Finally: a post on Rubrics

Sorry folks--this has been a long time coming. I still want to write on the first week of workshops (the TA Role sessions), but am juggling time, as I'm sure you all have been too.

I did come across this link however:
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/assess.html

It is indeed for elementary and secondary school teaching. However, i think the concepts and principles are applicable across the board--from the youngest through to adult learners. I won't get into a discussion about the relative merits of assessment (or problems with assessing), so let me just leave this as a resource to use at your own discretion.

If anyone finds anything of particular value, please share! The one that stands out for me is the rubric-making tutorial from the Chicago public school board:
http://intranet.cps.k12.il.us/Assessments/Ideas_and_Rubrics/Create_Rubric/create_rubric.html

kris

Recap: Early Semester Survival Kit, week 1

One thing I probably should have highlighted during these sessions was my own nervousness and anxiety: having never offered these sessions, I really wasn't clear how they would go over. Fortunately the hunch paid off, at least for me. All and all, and despite hearing way too much of my voice, I think we had some interesting discussions.

I look forward to next week, where some of the participants will have had their second and third tutorial sessions (in some cases, their first), and with luck others will have secured TA or GA positions for the term.

In the meantime, I'm attaching some of the resources that were mentioned by various people during the different sessions:

1. (Other) universities' TA handbooks: perhaps Ryerson should have one of these, but most of what's covered in them can be picked up from these freely available online resources instead. We are beginning to have an idea of what else we might offer in a locally-produced handbook. Any feedback or suggestions are welcome!

Anyway, here are links to some of the better ones:
University of Guelph - Teaching Support Services
Université Concordia - Centre for Teaching and Learning Services
University of Colorado at Boulder - Graduate Teacher Program
York University - Centre for the Support of Teaching

2. I prepared one handout: an unconventional checklist designed to both address common issues and pose them as ethical and pedagogical issues TA/GAs might have to contend with (i.e. as part of teaching and learning at this level). Any comments are welcome; here's the file in Word format:

ArtsTA-EarlySemester_Checklist.doc

3. I spoke about the exercise we used at the orientation as a model for similar group exercises you can recreate in your own tutorials.

ArtsTA-WelcomeLunch_Exercise.doc

(Remember, only one sheet per group! It helps ensure group work is actually group work when individuals can't just go off and do it for themselves.)

4. I also spoke about rubrics, as a way to ease marking for yourself and to demystify a very stressful process for students; I will try to find some good ones and post them--maybe you can do the same, or draft up your own and share them around. Email me with suggestions.

Thanks everyone and all the best--email me if I missed anything. Otherwise, see you next week!

Fall Semester 2007 -- End of Week 1, Beginning of Week 2

The first week of school is now gone. A bunch of orientations on Wednesday, our Welcome Lunch on Friday - i think it went relatively smoothly. I tried to blog about Wednesday's orientations, and particularly with how impressed i was with the organization and the quality of mind of the new cohort, particularly in the ISS and psychology programs. But this roller/blogger thing didn't want to save my post! anyway the gist of it was, i hope to get a chance to chat with some of these students, as they all sound (including comcult students, who i didn't get much chance to chat with) - all really interesting.

this week we begin a new initiative in the program: the "Early Semester Survival Kit". it's designed to address the needs of TA/GAs before the first "Role of the TA" workshop, and will hopefully get them (or you) running smoothly. it is modeled after the peer sessions, so it will be largely small group discussion, and the emphasis will be on the first few weeks of juggling, self-orientation, and effective, quick-demand problem-solving.

There are a number of TAs already registered, and i've invited a few with some experience in the Arts TA program to help work through potential issues. should be fun: i look forward to seeing everyone there!

Dear Artie: Talking about TA Disasters, Big and Small

The Arts TA Development Program is launching "Dear Artie," a kind of Ann Landers/Dear Abby-esque confessional.

While we don't pretend to offer responses nearly as exceptional as those of Mss. Landers or Abby, we do hope to provide a cathartic forum to those who need to vent, and a safe space for those anxious and uncertain of TA-ing (or GA-ing) at Ryerson (or at any institution!)

All postings will be kept confidential, although bonus points will go to those with a clever sign off (e.g. Lonely in Lansdowne). Bonus points will also be given to those who can successfully work "I was mortified!" or some similar hyperbolic phrase into their post.

Email all letters, in confidence, to artsta@ryerson.ca. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

ATTENTION New TAs: Help help help! (me me me!)

There's a lot to know during the first week of classes--maybe TOO much. As a student you have to worry about classes; as a TA you have to worry about work; and as a human being you have to worry about everything else!

Don't worry if you don't know what's going on--you may find it comforting to know that nobody knows what's going on when they first start (at least I didn't).

I put this list of resources together last year as a way to help orient Arts graduate TAs, and to help identify some places to start. I hope it helps. There's also the more complete and more authoritative TA/GA Info Page on the website of Ryerson's Learning and Teaching Office. If you have a question you cannot find an answer for in either of these two locations, or if you need more general, specific, or personal help, or for any other reason, don't hesitate to email, call, or carrier-pigeon me.

Good luck, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Kris Erickson
Arts TA Development Coordinating Mentor

artsta@ryerson.ca
416 979 5000 x4599