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Linda Briskin,
Foundations Co-ordinator, Social Science
lbriskin@yorku.ca
August 2004
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Students tend to under-utilize the
office hours of tutorial leaders, using them only in a crisis
or around the dates assignments are due. This is unfortunate
given that many course directors allocate around an hour a
week to TA office hours, so often about 24-25 of the 270 hours
available for Unit One TAs - almost 10%.
This document encourages a pro-active use of office hours.
Office hours offer a ready vehicle to engage with students
on an individual level or in small groups.
IN SEPTEMBER
Early in the first semester, the TA
can schedule an appointment with each student during her office
hours. At this meeting, the TA can have a general discussion
with the student about the course, her goals, difficulties
in the transition to university etc. Having this personal
contact encourages the student to use the TA’s office
hours again, and improves her comfort level in the tutorial,
thereby making teaching easier for the TA.
USING
AN INFORMATION SHEET
To facilitate this process, the TA might have students fill
out an information sheet in the first tutorial. See below
for an example. The TA might then organize the discussion
with each student using the Information Sheet. Given that
university records are notoriously unreliable, this information
is also useful should the TA need to contact the student.
IN JANUARY
In January, the TA should schedule a second set of meetings,
individually or in small groups. If in groups, these should
be already established and functioning work or study groups.
Here are some possible other areas for discussion:
1. Review marks and attendance to make sure that the student's
record matches that of the TA. Discuss goals for final grades.
If a student is in danger of failing, this meeting offers
an opportunity to develop a strategy to prevent this, and
to encourage students to use campus services such as CAW and
FCAP
2. Discuss general feelings about the course, and specifically
about lectures, tutorials, assignments, and readings.
3. Ask students to assess their critical skills and identify
areas of strength and those which need improvement. Help students
develop a plan for improvement.
4. Discuss the student's tutorial participation. The TA might
ask student if she likes to be called on during discussions.
Research shows that only some students respond to this strategy,
and often will not contribute without being called on. Other
students do not want to be called on if they do not offer
to participate.
5. Discuss progress on upcoming assignments.
6. Request feedback on tutorial and suggestions for activities.
Following these meetings, the tutorial leader can bring general
feedback to the tutorial as a whole.
A COMMENT
Rachel Hurst, Teaching Development Graduate Assistant [TDGA]
for the Foundations Program, Social Science; Tutorial Leader,
Social Science 1185
“Meeting with students during office hours addresses
two issues: encouraging students to be more comfortable coming
to office hours and having an opportunity to talk with students
individually, which is impossible during tutorial and lecture
time. This approach to office hours uses this time more effectively,
and these two scheduled meetings with students over the academic
year serve different purposes and have different impacts.
In the first meeting, students have a chance to ask questions
that they may be shy or embarrassed to ask in tutorial. Many
students are coming to university directly from high school,
and like to talk about this transition period. As high school
students, they likely had a more established relationship
with their teachers (due to seeing them several times a week),
so this meeting helps them make a more concrete connection
with their TA. As the TA, you have an opportunity to talk
to students about individual matters, such as their expectations
of the course, how they are feeling about the course and managing
the workload and participation. With regards to participation,
you can ask the student if she would like to participate more,
and what strategies (for example, calling on her in class)
would be most effective for her. Student participation in
class often changes after these meetings, from speaking up
in large discussions to taking part in small group work to
eye contact, indicating that students are generally more engaged
after this initial meeting. Finally, a very simple (but useful)
effect of these meetings is that it helps put a name and a
story to the faces in your tutorial.
The second meeting addresses different issues than the first
meeting. First, students like receiving a breakdown of their
marks and attendance to date, and this clarifies some potential
disagreements over marks and attendance prior to the rush
and stress of compiling final marks. This is a good moment
to mention your concerns with the student's academic performance,
and suggest university services that they may find valuable
to address these concerns (e-tutor, for example). It is also
very useful to discuss second term goals with the students
and generate strategies for improvement together. Students
appreciate having a chance to voice their concerns, praises,
and critiques of the course, and specifically the tutorial.
In the middle of the academic year, students are often more
comfortable with their TA and will voice these comments openly,
offering valuable feedback for the TA. Students will often
suggest solutions to any problems they raise, and this second
meeting demonstrates that they have an investment in the course
and have agency to make changes to the tutorial. An alternative
way of holding this meeting is providing the option of meeting
in pairs or with their study groups, which may encourage quieter
students to share their concerns more openly as they have
peer support.”
SAMPLE
INFORMATION SHEET (PDF)
SAMPLE
INFORMATION SHEET
Year ____________________ Course ______________________________________________
Name ________________________, ______________________________________
last first
Address ______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Postal code ____________
Telephone(home) __________________
Telephone(work) ___________________
Email Address _____________________
Permanent address (if different than above)
WORK EXPERIENCE
(types of jobs etc)
How many hours a week are you currently working for wages?
__________________
Do you have other responsibilities which might make it difficult
for you to devote yourself to your studies? YES NO
Explain if you would like.
YORK PROGRAM
What kind of degree do you plan to do? honours double major
___ major ordinary
In what departments and/or programs? _______________________
LIST COURSES YOU ARE TAKING CURRENTLY.
Have you ever studied (for eg. women's issues?) If yes, explain
where, when, what..
Anything else you would like me to know?
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