Skills Developed Through Teaching Assistantships

In addition to having an impact on students at the University of Guelph, your experience as a TA also contributes to your professional development and you can develop skills that are useful in many different careers. Below is a list of some skills that you may develop as a TA. It may be helpful to make a list of skills you have personally developed this semester and to reflect on how you developed these skills and which skills you would like to continue developing as a TA. Co-operative Education & Career Services at U of G has resources about preparing a resume or curriculum vitae (CV), and you may find these resources helpful for writing statements to include your TA experiences on a resume/CV.

Skills that you may develop as a TA are varied and valuable, such as:

• Presentation and communication skills (e.g., through facilitating discussions, giving lab talks)
• Leadership skills (e.g., through facilitating seminar activities, leading lab exercises)
• Technical skills (e.g., through teaching with technology, using lab equipment)
• Management skills (e.g., managing a group of students and classroom activities, time-management)
• Planning skills (e.g., planning lessons or activities)
• Interpersonal skills (e.g., through working with students, other TAs, TA supervisor)
• Problem solving skills (e.g., by thinking through issues creatively and by anticipating and reacting to situations)
• Student support skills (e.g., assistance with course/program selection, sharing career advice, referring to campus resources)
• Evaluation and feedback skills (e.g., providing feedback on students’ assignments, evaluating and reflecting on your teaching approaches)

Now it’s your turn! Check out the complementary activities to reflect on and record what professional skills you’ve been able to develop this semester as a TA.

Adapted From:

• Reis, R.M. (1997). Tomorrow’s Professor: Preparing for Academic Careers in Science and Engineering. Wiley-IEEE Press.
• Smith, K. S. (Fall, 2001). The Journal of Graduate Teaching Assistant Development, Vol. 8, No. 3, Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press