As those of you in Windsor could tell from the frost on your cars this morning, summer is quickly running out of steam. That means two things: a new season of Parks and Recreation is months away and a new school year is nearly here.
Before you get all panicky and start lamenting the summer that got away, you might want to read Justin Dunnavant’s recent blog post on GradHackers. Following his “rituals” could help anyone dreading the transition from working vacation to just plain working. Here’s a preview from the man himself:
If you planned your summer like I did, you likely didn’t complete half of what you set out to do. As a graduate student, I know how difficult it can be to transition from a leisurely summer to a more structured semester. In the next few weeks people will be returning from fieldwork and dissertation research, and even more will be entering graduate programs for the first time. In the past, GradHackers have reminded fellow students to revisit their motivations for graduate school, to explore new methods of staying productive, and, perhaps most importantly, to remember the value of sleep. Over the years I have adopted similar rituals to stay proactive instead of reactive and to help me ease the transition from summer to semester. Taking the last few weeks of summer to reflect, organize, plan, and anticipate has helped me mute looming fears and put the fall semester into perspective.
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Read more on Inside Higher Ed here.
September 4th is fast approaching, which means GATAcademy 2013 is right around the corner.
You can be the first to register by visiting http://cleo.uwindsor.ca/workshops/64/. Here you’ll find detailed descriptions of each workshop and brief introductions from the talented individuals leading them. Save your seat now, because these workshops fill-up fast.
This is also your chance to register for the FREE lunch. Once you have, be sure to email Marilyn at ctlworkshops@uwindsor.ca with any allergies or dietary needs (no later than 12:00 pm on Wednesday, August 28th, 2013).
For those of you who have never attended, GATAcademy is a full-day professional development event for graduate assistants (GAs) and teaching assistants (TAs). Whether you are a new or an experienced GA/TA or just interested in teaching and learning, this is your day to ask questions (and allay any fears). Best of all, there is no cost to participate for UWindsor students and you don’t have to be a GA/TA to participate. Think of it as a friendly crash course / training camp / support group with a FREE lunch.
You’ll be learning the ropes from experienced GAs, TAs, staff, and instructors from departments all over campus with a variety of backgrounds offering up their wisdom. It’s also a great opportunity to meet other GAs/TAs, connect with teaching and learning professionals, share your experiences, ask questions, and form your own support network.
This year’s topics:
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Teaching in the Multicultural Classroom by Enrique Chacon
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Maintaining Professionalism and Email Etiquette in a Cyber Centred World by Corinne Allsop and John Antoniw
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Say What You Mean – Effective Explanations in the Classroom by Gregory Paziuk
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Dealing with Conflict by Neil Pettit and Victoria Townsend
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Teaching with Stats and Data by Kristi Thompson and Daniel Edelstein
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Leading dynamic discussions by Beth Kuhn and Lauren Hamilton
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Conducting Effective Labs and Tutorials by Una Lee and Marzieh Mehrjoo
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Grading and Providing Meaningful Feedback by Jules Wolf and Rochelle Stevenson
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Catch me if you can: Identifying plagiarism in students’ papers and assignments by Christin Moeller
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Surviving and thriving as an online GA/TA…and helping your students learn! by Adam Mulcaster and Nick Baker
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Classroom Technologies: From Consoles to CLEW by Pierre Boulos and Lorna Stolarchuk
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The First Day by Jill Jones and Betsy Keating
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Zotero: Your research a click away by Mita Williams
GATAcademy 2013 will take place Wednesday, September 4th in the Odette Building from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm, with additional workshops in Lambton Tower and the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation. The Graduate Studies Orientation will follow. And did we mention the thing about the FREE lunch?
Keep your eyes peeled for more updates for GATAcademy on Twitter, Facebook, and CLEW.
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