TA Excellence Award

The TA Excellence Award recognizes outstanding teaching assistants and their superior work in the previous year. Up to two awards will be offered per year. Recipients of the TA Excellence Award will receive a certificate of recognition and $250. Their names will also be engraved on a plaque hanging outside the Psychology Lounge.

*Information about the nominations for the TA Excellence Award will be posted each Fall.

Up to two awards will be offered per year. In general, nominations will occur in the Fall and the announcement of recipient(s) will typically be made in December at the annual department holiday dinner. Recipients of the TA Excellence Award will receive a certificate of recognition and $250.

The Department of Psychology is pleased to announce the call for the outstanding TA award for our best teaching assistant nominated for excellent work in the previous academic year.

Deadline for this year is November 15, 2023

Who is eligible?

Teaching Assistants (CUPE 3902 Unit 1) who have been assigned to a St. George Campus Undergraduate Psychology course in the previous academic year and the summer session are eligible for this award.

Who should submit the nomination form?

The Department will select from candidates that are nominated. It will accept nominations from the following two groups:

Student nominations: Students in a particular course may nominate a teaching assistant for the award. They will be encouraged to provide supporting documentation, such as comments from numerous students on the qualities and excellent work of their TA, samples of written feedback they have received on course work, etc.

Student nominations: TA Excellence Award Student Nomination Form

Course instructor nominations: Course instructors may nominate a Teaching Assistant based  on comments received from students, evidence of  excellent work, or direct observation of the TA’s performance. Nominations should include details of performance and preferably with supporting documentation (some evidence from students required – this might be emails the instructor has received from students about this TA, comments about the TA from informal mid-course surveys or end-of-semester course evaluations, etc.).

Instructor nominations: TA Excellence Award Instructor Nomination Form 

After nominations have been received, the TA will be notified and invited to submit a brief (< 500 words) statement highlighting their contributions to the course, as well as any additional supporting documentation they would like to provide (e.g. emails they have received from students).

The Selection Committee may include the Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies, two volunteer faculty members (including at least one member of the teaching stream faculty), and a previous TA Excellence Award winner (if available/applicable).

The Selection Committee will make their decision based upon the following criteria:

•    Nominators: For student nominations, is there instructor support? For instructor nominations, is there student support?

•    Communication with Students: Was the TA responsive to student questions, able to answer them in a way that enhanced understanding?

•    Communication with Instructor(s): Was the TA responsive to instructor emails, requests, etc. (in essence, did the TA make the life of the instructor easier?)

•    Enthusiasm: Was the TA enthusiastic about the course material/assignments? Did they inspire excitement or curiosity about the subject matter?

•    Knowledge: Was the TA knowledgeable about the course subject matter? If the course fell outside the TAs  particular area of expertise, did they take steps to enhance their understanding of the material?

•    Grading: Did the TA mark in a fair, consistent, prompt manner and give solid and appropriate feedback to the students?

•    Other: Did the TA display any other characteristics that enhanced the learning experience of students and/or the teaching experience of the instructor? Did the TA augment the course through innovative ideas or pedagogical development? Was the TA responsive to Psychology staff requests?

2021-2022

Erika Wharton-Shukster, PSY 319H1 (Developmental Laboratory)

2020-2021

Alexander Jacob, PSY 369H1 (Psychobiology Laboratory)

Mia Radovanovic, PSY 319H1 / PSY 210H1 (Developmental Laboratory/ Introduction to Developmental Psychology)

2019-2020

Bryan Hong, PSY 201H1 / PSY 202H1 (Statistics I / Statistics II)

Emily Schwartzman, PSY 321H1 (Cultural Psychology)

2018-2019

Bethany Lassetter, PSY 320H1 (Social Psychology: Attitudes)

2017-2018

Claudia Damiano, PSY 280H1 (Introduction to Sensation and Perception)

Ragnheidur Thora Bjornsdottir, PSY329H1 (Social Psychology Laboratory)