Teaching in the Canadian Classroom (TCC)

Teaching in the Canadian Classroom is a 16-hour short course designed for international graduate students who would like to explore cultural differences in the classroom and gain confidence as a teaching assistant in the Canadian academic setting. We will discuss common teaching topics, such as lesson planning, active learning, feedback, and classroom management, through a cross-cultural lens. Participants will gain hands-on experience by practicing instructional techniques in microteaching sessions where they receive constructive feedback from peers and the instructor.

Topics

Cultural differences in teaching and learning norms, introduction to Canadian academic norms, active learning, lesson-planning, feedback, classroom management, common language patterns used in instruction.

Outcomes

By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• identify and apply cultural differences in patterns of communication to enhance interactions with students, supervisors, and peers
• consider the educational backgrounds and expectations of Canadian students
• design and deliver lessons using the Bridge-Outcomes-Pre-Assessment-Participatory Learning-Post-Assessment-Summary (BOPPPS) model
• design and deliver active learning strategies that consider students’ diverse communication styles
• engage in self-reflection on personal teaching strategies and approaches through microteaching exercises.

What to expect

The workshop includes participation in 8 two-hour sessions. The first 4 sessions introduce participants to the topics outlined above. The final 4 sessions consist of microteaching where participants prepare two 10-minute lessons and deliver these lessons to a small group of peers. 

Research on the impact of TCC

• Evaluating the Differential Impact of Teaching Assistant Training Programs on International Graduate Student Teaching (Canadian Journal of Higher Education,  2015)
• Bridging the gap: The impact of the 'Teaching in the Canadian Classroom' program on the teaching effectiveness of international teaching assistants. (HEQCO, 2013)