Teaching support resources for TA success

Teaching assistants (TAs) can contribute meaningfully to student learning, and their effectiveness can be enhanced with the right support. This article provides a curated collection of resources that instructors can share with their TAs to help them navigate their responsibilities with confidence. While TAs are not expected to design entire courses, the resources are organized around a learning-centered approach to course design, where designers consider course context, content, learning outcomes, assessment, and teaching strategies, reflecting the structure of many McGill courses. Since these facets of course design sometimes overlap, some pedagogical strategies might serve multiple purposes—for example, polling can be used both as a teaching strategy and as a low-stakes assessment strategy.

Two additional sections are included:

All-in-one resources: resources that address multiple facets of teaching support that may be useful for TAs.
Key McGill support services and units: links to support that can help TAs succeed in their roles, including institutional services that can support students’ overall academic experience and well-being.

TA training workshops
Develop teaching skills, engage with other TAs, and enhance your TA experience; workshops offered in September and January

Context

Context resources

Classroom management

Nomme, K. M., & Pollock, C. (2022). The successful TA: A practical approach to effective teaching. UBC Press. Ebook available through the McGill Library.

See Chapters 2 Preparing for Your First Session and 5 Facilitating Classroom Interaction.

McGill policies and guidelines related to teaching

A list of policies and guidelines that are relevant to teaching at McGill

Student Incivility: Best Practices (Vanderbilt University, Center for Teaching)

The document outlines strategies for preventing and managing student incivility, emphasizing clear expectations, respectful communication, and appropriate interventions.

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Content

Content resources

Course management in myCourses

Guide to organizing content, managing dates, enrollment, groups, and accommodations

Content upload and organization in myCourses

Instructional steps to add slides, readings, and course materials via the Content tool

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Assessment

Assessment resources

Assessment FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about assessment tasks, e.g., quiz/exam set-up, TA grade permissions, and Lockdown Browser set-up

Assignments in myCourses

Guide to creating submission folders, grading, bulk downloads, and managing submission logs

Collaborate on grading with Crowdmark, integrated into myCourses

Guidance on grading using Crowdmark, including shared grading, team roles, scanning, and feedback tools

Enter grades directly in the myCourses grades tool

Step-by-step instructions for entering grades directly into the grades tool, and tips for grading spreadsheets, adding comments, and batch grading

Providing feedback: Commenting and grading

Steps for and examples of how to provide feedback while commenting and grading

Writing assignment toolkit

Strategies for effective writing feedback (transparent, positive, prioritized, efficient, timely, peer feedback)

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Teaching strategies

Teaching strategies resources

McGill Writing Centre (MWC) Tutorial Service

Open to all students and offers one-to-one sessions with seasoned instructors and experienced tutors who will work with students at any stage of the writing process

Polling @ McGill

A strategy to encourage classroom participation and assess students’ learning

Teaching strategies - various

Instructional strategies to engage students in learning during class time and outside class time

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All-in-one resources

Get ready: Teaching Assistant (TA) checklist

This checklist outlines key tasks and considerations for the start of term and beyond. It is designed to support TAs’ planning, communication, and collaboration with course instructors and students.

myCourses Essentials

Key features available in myCourses, along with resources to help with course set-up; in English and French; TAs added to the site toward the beginning of each term.

Can’t access myCourses Essentials? Contact IT Support.

Teaching and Learning Knowledge Base

Looking for ideas for planning learning activities? Or using myCourses and other tools? The Teaching and Learning Knowledge Base offers what you need to know about planning and implementing teaching and learning.

Technologies for McGill Instructors

Learn about available educational technologies at McGill, including how to access and implement them in instructional contexts.

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Key McGill support services and units

Key McGill support resources

Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM)

AGSEM is the labour union that represents TAs and Invigilators at McGill.

McGill IT support portal

Make requests, get help, report issues.

Mercury end-of-course evaluations

Student responses from course evaluations can provide you with valuable feedback for improving your teaching, as well as documenting your experience for job applications.

Office of the Dean of Students

The mission of the Office of the Dean of Students is to enhance, improve, and promote students’ academic and personal success. The Office also oversees student rights and responsibilities, academic integrity, academic advising, the student disciplinary process, and student recognition.

Office for Mediation and Reporting (OMR)

Reach out to the OMR to file a formal report of discrimination, harassment, or sexual violence; learn about policies and processes; or be connected to additional supports.

Office for Sexual Violence Support, Response and Education (OSVRSE)

Confidential and non-judgmental services for students, academic staff, and administrative staff of all genders who have been impacted by sexual and gender-based violence

Office of the Ombudsperson

The Office offers confidential, informal, independent, and impartial dispute resolution services for all members of the student community by providing information, advice, intervention, and referrals.

Student Accessibility and Achievement (SAA)

SAA offers support for McGill’s diverse student body to achieve academic goals and overcome barriers by providing not only accommodations for students with documented disabilities but also additional learner support for students facing barriers in university.

Student Wellness Hub

A range of health services to support students’ physical and mental health with a focus on awareness, prevention, and early intervention

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While this resource is accessible worldwide, McGill University is on land which has served and continues to serve as a site of meeting and exchange amongst Indigenous peoples, including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabeg nations. Teaching and Learning Services acknowledges and thanks the diverse Indigenous peoples whose footsteps mark this territory on which peoples of the world now gather. This land acknowledgment is shared as a starting point to provide context for further learning and action.

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