The GMCTL can support your department with tailored sessions for TAs related to teaching and learning practices. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to Sara.Dzaman@usask.ca.

About

As part of the TA Success Series, we offer this event - TA Success Days.  These short sessions are typically scheduled over 2-3 days and this event is usually offered bi-annually in early September and January. 

When you attend three or more sessions during an event, your attendance is recorded on your Co-Curricular Record, which recognizes students for their involvement in the campus community outside of the classroom.

Calendar of Events

 Next offering will be in Fall 2023. (Details TBA)

Wednesday, January 4 Thursday, January 5

[9:00 - 9:50am]
Orientation to TA Success Days

[10:00 - 10:50am]
Introduction to Career Goals

[11:00 - 11:50am]
Grading problem sets, labs, and exams faster and more effectively

[11:00 am - noon]
Facilitation skills for tutorials and seminars

  ____________________________________________________

[1:00 - 1:50pm]
Clarifying academic integrity expectations for your students

[2:00 - 2:50pm]
Professional Relationships as a TA

[3:00 - 4:00pm]
Navigating Canvas

[9:00 - 9:50am]
Introduction to Lesson Planning

[10:00 - 10:50am]
Facilitating Practical Labs for First Time TAs

[10:00 - 11:00am]
Grading essays & projects more easily and effectively for First time TAs

[11:00 - 11:50am]
Managing discussion boards effectively

[11:00 am - noon]
Grading Essays and Projects more easily and effectively for Experienced TAs 

  __________________________________________________________

[12:30 - 12:50pm]
Information Session for the Teaching Preparation Certificate

[1:00 - 2:00pm]
Understanding Indigenous Reality - An Introduction

[2:10 - 3:00pm]
Managing Discussion Boards Effectively 

Monday, January 9

[10:30am - noon]
Challenging Conversations

How to Register for Sessions

Click on a title above to jump down this page to view the session description and find a registration button. Click the button one time and you will be automatically added to that session or placed on the waitlist if the session is full. Please only click once, our system should send an email confirmation for registration to your USask (PAWS) email.

If you require assistance with registration, please email  gmctl@usask.ca.


 

Wednesday, January 4

Orientation to TA Success Days

Time: 9:00 - 9:50am
Location: Murray Library Room G3
Facilitator: Sara Dzaman

Welcome to TA Success Days! This orientation is designed to provide you with an overview of the next 2 days of sessions and give you the opportunity to meet other Teaching Assistants in a facilitated "quick intro" activity.

Introduction to Career Goals

Time: 10:00 - 10:50am
Location: Murray Library Room G3
Facilitator: Wenona Partridge & Chelsea Smith

Join this interactive session to identify career skills you want to build and set goals to help you get there.

Grade Problem Sets, Labs, and Exams Faster and More Effectively

Time: 11:00 - 11:50am
Location: Murray - GMCTL Classroom 50.12
Facilitator: Barbara da Silva

In this session, you'll explore and share strategies for grading to improve consistency and efficiency and you'll leave with concrete plans for what to do before you start grading, while you're grading, and after you wrap up. You'll also explore tips on how to ensure that the feedback you provide to students can improve their learning.

Facilitation Skills for Tutorials and Seminars

Time: 11:00am - noon
Location: Murray Library Room G3
Facilitator: Aditi Garg

So you're asked to TA a tutorial or seminar. Should you 1) just sit at the front of the room while students sit with their friends and don't do anything or 2) structure the time just enough so that students feel supported and prepared for class. Come for this face-to-face session where you will practice simple strategies for running tutorials and seminars. Leave with facilitation skills.

Clarifying Academic Integrity Expectation for your Students

Time: 1:00 - 1:50pm
Location: Murray Library Room G3
Facilitator: Susan Bens

Students encounter many different kinds of rules for completing assessments and it can get confusing for them. Join this session to think through how to clarify your role for Academic Integrity and how to clarify expectations for students.

Professional Relationship as a TA

Time: 2:00 - 2:50pm
Location: Murray Library Room G3
Facilitator: Tristian Taylor

Learn about your roles, responsibilities, and rights related to interactions with students, supervisors, professors, and each other through this interactive session.

Navigating Canvas

Time: 3:00 - 4:00pm
Location: Murray Library Room 161
Facilitator: Roberta Campbell-Chudoba

This session explores navigation of the Canvas Dashboard, connecting with students in Canvas, and using Speedgrader's various functions. We will be in a computer lab for this session.

Thursday, January 5

Introduction to Lesson Planning

Time: 9:00 - 9:50am
Location: Murray Library Room G3
Facilitator:  Racquel Biem

Are you planning your own lab, tutorial, seminar or guest lecture? Join this session to become familiar with the BOPPPS lesson planning model so you can apply it to your own lessons.

Facilitating Practical Labs for First Time TAs

Time: 10:00 - 10:50am
Location: Murray - GMCTL Classroom 50.12
Facilitator: Elsa Van Ankum

This session is for first time TAs. Learn practical ideas for facilitating practical laboratory sessions and encouraging student engagement.

Grading Essays and Projects more Easily and Effectively for First Time TAs

Time: 10:00 - 11:00am
Location: Murray Library Room G3
Facilitator: Wendy James

This session is for first time TAs. In this session on grading written papers and projects, you’ll learn tips for giving good feedback, being more consistent in grading, and managing your time. Come expecting to practice grading and share your ideas.

Facilitating Practical Labs for Experienced TAs

Time: 11:00 - 11:50am
Location: Murray - GMCTL Classroom 50.12
Facilitator: Elsa Van Ankum

This session is for TAs who have previous experience in facilitating pracitcal labs. Come expecting to tips for facilitating labs from your peers, discuss strategies, and share solutions to common challenges.

Grading Essays and Projects more Easily and Effectively for Experienced TAs

Time: 11:00am - noon
Location: Murray Library G3
Facilitator: Wendy James

This session is for TAs who have previous experience in grading essays or projects, you’ll learn tips for giving good feedback, being more consistent in grading, and managing your time. Come expecting to practice grading and share your ideas.

Information session for the Teaching Preparation Certificate

Time: 12:30 - 12:50pm
Location: Murray Library G3
Facilitator: Roberta Campbell-Chudoba

Learn about the Teaching Preparation Certificate (TPC), a non-credit and competency-based certificate, designed for graduate students and post docs who have prior experience teaching or as a teaching assistant, or training in teaching skills.

Understanding Indigenous Reality - An Introduction

Time: 1:00 - 2:00pm
Location: Murray Library G3
Facilitator: Darryl Isbister

Come and learn some things you may not know about First Nation and Inuit ways of knowing, being, and doing. This session will answer some common questions and also give you an opportunity to ask questions you have not been sure how to ask.

Managing Discussion Boards Effectively

Time: 2:10 - 3:00pm
Location: Murray Library Room 161
Facilitator:Roberta Campbell-Chudoba

This session offers strategies for moderating discussion boards. We look at challenging scenarios and problem-solve strategies together. This session will be held in a computer lab.

Monday, January 9

Challenging Conversations

Time: 10:30am - noon
Location: Murray - GMCTL Classroom 50.12
Facilitator: Heather Ross

In this session, participants will be introduced to concepts to assist them deal with challenging conversations they may face with students and supervisors in their role as a TA. They will also gain a clearer understanding of engaging professionally and respectfully with students, supervisors, and their peers.

Support

For questions regarding TA Success Days please email the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning.