Make sure you are properly prepared for the lab or exercise class by attending the training sessions or reading any materials that the MO sends you before the session. If you do not receive a briefing of what is expected of you for each class, then ask the MO for one.
Be Proactive
Encourage discussion and ask questions during the class. Do not assume that if no-one talks to you then all is well. Offer help and ask if the students are getting on OK – be approachable. Be supportive in your responses and do not just give the answers to questions – encourage students to work out the solutions for themselves.
Things To Avoid
Don’t be late - make sure you arrive at the scheduled start time, but start the class 5 min after the start of the hour to allow time for students to arrive. End the class 5 minutes to the hour to allow time for the students to leave.
Lab/Class Rules
Students and staff are not permitted to bring food or drinks into the labs or seminars. E-cigarettes, mobile phones and audio players must not be used during the class.
Student Contact
If, for some reason, a student needs to contact you, you should only accept and respond to emails that have been sent from their QMUL accounts. This identifies them as genuine students and encourages them to use their student accounts which they should be checking daily anyway. It is perfectly acceptable for you to pass questions from the student over to the MO. If you do need to contact the students, you should only use your QMUL account and should not give them your personal email or phone number. To safeguard yourself and the student, it is also advised not to have the students you teach on your social media accounts. Further information on the code of student discipline can be found here.
Student Issues
Always communicate any issues with your class to the MO. This includes things like disruptive students and people signing the register then leaving straight away etc. If a student is having a lot of difficulties with their work and is falling behind, please advise them to see the MO during their office hours.
Plagiarism is a serious, punishable offence. The students are made aware of this via the student handbook and would have been reminded by the MO. If you suspect any plagiarism please report it to the MO.
Conflict of Interest
Ideally you should not be a Demonstrator on a module where a family member or partner is a student. Any such instances should be declared to the School Executive Assistant, Shamim Choudhury before any work is carried out.
