Department of English Teaching Assistant Award Information (2017-2018)

About the Award:

  • Two Departmental Teaching Assistant Awards are offered each year.
  • Winners of the Department of English TA Award will receive: (1) a letter of commendation; (2) a copy of their letter of nomination for their teaching portfolio; (3) a cash prize of $75.00.

Nomination Process

Who is eligible?

  1. TAs assigned to a course (Fall 2017 – Winter 2018) are eligible for the Departmental TA Award.

Who should submit the nomination form/package?

  1. Any individual student, group of students, or faculty supervisor may nominate. In cases of student-nomination, students are urged to contact the course instructor and inform them of the nomination.
  2. Self-nominations are also welcome.
  3. Supporting letters from students are welcome, but not required.
  4. Relevant examples of teaching materials can be included, but are not required.

Where and when to submit?

  1. Nominations for Departmental TA Awards should be submitted through the EDC’sTA Support website:

Please submit your nomination using the 5 nomination fields on the EDC Nomination page rather than uploading a letter.Also:please make sure that you fill out every field (nominations are evaluated on the basis of these 5 fields, so leaving any fields blank will disadvantage your nominee).Students nominated for Departmental TA awards in this fashion will automatically be nominated for the EDC’s University-wide Outstanding TA Award as well.

  1. Deadline to submit is: March 9, 2018 at 3 p.m.

Selection Process

  • The Selection Committee consists of the Graduate Supervisor, at least 1 additional faculty member from the Graduate Committee, the TA Mentor for English.
  • The Selection Committee will decide award recipients based on the following criteria:
  • Teaching Skills (in-class excellence as demonstrated by contributions to class, performance in guest lectures, discussion groups, tutorials, review sessions, office hours)
  • Grading (timeliness, consistency, accuracy and quality of feedback)
  • Communication (clarity, precision, collegiality, and helpfulness of communication by email or in-person, with students and with supervising professor)
  • Environment (the TA’s effectiveness at creating and sustaining a supportive and inclusive learning and working environment that reflects the diversity of personality types and learning needs of the class, faculty, staff, and students.)
  • Other specific evidence of how this individual excels in their role as a teaching assistant.
  • Award winners will be informedand honoured at a departmental Awards ceremony in April 2018.