2019-2020 LFS TA Training Coordinator Position

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Attn: Graduate Students, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Re: 2019-2021 LFS TA Training Coordinator Position

Are you looking for work experience that builds your network and enhances your professional abilities in training and supporting your colleagues? We are recruiting one graduate student to fill the position of LFS TA Training Coordinator for the 2019-2021 LFS TA Training Program period (July 2019 to May 2021) under the supervision of an Advisory Committee. Working with another coordinator, TAs in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, and the Centre for Teaching Learning Technology, the successful applicant will have a strong interest and passion for education and empowering TAs to be successful in their work, learning, and teaching practice.

Currently, we offer LFS TAs a faculty-wide development program, which includes:

· A Teaching Assistant Handbook
· TA Orientations (September & January)
· Workshops in:

o Problem-based Learning
o Instructional Skills
o Marking & Assessment
o Facilitation Skills

· Technology Seminars
· Early Alert Training
· Monthly TA Community of Practice Coffee Hours
· Access to Faculty-based Support for TAs
· Preferential access to the Instructional Skills Workshop

Our program objectives are: 1) to have TAs be better prepared and supported in their TA roles, 2) to allow TAs to gain valuable professional skills (applicable beyond TA-ships), 3) to receive feedback from instructors and TAs on the skills they would like TAs to gain and 4) to establish a culture of Teaching Assistantships, where TAs and faculty are actively involved in a community of teaching and learning in LFS

This position pays $30.32/hour for an approximately 110-hour contract. There is some flexibility when the hours are worked, but generally they will be as follows:

Month(s) Coordination Hours

July/August    20
September     10
Oct/Nov/Dec    30
January     10
Feb/March/April/May     40

Coordinator Job Responsibilities

· Preparation of the TA Training Grant application for UBC
· Develop the 2019-2020 TA Training Program (based on previous years records)
· Develop the 2019-2020 TA Training Program budget (based on previous years records)
· Update the 2019-2020 TA Handbook
· Coordinate and facilitate Term 1 and Term 2 TA Orientations
· Coordinate and facilitate monthly Community of Practice meetings
– Coordinate workshops in collaboration with the Centre for Teaching Learning Technologies (e.g., Problem Based Learning, Marking and Assessment, Conflict Management, Instructional Skills Workshop)
· Keep accurate accounting records of spending
· Monitor and record success of each TA Training Program activity with recommendations for improvement
· Develop annual progress reports
· Prepare project reports for the Granting agency
· Maintain records in open source (Google Drive) folders
· Promote high standard of teaching and learning in the faculty to students, TAs, instructors, faculty, staff and administration
· Develop a succession plan for future years (particularly relevant for masters students)
· Facilitate meetings with Faculty Advisory Committee (approximately 3 times/year)

Qualifications

· Graduate student (Masters or PhD) in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems for 2019-2021 academic year
· Excellent oral and written communication skills
· Highly effective organizer and developed coordination skills
· Trained facilitator
· Proficient public speaker
· Strong interest in how we learn and teach
· Knowledge of campus-wide resources available to TAs for their teaching practice
· TA experience (preferably in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems)
· Self-driven and able to work on your own

Application

Please submit a resume and cover letter to Christine Scaman, Associate Dean Academic, Faculty of Land and Food Systems by June 1, 2019. Applications should be sent by email to christine.scaman@ubc.ca with the subject line: (TA Training Coordinator Position Application – [First Name, Last Name]. Only successful applicants will be contacted for an interview. Position start date is July 1, 2019.

If you have any questions about the position, please direct them to the current TA Training Program Coordinators, Colin Dring (colin.dring@mail.ubc.ca) or Jun Obayashi (jun.obayashi@ubc.ca)

LFS Graduate Teaching Assistant Award 2018-2019

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Katie Koralesky, winner of the 2018-2019 LFS Graduate Teaching Assistant Award!

Congratulations to Katie Koralesky, PhD student in Applied Animal Biology.

After reviewing the submissions the award committee had the difficult decision of choosing a single best candidate for the award.   After individual ranking followed by deliberation the committee decided that Katie Koralesky is the recipient of the 2018-2019 LFS Graduate Teaching Assistant Award.

Katherine Koralesky is a Ph.D. candidate in the Animal Welfare program. Her broad range of experiences as a Teaching Assistant and her devotion and commitment to teaching made her an ideal candidate for the award.

The winner of the LFS Graduate Teaching Assistant Award receives a certificate and $1,000.00.

 

TA Awards and Recognition