Basic Toolkit

Students come to you first when they have questions. Knowing about DeGroote’s programs and McMaster’s various services empowers you to help students better.

To-Do:

  • Bookmark the links listed on this page
  • Take note of the free services that McMaster offers to students
  • Check with the instructor if any of your students requires accommodation
  • Identify which of your students are international or are studying from abroad
  • Understand the latest changes in the BCom curriculum

Resources

Here some resources that experienced teaching assistants recommend you to have handy:

  • DeGroote’s Start-Up Toolkit
    Resources useful for any student at DeGroote: communication channels, McMaster supports and policies, student experience and career services, how to succeed in university, how to start a professional life, and digital learning tools.

Commerce Program

  • Changes in the Commerce Curriculum
    The BCom program was revised in 2019 incorporating student feedback and skillset demands in the workplace. As a result, some courses changed code and level, as others where incorporated:

    • Math 1MM3: Applied Calculus (previously Math 1MO3)
    • 1MA3: Introduction to Marketing (previously Comm 2MA3)
    • ECON 1BX3: Introduction to Microeconomics (previously ECON 1B03)
    • 1DA3: Business Data Analytics (previously 2QA3)
    • 2DA3: Decision Making with Analytics (previously COMM 3QA3)
    • 1GR0: Student Experience and Development I (New course launched Fall 2020)
    • 2GR0: Student Experience and Development II (New course launched Fall 2021)
    • 3GR0: Student Experience and Development III (New course launch Fall 2022)
    • 4GR3: Student Experience and Development IV (New course launch Fall 2023)
“A resource I found especially valuable last year was the information regarding the curriculum changes, as knowing how the curriculum changed allowed me to give my students better advice and provide more relevant support.” (Evelyn Franz)

Internship Program

After completing the third year of the BCom program, students can choose to enhance their education by doing one of these internship programs:

  • BCom with Internship or
  • IBH with Internship

For more information about the internship program, please contact Career and Professional Development Office. Or email cip@mcmaster.ca.

Accommodations

Accommodation is a process that is formally set in motion when Student Accessibility Services (SAS) identifies a barrier that may negatively affect a student’s ability to achieve learning outcomes. Common accommodations include additional time for assessments and the use of a note-taker. The SAS communicates these accommodations to the professor, who should inform you, the TA, of what changes are required in your teaching environment.

Students may approach you about accommodations independently of SAS. For example, a student may indicate that a significant personal issue is preventing them from completing their assignments on time. In consultation with the instructor, you may use your discretion to determine the most appropriate allowances that will enable the student to meet the learning outcomes.

For more information, you can read this chapter on Teaching in an Accessible and Inclusive Classroom from McMaster’s TA Guide.

Supporting International Students

To help support international students, you may direct them to the International Student Services. They offer services such as success coaching and peer support and events. Success coaching offers many resources and supports to answer common questions and help students adjust to life at McMaster with regards to personal, social, and academic aspects. Peer supports helps students to connect with peers, explore McMaster, and get involved.

MODEL – McMaster Office for the Development of English Language
MODEL is a free service at McMaster for all non-native English speakers.  MODEL offers language workshops, one-on-one language consultations, and language assessment.

  • MODEL Consultations:
    MODEL provides opportunities for students to meet one-on-one with our ESL/EAP specialists for a 45-minute appointment to get specific help with their work.  Students can register for one-on-one consultations by emailing model@mcmaster.ca.
  • MODEL Workshops:
    Working in a virtual classroom setting, our trained facilitators lead small groups of 5-25 students through one or two-hour lessons.  Some of these workshops are stand alone; others build on each other to increase depth of learning.  Students can register for workshops on Oscar Plus.  Workshops cover writing, reading, speaking and listening.

Tips to Support Students with Mental Health

To help support students with mental health concerns, you may direct them to the Student Wellness Centre. The Student Wellness Centre provides a range of counselling options, medical services, and wellness programs to assist students both academically and personally. The following are some quick-access links to relevant topics:

Minors

The DeGroote School of Business also offers various minors for students outside of the BCom program. You can bring these to the attention of your students, who may be from another faculty and may choose to fulfill a Business-related minor to complement their degree. DeGroote offers the following minors and specialty minors for students in other faculties:

*For details on applying to specialty minors, see the “Speciality Minors” section at the bottom of this page. Students are advised to carefully read all the notes and requirements needed to complete the minor.

License

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DeGroote Guidebook for Teaching Assistants Copyright © 2021 by McMaster University DeGroote School of Business is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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