When I was assigned my first duty as a TA in one of the electrical engineering courses, one term after arriving to Canada, I was keen to know more about Canadian students. Thus, I started asking other experienced TAs about undergraduate students and how to teach them effectively. One comment that I still remember until today and after being a TA for more than 6 courses was about the students’ attendance in the tutorials. Continue reading Why do some students choose not attend tutorials?! – Walid Omran (International TA Developer)
Author: waomran
As an international TA Developer (2008-2009), Walid Omran is responsible for developing and facilitating a series of workshops and microteaching sessions for international TAs. The objective of this series is to help the international TAs in developing their teaching skills and to familiarize them with the teaching process in Canadian universities, especially in UW. In addition to his work at CTE, Walid is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering.
International TA Training: One year in service – Walid Omran (ITA Developer)
How am I going to teach these students? Will they laugh at me because of my accent and language mistakes? How will I control their behavior in the class? Is it true that culture can affect the students-TA relationship? How can I prove that I am a good TA? These were just some of the questions I had in mind when I received my first TA assignment, four months after arriving to Canada as an international graduate student. Now, after spending three years at the University of Waterloo and being a TA for a number of courses, I still think that teaching in the Canadian classroom can be a challenge for many international TAs (ITAs). This is mainly due to language barriers, cultural differences and uncommon backgrounds. Continue reading International TA Training: One year in service – Walid Omran (ITA Developer)