Biology TA Handbook

The Biology TA Handbook is a resource for Biology TAs, developed through the joint efforts of Cindy Short (Lab Coordinator), Fiona Rawle (Associate Professor, Teaching Stream), Christoph Richter (Associate Professor, Teaching Stream) and Diane Matias (Undergraduate Advisor).

The University of Toroonto has a myriad of resources for Teaching Assistants to draw upon in order to enhance their effectiveness as well as to make the most of their teaching experience. The goal of this handbook, therefore, was not to fill a gap, but rather to make it easier to benefit from these resources by collecting, and streamlining, them into a single place.

The handbook contains information that will hopefully be of value to both new Teaching Assistants as well as those with years of experience. As a first introduction to the Teaching Assistant role, this handbook will help new Teaching Assistants to better understand and prepare for the challenge of teaching for the first time. For seasoned Teaching Assistants, the handbook can serve as a refresher, an opportunity to reflect upon previous experiences and a source of useful information. Regardless of experience, the handbook will encourage Teaching Assistants to think critically about their teaching style and how they can maximize the experience for both themselves and their students.

As feedback on this resource is welcomed as the handbook is intended to be a living document that will evolve over time, please email it to biology.utm@utoronto.ca

Read the Biology TA Handbook