ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the development and early successes of a teaching preparation program for graduate students at a Canadian university. The “University Teaching Practicum” at York University was originally conceived by Professor Pat Rogers, the academic director of the university’s Center for the Support of Teaching from May 1989 until June 1994. The York practicum was designed to provide graduate students with a means for documenting and gaining recognition for their teaching development activities. One of the organizational characteristics of the teaching assistant culture at York is robust independence. During the early 1990s, the Center’s academic director actively sought to provide more autonomy and ownership for teaching assistants of their own professional development. Participants in the practicum have their teaching videotaped, and they are encouraged to develop ideas for improvement of their teaching based upon this experience. Another significant component of the practicum is the teaching dossier.
