Welcome Note

Welcome to a new academic year filled with opportunities and exciting challenges! Your role as a TA is crucial in shaping the academic experiences of our students at Dalhousie. Your knowledge, passion, and support will make a significant impact on students’ learning journeys.

The journey of a teaching assistantship always reminds me of going on a trail. I love discovering the beautiful sceneries and landscapes that trails offer. The excitement of the unknown when stepping onto a gravel path is exhilarating. Sometimes trails can be uphill, rocky, or muddy, but it feels rewarding to challenge yourself, knowing that regardless of how hard the journey is, you can conquer it. Taking on a teaching assistant role is much like embarking on an adventurous journey. Like seasoned adventurers, returning TAs are ready to tackle new challenges, while new TAs are gearing up for this exciting experience for the first time. Like exploring a trail, being a TA can be thrilling at first, but there will be moments of frustration that will challenge you along the way.

When it comes to trails, I particularly enjoy looped ones because they give a satisfying sense of accomplishment when you return to where you started. Though the trail covers the same terrain, made different by the changing seasons or time of day, each attempt makes a different you, as you come out the other side. I believe the teaching journey shares these characteristics. When you start your journey by entering a classroom and interact with students along the way, you grow as an educator. Your students impact you just as much as you influence them, and you come out of the experience stronger, more skilled, and humbled for the next time you undertake the journey.

In all honesty, I am not an accomplished hiker. As I learn about different trails, I always check resources like the “AllTrails” app on my phone to learn if a particular trail is rated as easy, moderate, or hard, and read reviews posted about the trail from fellow hikers. Do I need hiking boots, or can I go with my sneakers? I even look at the posted pictures, envisioning myself at the top of a mountain, imagining how it feels to take a deep, fresh breath at the summit. Just like those pictures or ratings other hikers have left help me to prepare for the challenge, the wider community of TAs and instructors on campus can help you navigate the path ahead as you plan your teaching. I encourage you to find community among other TAs, and do not be afraid to ask more seasoned instructors questions. Specifically, the Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT), is here to support your teaching every step of the way, offering resources, professional development, and a network of peer TAs.

At the end of a trail, when my lungs are burning and my feet are sore, I am always proud of myself and what I’ve accomplished, savoring the good memories created and reflecting on things I would have done differently. As we look back on the past academic year, I am proud of the resilience and dedication our TAs have shown, navigating challenges with grace and determination.

In this special issue, some wonderful TAs have graciously shared their experiences, and their tips and strategies with you. TAs from different disciplines and educational levels provide their Inside Scoops on “what they wish they knew before starting their TA roles”. You’ll hear from our excellent award winners of the President’s Graduate Student Teaching Award about their approaches and how they overcame TAship challenges. This issue will equip you with “how-to” tools on battling self-doubt; coping with imposter syndrome; setting self-compassionate boundaries; supporting trans students; and mastering the science of teaching through deliberate practice. Lastly, you will find tips on translating the skills gained during your TAship into your next professional adventure.

I am confident that this new academic year will be filled with achievements and memorable experiences as you embark on your TA “trails”. Please remember that I am here for you if you want to chat about teaching, seek advice on how to better support your students, vent about the challenges of teaching, or just grab a coffee. I am here for you: I feel you, I hear you, I see you!

Welcome back, and here’s to a fantastic academic year ahead!

Nasim Tavassoli, Ph.D.

Educational Developer, Student Development

P.S. A few beautiful trails I suggest you explore in Nova Scotia (https://www.alltrails.com/canada/nova-scotia):

Skyline trail

Cape Split loop

Middle Head trail

Point Pleasant Park loop

Polly Cove full loop

Duncan’s cove trail

Salt Marsh trail