Teaching Assistants’ Training Program (TATP)

Graduate students occupy many roles at the University – students, teachers, researchers, mentors – and they must consider multiple career pathways after their degrees are complete. The Teaching Assistants’ Training Program (TATP) provides a space amidst these intersecting and sometimes competing demands so graduate students can focus their attention on teaching and learning. The TATP offers in-person (training, workshops, microteaching, consultations) and online (resources, tip sheets, videos, training modules) support for members of CUPE 3902, Unit 1, at the University of Toronto, including professional development opportunities such as special events and two certificate programs. The TATP also administers two teaching awards to acknowledge teaching excellence in teaching assistants and graduate student Course Instructors.

Working Toward Accessibility

One of our areas of commitment and continued growth in the TATP is working towards accessibility, including a range of programming opportunities (e.g., Creating Accessible Visual Aids, and Creating a Culture of Accessibility) and new resources on accessibility for our online academic toolkit. CTSI and the TATP actively contribute to U of T’s goal of creating an accessible and inclusive working and learning environment for all students, staff and instructors.

Leadership and Community Building

At U of T: The TATP collaborates with various U of T partners, including the School of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Professional Skills (GPS) program, Student Life on St. George and teaching centres on UTSC and UTM campuses, on special projects and programming to prepare graduate students as instructors and teaching assistants, and for careers beyond the classroom. (e.g., After your TAship: Transferable Skills facilitated by Kathleen Ogden, TATP UTM trainer and Michal Kasprzak, Curriculum Developer, TATP)

Across Institutions: Through the work of chairing the Teaching Assistant and Graduate Student Advancement group, a Special Interest Group of the national Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE), the TATP hosted Educational Developers and Graduate Students Unite! on March 24, 2017. This professional development day brought graduate student educational developers from neighbouring universities to share and discuss programming and initiatives, including Brock University, University of Guelph, University of Waterloo, McMaster University, Western University, Ryerson University, York University, along with U of T.

TATP Calls to Action!

Create!

Adopt approaches that foster welcoming, inclusive and accessible classroom spaces (face-to -face and online) e.g., Workshops: Developing Intercultural Competencies for Use in Culturally Diverse Classrooms; Creating a Culture of Accessibility: An Introduction to Accessible Teaching and Learning

Connect!

Meet, engage with, and learn from teachers across disciplines e.g., Brown Bag Lunch series; Micro-teaching Sessions: Presentation Skills Building and Effective Lesson Planning and Delivery

Question!

Consider and critique research on teaching and learning in order to develop a teaching philosophy and teaching practices e.g., Workshops: Bridging Pedagogical Theory & Teaching Practice: A Working Round Table on Critical Pedagogy; Reading Up: Instructional Strategies for Developing Students’ Critical Reading and Analysis

TATP By the Numbers (2016-17)

  • 1,288 total participants
  • 1,397 total attendees for job training
  • 984 total attendees for professional development
  • 48 workshop &
  • 13 microteaching sessions across all 3 campuses

2016-2017 TATP Certificate Program Enrolment

Teaching Fundamentals: 227 

Advanced University Teaching Preparation: 148 

144 certificates completed!