Author: Carole Therrien (TA), PhD Anthropology
As part of the requirements of the Carleton Teaching Assistant Certificate, this article addresses one of the key elements that has cemented my teaching philosophy: the fundamental principle that a fulsome engagement with students, met with compassion and openness, has an enormous and invaluable impact on the learning/teaching experience for both the instructor and the student.
With the influx of new students every year, I am reminded that many of them struggle with finding a new way of being and living that demand adult decision-making and adult relationships. Many inevitably struggle between the responsibility from a newly found agency and freedom of choices in managing their time and accomplishing their academic goals; all the while, they continue to yearn for care when an overwhelming obstacle presents itself and will look towards instructors (and teaching assistants) to provide direction. And to establish a clear framework to operate as a way to lessen their stress loads. Making ongoing training in new learning and teaching methods, including those that address emerging challenges such as mental health management, inclusive curriculum delivery models and emerging technologies, is critical for teaching assistants and instructors in the belief that a “modern learner differs from the imagined learner”. (Taylor, 2014)
Teaching assistants and instructors all have funny and touching stories of that penultimate first teaching experience, when we are asked by students to express exactly what is needed to get that ideal grade. Through my Carleton experiences, I have learned that doing so does not assist students in building their decision-making skills, their critical thinking abilities or their overall learning as emerging scholars; helping them look at how they prioritize their work, where they can seek assistance, and building their confidence in their critical thinking skills has far more benefit. Instructors and teaching assistants face new challenges beyond traditional academic ones, requiring them to navigate sometimes-unfamiliar, sometimes-murky emotional waters. (Postareff and Lindblom-Ylänne, 2011) Not only must they be prepared in terms of supporting the academic development of students, but today’s environment also demands that instructors and teaching assistants be mindful and aware of students’ emotional needs, requiring them to become engaged in their course or program journey also as mentors, not just content delivery vehicles.
The world of human relationships in the classroom is interdependent, no longer hierarchical nor linear. There are fewer barriers between private and public worlds, and professors, instructors and teaching assistants must be prepared to manage the issues this grey integrated approach can bring. (Bowie and McKenna, 2021) Although it is certainly known accepted that any student’s life would prove to be stressful with competing academic demands, high living costs and struggles for life-work balance, it also requires the instructor or teaching assistant to remain on heightened alert levels and to keep watch on students who may display tendencies that prevent them from active learning.
The onus on current and emerging university instructors is to be aware not only of the specific knowledge they impart but also to provide an emotional intelligence to their teaching, by adapting teaching and communication to reflect the diverse ways of learning. Engaging with students in modern areas of interest, identifying potential obstacles or ways of being in the academic community, and helping them find the skills and resources they need to move them forward – these are all part of the teaching process. They lead to a healthy instructor/student relationship, and towards the student’s academic success.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bowie, C., & McKenna, S. (2021). Understanding Higher Education: Alternative Perspectives. African Minds.
Postareff, L., & Lindblom-Ylänne, S. (2011). Emotions and confidence within teaching in higher education. Studies in Higher Education (Dorchester-on-Thames), 36(7), 799–813.
Taylor, T. (2014). Changing Pedagogy for Modern Learners – Lessons from an Educator’s Journey of Self-Reflection. Educational Technology & Society, 17(1), 79–88.