Posted on July 9: New experiential courses for teaching methods in biology

Have you ever considered a career in teaching? Thought about teachers' college? Maybe you're interested in being a TA in the future?

McMaster's Department of Biology is offering two new courses designed to give students practical experience with teaching methods in biology. The level III, three-unit credit courses, Biology 3Q03 and Biology 3QQ3, will be offered for the first time in the fall of 2003 and winter of 2004, respectively. Students enrolled in 3Q03 or 3QQ3 will act as peer mentors for first-year undergraduate students taking Biology 1A03 and 1AA3. The peer mentors will have the opportunity to conduct tutorial exercises, mark assignments, and evaluate the progress of their students. The mentors will be responsible for conducting two tutorials per week and attending one hour of lecture per week where they will learn skills in teaching, communication, organization, and evaluation.

Any upper-year student in the sciences who is considering teachers' college or TAing in fourth year or graduate years should consider one of these courses.

Enrolment in these courses is limited. Applicants must be in level III or IV of a program in science or arts & sciences, must have successfully completed either Biology 1A03 or 1AA3, and must obtain permission of the instruction.

To obtain more information or to obtain an application form, contact Kathy McIntosh mcintos@mcmaster.ca, LSB-118, or Lori Goff lgoff@mcmaster.ca, LSB-119A.