About the TATP
The Teaching Assistants’ Training Program (TATP) supports teaching at the university and beyond by delivering programs and workshops that foster inclusive and innovative teaching practices for first-time TAs and Course Instructors and those wishing to develop a range of teaching specializations
Contact Us
TATP Contact and Staff Info
Values
Learn more about the values that inform the TATP's work.
Equity at the TATP
Explore the foundations of our work, our commitment to inclusive practices, and the steps we take to promote access and fairness within our educational community.
Learning Outcomes
Discover the TATP's Program Level Learning outcomes
Alumni Portraits
Discover how working as a peer-trainers had an impact on former staff.
Contact Us
Teaching Assistants’ Training Program
c/o Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation
Robarts Library, 4th Floor
130 St. George Street
Toronto, ON M5S 3H1
Email: services.ta@utoronto.ca
Telephone: 416-978-2242
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CTSI/TATP
Michal Kasprzak (view bio)
Tel: 416-978-1510
michal.kasprzak@utoronto.ca
FACULTY LIASON COORDINATOR: GRADUATE DEVELOPMENT & TA TRAINING, CTSI/TATP
Cristina D’Amico (view bio)
cristina.damico@utoronto.ca
Tel: 416-946-4019
PROGRAMS COORDINATOR, TATP
Alli Diskin (view bio)
alli.diskin@utoronto.ca
HUMANITIES TEAM
Coordinator: Amanda Greer, Cinema Studies Institute
Graduate Educational Developers:
Daniel Bergman: Department of English
Veronica Curran, Germanic Languages
Emily Halliwell-MacDonald, Department of English
Joyce Yip, OISE
SOCIAL SCIENCES TEAM
Coordinator: Amy Fox, Department of Antrhopology
Graduate Educational Developers:
Elliot Fonarev, Department of Sociology
Melissa Hunte, OISE (Psychology)
Estefania Toledo, OISE (Higher Education)
SCIENCES/ENGINEERING TEAM
Coordinator: Rubaina Khan, OISE
Graduate Educational Developers:
David Aceituno-Caicedo, Earth Sciences
Stacey Butler, Institute of Medical Sciences
Ally Tabaczynski, Kinesiology
Clare Breit-McNally, Cell & Systems Biology
Shehab Eid, Human Biology
Madeline Oman, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Microteaching Coordinator: Ally Tabaczynski, Kinesiology
Course Instructor Training Coordinator:
Veronica Curran, Germanic Languages
EDIA Coordinator: Elliot Fornarev
UTSC Trainer: Joyce Yip, OISE
UTM Trainer:
Amy Fox, Department of Anthropoly
Teaching Assistants' Training Program Values
At the TATP, we are committed to empowering graduate students like you with the knowledge, skills, and support necessary to excel in teaching roles within higher education. Our program focuses on fostering accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion, while emphasizing collaboration, mentorship, and community building.
As part of the Teaching Assistants’ Training Program, we hold the following values at the core of our initiatives:
We strive to create an inclusive and accessible learning environment that celebrates diversity and promotes equity. By recognizing the unique needs of each learner, we aim to remove barriers and ensure equal opportunities for all.
We believe in co-developing learning experiences that respond to the needs and interests of the graduate student teaching community. Our programs are designed to be adaptable and responsive to the evolving landscape of teaching, allowing us to provide you with relevant and tailored experiences.
Building supportive relationships across disciplines is crucial for your growth as a teaching professional. We foster a sense of community through peer-based learning, cohort-based programming, peer feedback, shared experiences, practical training, and reflective practice. These elements contribute to a vibrant community of learners who support and learn from one another.
We are dedicated to equipping you with the foundational and advanced skills required to excel in teaching-related careers, both inside and outside academia. Our program is designed to enhance your teaching practice, provide professional development opportunities, and prepare you for future endeavors.
In the ever-changing landscape of higher education, we embrace responsiveness and innovation. We encourage you to explore novel approaches to teaching, incorporating technology and experiential learning methods. By staying up-to-date with current issues, trends, and evidence in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) field, we ensure that our program remains relevant and impactful.
We are committed to creating an engaging learning environment for you and your own students. By engaging within and beyond the University of Toronto community, you will have the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, collaborate on projects, and contribute to the advancement of teaching practices.
Program Level Learning Outcomes
Developing a strong teaching identity and cultivating a reflective practice are vital components of your growth as an educator. Through these learning outcomes, you will embark on a journey of self-discovery, exploring the values, methods, and skillsets that define your teaching practice. By critically reflecting on your experiences and continuously developing your approach, you will explore and situate yourself within the evolving landscape of teaching, integrating diverse perspectives and pedagogical approaches. Through participation in our programs, you will:
- Identify, document, and articulate the values, methods, and skillsets that define your teaching practice. This will allow you to align your teaching approach with your personal values and teaching philosophy.
- Engage in critical reflection to continually develop and refine your teaching practice. By reflecting on your teaching experiences, seeking feedback, and embracing continuous improvement, you will enhance your effectiveness as an educator.
- Explore and situate yourself within the evolving landscape of teaching in higher education and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). This includes staying informed about current trends, research, and innovations in the field of teaching and incorporating evidence-based practices into your teaching.
Inclusivity is a cornerstone of our program, and we believe in the transformative power of accessible, inclusive, and anti-oppressive pedagogies. This learning outcome centers around the examination and application of inclusive and universal design principles, aimed at removing institutional and systemic barriers to learning. Through active involvement in our programs, you will:
- Examine and apply inclusive and universal design principles to remove institutional and systemic barriers to learning. You will develop the skills to create inclusive learning environments that accommodate diverse learners and promote equal opportunities for all students.
- Engage with decolonizing and anti-oppressive pedagogical frameworks to integrate equity, Indigenization, and intercultural knowledge into your teaching. By critically examining power dynamics and biases, you will foster an inclusive and respectful learning environment that celebrates diversity and challenges systemic inequalities.
- Adapt strategies for creating accessible (AODA-focused) learning environments and content. You will gain practical skills to design and deliver teaching materials that are accessible to students with disabilities, ensuring equal access to educational opportunities.
Teaching in higher education requires a comprehensive skill set and a deep understanding of effective teaching practices. This learning outcome focuses on equipping you with the knowledge and tools to excel in various teaching contexts. By engaging in our programs, you will:
- Explore a range of diverse teaching approaches and models to develop skills and knowledge for online, hybrid, and in-person teaching. By familiarizing yourself with various pedagogical approaches, you will be equipped to engage students effectively in different learning contexts.
- Identify and adapt University of Toronto policies related to teaching and learning, educational technologies, and student supports. Understanding the policies and resources available to you will enable you to navigate the university landscape and make informed decisions in your teaching practice.
- Design engaging learning experiences that align learning outcomes, assessments, and student-centered teaching strategies. You will learn how to create meaningful learning experiences that foster student engagement, promote critical thinking, and facilitate the achievement of desired learning outcomes.
TATP Alumni Portraits
To celebrate the Teaching Assistants’ Training Program’s 20th anniversary, we contacted former TATP staff to ask how working as a peer-training impacted their later careers.
* In 2006, with the expansion of the TATP peer-training team, job titles changed from Director to Coordinator and Trainer.
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Geography
Years with TATP: 2001-2004
TATP Role: Director*
Year of Convocation: 2004
Where do you work now?
Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
How to facilitate group discussions
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
In supervising PhD candidates, I advise them to get similar training before going out to be professors (if that’s their path).
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Post-doc in pediatric mental health at Ohio State
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
I supervise Masters and PhD students at the University of Washington and mentor junior faculty.
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: History
Years with TATP: 2003-2005
TATP Role: Director*
Year of Convocation: 2005
Where do you work now?
Deputy Director, Education and Professor of Defence Studies at Canadian Forces College / Royal Military College
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
A diversity of approaches to supporting student learning that are equally valuable.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
TATP was my first position of leadership in the support of student learning; that experience enabled me to become the individual responsible for staff training and special advisor for the college on pedagogy / androgogy.
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
Keep an open mind; don’t consider anything other than a tenure-stream job your ‘plan B.’
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Sessional lecturer; writing tutor at University College Writing Workshop
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Yes to all of the above. I am a full professor; I teach graduate-level courses; I supervise graduate research papers; I run workshops for military staff on teaching and learning; I offer a series of ‘introduction to the academic world’ workshops to intermediate-level military personnel.
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Public Health Sciences (now Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Years with TATP: 2003-2007
TATP Role: Director* (2003-2005), Trainer (2006-2007)
Year of Convocation: 2007
Where do you work now?
Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University; Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay, Ontario
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
How to develop a strong teaching dossier.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
My time with the TATP made me a stronger instructor. I generally receive very strong teaching evaluations from all levels of teaching (graduate and undergraduate medical students).
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
Make sure you enjoy what you do.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Post-doctoral fellowship at Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network.
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Yes, all of the above. I teach graduate level advanced epidemiology, mentor graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, and train medical students in epidemiology and evidence-based medicine.
Tab Conte
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Medical BioPhysics
Years with TATP: 2005-2006
TATP Role: Director*
Year of Convocation: 2010
Where do you work now?
Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics, Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
Research Associate, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
The teaching and evaluation skills I developed while with the TATP are used on a daily basis as part of my teaching responsibilities.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
A post-doctoral fellow.
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Yes, yes and yes.
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Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: History
Years with TATP: 2008-2011
TATP Role: Trainer (2008-2009), Humanities Coordinator (2009-2011)
Year of Convocation: 2015
Where do you work now?
Learning Strategist, Student Life, University of Toronto
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
The pace of first-time TA training helped me to overcome anxiety around presentations at the same time I was learning facilitation and learner-centered teaching techniques. I moved on from TATP with a much more flexible approach to teaching and, as a result, I feel like I am better at adapting my approach to the needs of the audience.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
TATP taught me to think a bit differently about approaches to teaching and learning, it really underscored how my own ideas are strengthened through a collaborative approach, and finally TATP instilled the importance of evaluating feedback and self-reflection in my continuing learning process.
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
Universities need capable researchers, facilitators and administrators who are acculturated to university learning. Early in my studies I thought the few outputs of a PhD were tenure-track, post-doc or even more precarious sessional work. TATP helped me to find a wider array of applications for my skills, so my advice would to think through (and practice) how to articulate your skills in relation to a variety of roles.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
“First job” is a bit of a loaded question as I worked multiple contracts through my PhD. My first full time job was with UTSC as a Program Advisor, although this was in parallel with the completion of my graduate studies. I’ve shifted roles a few times at UofT and began a part-time MEd program, so if anything, TATP taught me that the “working” and “learning” phases of my like can overlap in a meaningful way.
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
As a Learning Strategist I read, talk and think about teaching, training and mentoring on a regular basis. While my PhD committee provided a model for mentorship, the best mentorship I received through my studies was from the Assistant Director of TATP. Megan, I am forever grateful for your advice and encouragement throughout my studies, from early conversations during my time as a participant in the AUTP certificate program, through my TATP years, and beyond to post-degree career advice – you are one of the most important pillars of my success. Thank you!
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: OISE, Sociology and Equity Studies in Education
Years with TATP: 2010-2011
TATP Role: Social Sciences Coordinator
Year of Convocation: 2010
Where do you work now?
I work as an Associate Professor in University Pedagogy at the Universitetet i Bergen in Bergen, Norway.
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
It is only if I stop talking that I get a chance to listen to other people’s good ideas. Also, lesson planning without consideration of time is essentially meaningless.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
Working at the TATP led me to take up work in educational development which set me on a different path than I anticipated when completing my PhD. I have worked at the TATP twice (as a graduate student and later as a staff member) and both times I have been grateful for the chance to work with intelligent, collaborative and critical colleagues.
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
You are fantastic and brilliant and don’t let the state of the job market convince you otherwise. If you stay and work in the university (or in education more broadly) – please try and make it a more equitable and accessible place.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
I had several contract jobs, at different institutions, after completing my PhD. I began working at McMaster University full time about a year after completing my doctorate.
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Yup…and researching all of the above.
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Adult Education and Community Development
Years with TATP: 2010-2014
TATP Role: Trainer (2010-11), Social Sciences Coordinator (2011-12), Acting Assistant Director (2012-14)
Year of Convocation: 2011
Where do you work now?
Currently I am an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Alberta and coordinator of the Adult, Community, and Higher Education specialization.
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
I think one of the most important things I learned during my time at TATP was around working with and through groups. I learned a great deal about how to facilitate small group work in large classes. This has turned out to be more valuable than I anticipated as class sizes continue to grow in Canadian post-secondary contexts. I also learned a great deal about managing group processes and working with diverse skill sets from group members. This has been important in my role as a faculty member outside of the classroom.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
Now that I supervise PhD students, I often think about what I learned through my work at TATP. Supervision is a complex process, combining mentorship with self-directed and individualized learning. It is difficult to support folks, keep them motivated, and also encourage them to challenge themselves and keep growing. I find myself thinking about my work at TATP quite often because in many ways it was practice for my current work.
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
Be creative and confident in how you speak about your work. Understand your strengths and weaknesses. Know yourself as part of an academic community and be able to articulate the contributions you can make.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Well, my first job was TATP! I served as the acting assistant director for two years in between finishing my PhD and securing a tenure-track appointment. It was a good place to be during that time.
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Absolutely…and then some!
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Years with TATP: 2010-2011
TATP Role: Trainer
Year of Convocation: 2012
Where do you work now?
Assistant Professor, Mechanical, Automotive & Materials Engineering, University of Windsor
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
I learned how to adopt and promote the culture of innovation in pedagogy, technology, and student engagement.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
Working at TATP was an extraordinary transformational experience. I had the opportunity not only to assist others but also to empower my own teaching and educational leadership skills.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Post-doctoral fellow
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
I teach various undergraduate and graduate courses in Mechanical Engineering. I am supervising and mentoring student research.
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
Years with TATP: 2011-2013
TATP Role: Trainer (2011-2012) and Social Sciences Coordinator (2012-2013)
Where do you work now?
Assistant Professor, Department of Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Political Science
Years with TATP: 2011-2013
TATP Role: Trainer
Year of Convocation: 2013
Where do you work now?
Senior Lecturer (Education-focused) of International Relations
Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
Activities to build cohesion in a learning community on the first day of class.
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
This is no hyperbole–I would not be where I am were it not for TATP. Through a tight-knit, supportive community of trainers, coordinators, and supervisors, I honed my teaching skills and grew to enjoy educational development work.
My participation gave me an edge in applying for teaching-oriented positions on the academic job market. In fact, a search committee mentioned that my TATP experience was a key factor in their decision to hire me for my first full-time job as an assistant professor of political science at a mid-sized regional university in the U.S. My experience remained an asset when I changed positions to my current institution.
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
If you love teaching and would be happy at a community college, liberal arts college, or teaching-oriented institution, then teach as many courses as you can as a sessional–even if this delays you finishing your dissertation.
If you cannot be a instructor of record, ask your supervisor to deliver guest lectures in her or his course, and have him or her write you a classroom observation.
Start building your teaching portfolio early. Get as many people to observe you and write class observation reports as you can. Gather informal course assessment data in your tutorials and classes that you can use to make mid-course corrections, and to fill out your portfolio. Take advantage of as many professional development opportunities as you can–including especially the Instructional Skills Workshops that are delivered periodically (check online for the next ISW near you). Start reading SoTL work in your discipline, and/or generally. Network with SoTL professionals and educational developers in regional, national, and international conferences–it’s a warm, welcoming community with less pretension and hierarchy than academics, in my experience. If you can’t get a paper or presentation accepted at one of these conferences, go anyway, if you can.
If you’re mobile and on the teaching-oriented job market, don’t forget to target community colleges in your search!
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Sessional Lecturer, University of Waterloo
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Yup.
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Centre for Medieval Studies
Years with TATP: 2010-2017
TATP Role: Humanities Coordinator
Year of Convocation: 2017
Where do you work now?
Educational Development & Support, Continuing Education, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto (Part-Time)
Postdoctoral Fellow (2017-2018), Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies, Victoria University in the University of Toronto
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
About teaching: That it is a long-term process, open to experimentation, mistakes, reflection, and humour.
About educational development: The importance of collaboration and flexibility
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
My time at TATP led directly into my current part-time position in Physical Therapy, and has also opened up the possibility of an alt-ac career in educational development, which I am still in the process of exploring.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
See current positions above.
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
In the Department of Physical Therapy, I currently assist with program development, support, and delivery within Continuing Education, most of which happens on-line.
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Psychology
Years with TATP: 2012-2014
TATP Role: Trainer
Year of Convocation: 2014
Where do you work now?
Lecturer, Dept of Psychology, Lehman College, City University of New York
A lesson/strategy/technique you learned during your time with the TATP
Think-Pair-Share
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
I infuse TATP activities in many aspects of my teaching. I use Think-Pair-Share activities regularly, and I use group work in every class.
Do you have any advice for present TATP staff regarding their careers?
Keep an inventory of the skills and strategies you learn – in some ways, you are developing a toolkit.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
Lecturer, Dept of Psychology, Lehman College, City University of New York
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
My work involves all three, with a focus on teaching and mentoring.
Degree: PhD
University of Toronto Department: Political Science
Years with TATP: 2013-2016
TATP Role: Trainer, Social Sciences Coordinator, Microteaching Coordinator
Year of Convocation: 2016
Where do you work now?
Educational Developer at the MacPherson Institute at McMaster University
How has your time with the TATP impacted your work life today?
The skills I developed and mentorship I received had a huge impact on my decision to pursue educational development as a career after my PhD. My degree gave me the credential but my experiences at the TATP gave me the knowledge, skills, and networks to enter the profession on solid footing.
What was your first job after graduate studies?
This one!
Does your current work involve teaching, training or mentoring?
Yes, I teach workshops and seminars for faculty and graduate students, and run an experiential learning and mentorship program for graduate students who are interested in educational development as a profession.