Being a Part of a Teaching Team at Brock
4 Roles, Responsibilities, and Rights of TAs
TAs play a crucial role in Brock’s teaching and learning. It is important that TAs are aware of their roles, rights, and responsibilities to the university, professors, and students.
The general responsibilities of TAs are outlined in their contract, and it is expected that TAs familiarize themselves with their contract and have an understanding of their role. Typically, the hours dedicated to their work are agreed upon in advance of the start of the semester through an Allocation of Hours (AoH) document. The AoH outlines a TA’s responsibilities and estimated time that they are expected to consider for completing each task. This is usually proposed by the instructor and signed by both instructors and TAs before the semester begins.
Roles of a TA
The role of a TA can be many. The flashcards below describe the roles a TA may take inside and outside of the classroom. The flashcards provide a general overview of the roles you may have as a TA and you may find that some of the roles you may have are not represented in this list.
The flashcards below indicate seven responsibilities of TAs. Before you turn each flashcard, think about what each responsibility means.
The responsibilities listed above are not the only duties a TA may have. TA roles and duties can vary depending on the department and the specific course. It is essential that the professor and the TA discuss and agree on the TA’s roles and responsibilities before the start of the semester
TAs often consider students’ specific needs while adjusting to their roles. Teaching is not a “given” skill and needs practice and experience. It helps if you know what your students value, expect, and care about in your teaching. Below are a few examples of expectations and preferences students often have in relation to their TAs. Students tend to
- expect TAs to explain the content of the class when needed, and set clear expectations related to their performance and evaluation methods;
- appreciate TAs who are friendly and open and share some of their own experiences related to the topic;
- expect TAs to interact with them in class, encourage student participation, and lead students toward more accurate responses,
- prefer TAs who make their classes interesting by having lively presentations, relevant and intriguing examples, and appropriate humor;
- respect TAs who are knowledgeable and acknowledge when their knowledge might be limited.
Rights of a TA
Brock is committed to supporting TAs across campus in their role and it is crucial for TAs to be aware of their rights. If you find you are not being given an opportunity to exercise your rights, speaking with the professor in charge may be a good starting point to take action to have those issues remediated.
The rights of a TA include,
- being treated in a dignified way by students and staff;
- getting feedback from their students and instructors;
- being given access to the material that is going to be taught by a TA;
- having support from the instructor and the department;
- signing and following the content of a contract;
- getting paid for their services according to their contract;
- being able to say no to services that were not agreed upon in the contract;
- working in a non-threatening environment.
Responsibilities of TAs in Relation to Students, Professors, and Brock
TAs are essential members of the academic teaching community. They often spend a substantial amount of time working directly with students and can have an impact on the academic success of students. They have several responsibilities in relation to students, professors, and Brock.
The responsibilities of a TA in relation to students include,
- being on time,
- setting the tone,
- respecting students
- learning students’ names,
- maintaining a positive environment,
- setting boundaries,
- being aware of your their own biases,
- being approachable,
- evaluating student work timely and fairly,
- maintaining regular office hours,
- setting clear expectations,
- being prepared,
- fostering learning.
Your responsibilities as a TA in relation to the instructor include,
- being professional,
- being reliable,
- meeting deadlines,
- fulfilling the duties outlined in the contract,
- relaying feedback from students,
- taking responsibility for your actions.
Your responsibilities as a TA in relation to Brock include,
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- being aware of the University policies, procedures, and resources
- creating a positive learning environment
- maintaining University policies concerning harassment, academic integrity, and confidentiality (FIPPA)
