Being a GA/TA offers a unique opportunity to support student learning along with developing your own professional skill set. As a GA/TA you’re in a unique position – both a student and employee at the University of Windsor. As such, it is important to adhere to the expected professional norms and behaviours of GA/TAs.
Professionalism involves the adherence to a set of standards that align with respect, uniformity, and workplace ethics. As a GA/TA, being professional includes treating students respectfully and equitably and maintaining personal and professional boundaries with all personnel at the University of Windsor.
To maintain a professional work environment as a GA/TA, it is important to:
- Notify the course instructor of any potential (or perceived) conflicts of interest with students in the course as soon as know (e.g., a roommate in the course you are assigned to).
- Maintain punctuality for all deadlines and expectations outlined with the course instructor (e.g., providing grading to the instructor by a mutually agreed upon date).
- Respect students’ privacy regarding grading or other information that is confided with you.
- Create and communicate your personal and professional boundaries with your course instructor and students, where appropriate.
- Practice professional communication etiquette (e.g., format emails with appropriate subject headings, greetings, sign-offs, etc.) and use professional language.
- Arrive prepared and on time for professional responsibilities such as laboratories, tutorials, and/or classes.
- Treat students respectively.
- Adhere to grading criteria to ensure fair, equitable, and transparent evaluations.
- Familiarize yourself with student-facing campus supports so that you can share these with students in need.
- Respond to emails promptly and save copies of communications.
- Acknowledge when you don’t know the answer to a question. This happens, what’s important is to find the answer and report back to the student.
As a GA/TA it is inevitable that at some point you will experience some degree of conflict. Whether this be grade disagreements, disruptive students, or challenging conversations, conflict should always try and be addressed with empathy and compassion.
Broadly, conflict may arise due to a variety of factors including differences in personal values, beliefs, or miscommunication. This may be prompted by factors outside of a GA/TAs control such as the social climate, political events, or personal stresses. Below offers a list of strategies to help navigate difficult situations.
- Acknowledge the Conflict: Sometimes, we may become passionate or upset during a conversation. For this reason, we may not even be aware that conflict is occurring. If you are finding yourself in this type of situation, it may be beneficial to acknowledge that you believe a conflict is occurring. The other person may also be unaware and upon having it brought to their attention agree to resolve the issue in a calmer manner.
- Find Common Ground: Conflict can arise from miscommunications. For this reason, it can be helpful to identify the source of miscommunication. In practice, this may mean having the student explain each aspect of their concern. From there, listen to what they are saying and, calmly, explain your perspective. From here, acknowledge where there are differences and propose creating a goal of resolving these differences together. This will allow you to work with the student to reframe the issue from a conflict to an opportunity to work together or come to a resolution.
- “I don’t know”: Three words that can make a world of difference. As a GA /TA, you are not expected to know everything about University Policy, how a course works behind-the-scenes, or why a course instructor made a certain decision. When this occurs, disclosing that you do not have an answer is okay. When this happens, provide students with resources to answer their questions or offer to aid them in finding the appropriate resources.
- Pause Heated Discussions: Sometimes, discussions can escalate despite our best efforts to resolve the conflict. In these situations, students may still be upset; however, pausing a discussion may alleviate some of the tension. Saying something like “I understand we haven’t reached a solution, but would it be okay if we took a couple of minutes to ourselves to recentre and revisit this once we are feeling calmer?”. This does two things: 1) acknowledges you are still willing to try and reach a resolution; and 2) creates an opportunity to reflect on the current state of the conflict and try to make a more informed decision.
- Involve the instructor: At any point if you feel unable to navigate the conflict, you can, and should involve the course instructor. As a general practice, it can be useful to report all conflicts to the course instructor, whether this be grading concerns or contentious issues that arise during course time.
- Maintain Your Boundaries: You may interact with students who express a range of emotion. If at any time you feel uncomfortable or unsafe you have the right to ask the student to leave, request a third party be present during a meeting, keep the door open, to stop the conversation, or refer them to the instructor.
- Protect your safety: In your role you may experience a range of human behaviours some of which could be aggressive or hurtful. You do not need to tolerate this behaviour. Familiarize yourself with the resources and supports offered through The Office of Human Right, Equity & Accessibility (OHREA) and Office of Sexual Violence Prevention, Resistance, and Support. When booking meetings, hold them in a location that allows for privacy (if needed), yet is still public, and only during typical work hours when others are around. Familiarize yourself with the services and contact information for The Special Constable Services and location of the emergency call boxes across campus.
- Engage in self-reflection: As you reflect on the situation, consider how did you respond? How might you respond differently moving forward? How might you prepare differently in the future?
- Try not to take conflict personally: While easier said than done, try not to internalize disagreements. If you are feeling overwhelmed, there are several support services on campus to draw on such as the Student Counselling Services.
Teaching Assistant and Graduate Student Advancement (TAGSA) Quick Guide – Conflict Management
Dealing with conflict as a graduate or teaching assistant
- Graduate Student Handbook, University of Wisconson. Accessed: July 23, 2024, https://uwm.edu/graduate-assistants/handbook/best-practices-for-graduate-assistant/managing-conflict/
- Graduate Assistant Handbook, University of Calgary. Accessed: July 23, 2024, https://taylorinstitute.ucalgary.ca/resources/module/teaching-assistant-orientation/professionalism/
