Today@Dal

Many graduate students approach their teaching assistantships with little to no training or experience in teaching. This often causes stress and anxiety over their responsibilities, and can negatively impact students' learning. The Teaching Assistant Enrichment Program (TAEP) is a one-year (September to May) flexible teaching development program created specifically for TAs. TAEP includes workshops, teaching exercises, reflection on teaching and learning, and recognition of a participant's work towards the development of teaching. The Program offers participants experience, knowledge, concepts and skills that they can apply to their current teaching assistantships.

Program Goals
- Develop a broad set of skills and understandings to aid the improvement of teaching confidence and effectiveness.
- Encourage reflective and professional practices and behaviours, and foster a sense of life-long learning and development.
- Network with TAs from a variety of Faculties.

Outcomes
TAEP participants will be able to:

- critically reflect on their own and others’ teaching experiences and use this to further their skills as a TA;
- understand the goals and responsibilities of a professional TA;
- obtain practical and effective strategies for assisting students, planning learning opportunities, and creating appropriate learning environments;
- gain experience teaching effectively, and incorporating feedback into their practice;
assess the learning needs of their students, and effectively adapt their pedagogy to meet those needs; and
- build a documentation of their commitment to teaching development.

To learn more about this program and to register, please visit https://www.dal.ca/dept/clt/services/TAEP.html or contact the program administrator, Jill McSweeney, Educational Developer (Graduate Students), Tel: 902-494-4300 or Email: jill.mcsweeney@dal.ca.