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Teaching Tips (including Best Practices) |
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- Creating assignments
- Creating solutions
- It is recommended that you specify each TA's responsibilities in writing, to avoid misunderstandings.
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- Hourly TAs may have a minimum and maximum number of hours that they would like to contribute to the course. Abide by their expectations. Monthly TAs, however, should spend an average of 12 hours per week on the course. Note that this includes preparation time.
- At the end of a term, but especially in December, many TAs like to leave for home as soon as possible to maximize their holiday time, or to take advantage of cheaper airfares. Warn your monthly TAs that they need to remain at UBC until a few days after the final exam, since they'll be needed to hold pre-exam consulting hours, and to invigilate and mark the final exam. Remember, the monthly TAs are being paid for the month in which the final exam period falls! Avoid the temptation of letting TAs substitute "a bit more marking on the last assignment" in exchange for leaving early (i.e., not invigilating or marking the final exam). In the past, this has been a no-win situation for instructors who are probably busy enough as it is.
- Avoid penalizing good monthly TAs; try not to give them more work to do than your other monthly TAs. (Hourly TAs get paid by the hour, so they'll be paid for the amount of work that they actually do.)
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- Hourly TAs may have a minimum and maximum number of hours that they would like to contribute to the course. Abide by their expectations. Monthly TAs, however, should spend an average of 12 hours per week on the course. Note that this includes preparation time. Early in the term, and during the exam period, the TA's will probably work less than 12 hours per week, but it should average out.
- At the end of a term, but especially in December, many TAs like to leave for home as soon as possible to maximize their holiday time, or to take advantage of cheaper airfares. Warn your monthly TAs that they need to remain at UBC until a few days after the final exam, since they'll be needed to hold pre-exam consulting hours, and to invigilate and mark the final exam. Remember, monthly TAs are paid for the month in which the final exam period falls. Avoid the temptation of letting TAs substitute "a bit more marking on the last assignment" in exchange for leaving early, as this just adds more work to other TAs and instructors, who are probably busy enough as it is.
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- Mention to your TAs that they will be evaluated at various stages in the course by the students and the instructor. Hopefully, this will promote greater TA responsibility, and will enhance the students' overall learning experience.
- After the first month or so in the course, you should conduct a short, informal, mid-term survey of how things are going in the course. A sample survey is available from any instructor on the Undergrad Affairs Committee. Have students fill in this form during class. Later, read the surveys, and act on those areas which call for improvement.
- Encourage your students to give you feedback (in class or during office hours) about how well things are going in the labs or tutorials.
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