Program Overview | Training and Development | Roles/Responsibilities | Pathway to Teaching | Resources
Statistics and Actuarial Science (SAS) Teaching Assistants (TA) play a vital role in the success of our courses. Through various assigned tasks, TAs support student learning and the delivery of course content.
Expectations:
SAS TAs are assigned up to two course units per term, with each unit involving up to 80 hours of work. The work assigned will vary week-by-week. All SAS TAs are required to adhere to the responsibilities outlined in Policy 30 and the Letter of Appointment(s) they are provided when assigned their teaching assistantship(s). This includes but is not limited to the following expectations:
- Communicating consistently
- Following the instructions/requirements by the instructor and/or Instructional Support Coordinator
- Completing the required work by the stated deadline(s)
- Partaking in the Mathematics Undergraduate Office (MUO) pool proctoring
- Maintaining satisfactory academic standing
- Maintaining confidentiality of all student information
*Our SAS TA handbook which can be found on our Resources page provides further information and details on TA duties and expectations.
TA Duties:
Assigned duties will vary between courses and terms. The list below is not exhaustive. It outlines the main responsibilities of TAs, but you can be assigned work outside of this list within reason whereby it still aligns with Policy 30.
- Proctoring
- Marking
- Office Hours
- Discussion Forum Monitoring
- Leading Tutorials
*Please note: All SAS TAs are assigned 3.5 hours per TA unit to the MUO’s pool proctoring.
Head TA Duties:
Certain courses in SAS require additional higher-level support and can result in a head TA being assigned. A head TA can have the following responsibilities:
- Review TA marking
- Respond to remark request emails
- Review discussion forum responses by other TAs
- Provide feedback on instructor’s assessment materials
*A head TA is required to have completed at least a level 3 designation in our TA training program to be assigned this role.
TA Coordinator Duties:
The TA Coordinator is a graduate student who is assigned a TA unit to support the TA Program. The coordinator's general responsibilities include facilitating SAS TA workshops, observing Level 3 practicums, maintaining records, and developing and/or updating training materials. Additionally, each TA Coordinator typically works on one higher-level project that supports and expands upon the TA Program. Past projects include the development of the SAS TA Program Level 4 Learn site and the Tech Video. A TA coordinator is required to have completed the Foundations for University Teaching in Statistics and Actuarial Science training program to be assigned this role.
Past TA Coordinators
Name: Grace Tompkins
Term: Winter 2024
Project: Creating a classroom technology video for teaching assistants and instructors.
Bio:
Grace Tompkins is a Ph.D. Candidate in Biostatistics. She graduated from St. Francis Xavier University with a BSc in Mathematics and from the University of Waterloo with a MMATH in Biostatistics. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate careers, she has served as a teaching assistant for numerous courses. Grace also recently completed a term as a Sessional Instructor at the University of Waterloo, teaching STAT 337 - Introduction to Biostatistics. She is passionate about mathematical education, specifically in creating accessible and supportive learning environments for all students.
Name: Luke Hagar
Term: Fall 2023
Project: Developing the SAS TA Program Level 4 practicum process and Learn site.
Bio:
Luke Hagar is a Ph.D. Candidate in Statistics. He has BMATH and MMATH degrees in Statistics from the University of Waterloo. Luke recently completed a term as a Sessional Lecturer at the University of Waterloo, teaching STAT 341 – Computational Statistics and Data Analysis. He also previously worked with the Centre for Teaching Excellence as a TA Workshop Facilitator. Luke is motivated to help develop students’ statistical communication skills, so they can tackle challenging problems and effectively communicate their solutions to decision makers.