Happy Reading Week, U of T! When considering what my #JoyatUofT is, I had a hard time coming up with just one thing. As U of T is such a large, diverse campus with so many resources, activities, and classes,…
Paying It Forward
I was fortunate enough to have some great teachers growing up, but one of the most influential and inspiring teachers I had during that time was my 7th grade science teacher. A tiny woman with a larger-than-life personality, Dr. M. was…
Tutorials 101 or How I Went From a Skeptic to a Believer
I didn’t know if I was going to like tutorials when I came to U of T. I’ve been notoriously known for not participating in class and it was never for any reason except for the fact that I preferred to listen rather than input my thoughts. When I received those syllabi for the first time, my heart dropped. How could participation in tutorials be worth 15% of my final grade? I dreaded going to that first tutorial because I had so many questions. What was a tutorial? What was a TA? How would I participate? What if I said something ridiculous? Never fear, I have the answers here (Ha, I rhymed).
Arts (and/versus) Science: Tutorials
Most people at U of T (and in life) will generally label themselves as either an “arts/humanities person” or a “math/science person”. Being able to pursue (or even have an interest in) both in equal measure certainly creates a lot of rewards, but it also comes with some unique challenges.
As someone who’s currently doing one arts major + one science major, I have learned that I definitely have to wire my brain differently for courses depending on whether they’re an arts course or a science course. Things like studying, taking notes, knowing what to expect from instructor-student relations are different enough in these two areas that sometimes I get caught off guard when I’m not being mindful of when I need to switch my brain from one mode to another.
Overcoming my Fear of Professors
Up until last Thursday, I don’t think I had ever actually seen a professor up close. I mean, sure, I’ve sat front row in lecture or passed them while walking to class, but I am really bad at actually talking…
Future Shoes & Present Resolutions
Welcome back, and welcome forward: into a new year! 2015 brings many things; not the least of which is that Marty McFly should be showing up (along with some sweet kicks), and not the most of which is that I…
“The Compassionate Educator”
Do professors really care? Last week, I introduced the Teaching and Learning Symposium, which I was lucky enough to attend. And, if it wasn’t clear then, I’ll make it clear now: that symposium—a collection of faculty, staff, and librarians from…
Asking questions in office hours
In the past few weeks, most of the bloggers here have been offering tips to succeed in classes, and what resources are available on campus. Among the answers we usually give is “go to office hours, they’re really helpful!”. But…
Mythbusters: Teaching Assistant Edition.
Last week, we shared a moment about tutorials, and briefly mentioned that they are usually run by Teaching Assistants (TAs). What exactly a TA is can be elusive to most students, and I think it’s important to spend a few minutes together…
A Kaleidoscope of Student Experience in 3 days!
Ah, the mutlitude of student experiences, culminated into one week to drive a person insane! The Luncheon I started my week on Monday with an English take home exam being slapped down on my desk, with a 48-hour deadline. “I…