rights-and-responsibilitiesle-recueil-des-droits-et-obligations-d

References

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

And more support for TAs:

• McGill’s Assessment Policy https://www.mcgill.ca/secretariat/sites/mcgill.ca.secretariat/files/university_student_assessment_policy_0.pdf

• Fact sheets: Discrimination Fact Sheet (2013) and Harassment Fact Sheet (2013).

• Helping Students in Difficulty from Dean of Students - Andre Costopoulos andre.costopoulos@mcgill.ca

And - Don’t be shy: When in doubt, ASK! If you have questions, ask the Course Instructor first.

References

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

McGill University Faculty of Engineering

QUESTIONS?