On April 14, the EDC recognized the work and accomplishments of Carleton’s teaching assistants with its end of year Excellence Reception. Around 100 students, staff, instructors and guests gathered to celebrate the achievements of Carleton’s diverse graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants.
The EDC’s Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award was presented to five individuals who excelled in their duties as TAs during the 2013-14 academic year: Laurie Brady (Canadian Studies), Brennan McConnell (History), Matthew Murdoch (Psychology), Erin Oldford (Business) and Sean Walkowiak (Biology). Each recipient was awarded a framed certificate and $250 for their commitment to improving student learning.
This year, there were also four honourable mentions for the award: Andrea Astle (Psychology), Cecilia Jorgenson and Chunyun Ma (Psychology), Nicole Marion (History) and Howard Needham (Computer Science).
Also receiving certificates were 27 participants of the Teaching Assistant Skills Certificate, a flexible, self-directed professional development program. Recipients participated in 10 training sessions, wrote two reflective response papers about teaching and learning and one teaching tip article.
The 15 graduates of the Preparing to Teach certificate were also honoured at the ceremony. The program, offered twice a year, is designed for PhD candidates who plan to teach in a post-secondary setting. It gives participants hands-on experience with a range of teaching and assessment methods and an opportunity to prepare for the academic job market.
The critical role of TA mentors in the development of their peers was also recognized during the ceremony. The mentors provide support to their departments and the university by guiding fellow teaching assistants as they identify and develop discipline-specific teaching skills.
Congratulations to each of these outstanding TAs!