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

T EACHING A SSISTANT (TA) ORIENTATION Faculty of Engineering Mining & Materials Engineering Feb. 21, 2014. W ELCOME TA s in E ngineering !. R IGHTS AND R ESPONSIBILITIES

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

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  1. TEACHINGASSISTANT (TA) ORIENTATION • Faculty of Engineering • Mining & Materials Engineering • Feb. 21, 2014

  2. WELCOME TAs in Engineering!

  3. RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES • The Faculty of Engineering is committed tomaking the teaching experience a rewarding and positive learning experience for all involved.

  4. Rights • 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.

  5. Responsibilities (1/2) • 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

  6. Responsibilities (2/2) • 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

  7. BUILDING Good RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TAS AND STUDENTS

  8. Building Relationships (1/2) • 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

  9. Building Relationships (2/2) • 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.

  10. SUPPORT

  11. References • 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

  12. References • 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 Costopoulosandre.costopoulos@mcgill.ca • And - Don’t be shy: When in doubt, ASK! • If you have questions, ask the Course Instructor first.

  13. QUESTIONS?

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