Workshop description
The mental health and well-being of University of Waterloo students is a shared responsibility. Situations related to student mental health may arise in academic courses, and in many cases, teaching assistants may be the first to notice. In this module, we will explore how to proactively support student mental health in the classroom and how to respond to mental health problems that come to your attention. We will consider implications for both in-person and online courses. We will also discuss the importance of taking care of your own mental health while supporting students.
By the end of the module, you will develop a toolkit that includes:
- strategies for supporting students in your role as a teaching assistant;
- relevant support networks and resources within the University; and,
- a self-care action plan to take care of your own mental health.
Time Commitment
Approximately 2-3 hours.
Module delivery
The content and expected effort of this online module are approximately equivalent to 2-3 hours, but spread over a longer timeframe so that you can move at your own pace.
This online module consists of a set of asynchronous, self-paced tasks in LEARN, that begins on July 1 and must be completed by the due date of Sunday, March 30 by 11:59 p.m. The LEARN module tasks include:
- complete the self-paced module
- submit initial discussion board post (we encourage you to post your initial post by March 23)
- engage in discussion with other participants by commenting, asking questions and providing feedback on at least two other participants' posts in the discussion board
Accessing the online module
The Fundamentals online module is located in the Fundamentals of University Teaching course in LEARN.
If you do not yet have access to the course, you will need to self-register for it. Please follow the directions on the Fundamentals self-registration webpage to add the course to your LEARN course list.
Please contact cte-grad@uwaterloo.ca if you experience any issues accessing this course after following the above instructions.
Registration
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Registration for this workshop will open in mid-February.
- Participants will receive an attendance credit towards the Fundamentals program if they complete all of the required tasks in the module, including all the module activities.
- Participants who do not complete all module activities by the due date will have their registration in the workshop cancelled, and will need to register again the following month.
Cancellations
This workshop has limited enrolment spots and often has a waiting list. If you have registered but can't complete the module, please cancel your registration well in advance through the registration system, so that someone else can fill your spot.
Accessibility
The University of Waterloo is committed to achieving barrier-free accessibility for persons with disabilities who are visiting, studying, or working at Waterloo. CTE’s online workshops are delivered through either Zoom or Microsoft Teams, with the audio component available either as captioning or a transcript. CTE’s face-to-face workshops typically involve a mix of presentation and discussion-based activities, and we encourage a scent-free environment. We welcome accompanying assistants, interpreters, and note-takers. If you have questions concerning access, such as parking, building layouts, or obtaining workshop content in alternative formats, or wish to request accommodations for our programming, please let us know by emailing cte@uwaterloo.ca. Please note that some accommodations may require time to arrange.