9.4 Teaching Assistant Motivation

A good teaching assistant has to be motivated. They have to be engaged. They need to bring their A game.

Unfortunately, there are teaching assistants who are not motivated and who do the minimum possible, sometimes without a care about quality or accountability.

In extreme cases, there is nothing you can do. We have been there. We end up doing what the TA was supposed to do. We never want to see the TA again. This note is not about these TAs. This note is about the TAs who need a little bit of help, can enter the recovery program and come out the other side a good, perhaps great TA.

The lack of motivation might be seen in different ways. Executive functions which are misfiring can be clues (planning, execution, timeliness, paying attention to details, paying attention to requests). General responsiveness in communication can also be a clue. Taking shortcuts, purposely (or not) creating situations where others have to do their work. The type and degree of care being given the students they are supposed to be helping. There are many ways that the lack of motivation can impact the class. An unmotivated TA will not be proactive, be a participant. They will be waiting for instructions, what to do when, how to do it. They will not be helping to create a good class, a better class. They will not be looking for ways to improve the class.

Here are some of our thoughts about TA motivation...

• There are many reasons why someone might not be motivated. You will need to figure out this out. The interventions or treatments will depend on what is causing the problem.
• Sometimes it is your problem, and not the TAs - how you are treating them, respecting them, using them. Look in the mirror as well. Not always, but do not rule it out. It might have been something implicit, accidental that you did or said. It is easy to destroy moral and motivation. It is hard to restore.
• Leverage any special expertise they might have. For example, they can perhaps be more involved in creating, delivering content or material for tutorials, labs.
• Give them some independence, responsibility, and accountability; something that can be theirs, their project, something that they can own and be proud of.
• If there is a lot of grunt work, help out. Be part of the process. It is easier to be motivated when the 'boss' is helping.
• Do not ask them to do something you will not, or could not do yourself and when necessary, you should lead the way.

• When appropriate, deal with any issues between the TA and the students. This has to be fair to both, timely, and dealt with. If you do not deal with issues, it can destroy motivation and sap all energy and drive. This is not defending 100% in a blind act of closing ranks, but a thoughtful, reflectful review of the situation, using it as a learning moment for all involved. If the TA was wrong, the TA was wrong. Own it, fix it. Help all involved understand that errors, mistakes happen, that miscommunication (if involved) can lead to faulty assumptions, actions, and might not be malicious and with intent, but a mere oopsy and we deal with student oopsies with wisdom and justice, we should also deal with TA oopsies with wisdom and justice. If the students are dealt with some discretion by the instructor, it is easy to also deal with any TA issues with similar care and handling. A mishandled case can affect the motivation and impact the relationship that the TA has (or had) with the students. Not good for anyone.
• Understand any conflicting demands or stressors. The student might have their own studies to worry about, their exams, and these can create conflicts which can impact motivation.
• Try to identify values-generated by the TA; discuss and share the value adds. The TA might need to see return on their effort, involvement. It might be 'why bother, no one notices or cares, what I do does not matter'. And if warranted, discuss the TA's contributions in the classroom.'
• Try to develop a mix of work over the term, not just the same task each week. Variety can help.
• Engage the TA in classroom observation, providing feedback about your teaching, student responses to it. If you value their voice, they will be more motivated.
• Use the TA during the term to get a read on the class, listen to their observations.
• Take some time and discuss their research, aspirations, plans. You care about them, they will care about you.
• Do some mentoring and discuss how they can improve their TA tasks, encourage them to be mindful, self-aware. Have them write reflections about the TA experience during the term. Invest in them, they will invest in the class.
• Treat them as a human, not just an 'employee'. Usually helps.

Further reading

• Rodgers, K.J., Marbouti, F., Shafaat, A., Jung, H., and H. A. Diefes-Dux (2014). Influence of Teaching Assistants’ Motivation on Student Learning, 2014 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) Proceedings.