One of the ways we focus on intention in American Heritage is through our training including a two-day intensive fall training, and then weekly meetings during the semester. The fall training is designed to be short, yet impactful to allow the teaching assistants to meet each other, connect with their mentor team of experienced and new TAs, and teach a portion of the first lab in a safe environment with helpful feedback. Each Wednesday we meet for two-hours; the first hour is focused on faculty instruction for the weekly lab and the second hour allows TAs the opportunity to train each other. Subjects have ranged from combating imposter syndrome to fostering diversity and inclusion. An additional way we focus on intention is through maintaining connections with current and past TAs. We often invite former TAs to come and speak at trainings about their experience as a TA, as well as how their time in American Heritage influenced their current field of study or career. We encourage TAs to retain connections with their current peers as well as with those who have graduated; we have recently created a LinkedIn group to help facilitate this aim.

The intention piece for students is two-fold, first it relies on the TAs implementing their training and communicating their needs with faculty and other mentors, and second it requires students in the course to engage with the material. To accomplish this, student employees rely on the faculty and administration for direction and mentorship whether it be through determining which content to teach, but also when unique or difficult situations arise. Part of being intentional also includes helping TAs enhance their hard and soft skills whether it be by implementing training objectives such as effective essay grading or teaching critical thinking capabilities. In doing so, faculty and I are confident that not only are their students learning accurate material, but that the TAs are aware of and know how to utilize the many supports to help their students thrive in the course.

TAs are required to evaluate each other monthly during the semester, though many go far more often. This allows TAs the opportunity to see their peers teach and creates a space for idea-sharing and an opportunity to provide feedback in a safe environment. We also do mid-semester student evaluations, where students provide feedback about their individual TA and as well as their experience more generally in the review room, a space where TA led review sessions are available each day during the school week. We then devote a Wednesday training to analyzing areas where we can improve as individuals, as well as assessing areas where as a group of TAs everyone could improve. We have causally included, but are formalizing, using PAR Stories in our Wednesday night meetings. These would include:

Problem: Briefly describe a situation where you encountered an issue in the workplace.

Action: Describe the plan you executed to solve this problem, what resources you used, skills you developed, or how you collaborated with others.

Result: Discuss how your actions positively impacted yourself and others, and the broader implications of solving this problem. Be clear about how you brought value to the organization and make it clear how this skill is transferable to a variety of situations and problems.

By providing multiple avenues and opportunities for reflection, we can consistently monitor our progress and adjust better fulfill the aims of American Heritage and BYU.

The key factor in cultivating an inspiring learning environment is creating a culture where lifelong learning and service are valued. As course coordinator, I focus on a purposeful integration of the BYU Aims to create this environment. In American Heritage we have found that starting our meetings with prayer, relating training to gospel principles, and being engaged in semester long service projects are specific ways that we invite inspiration to our work environment. To further integrate the BYU aim, we include a focused study of the AIMS as a training in addition to the inclusion of passages from the AIMS on weekly agendas. Furthermore, an emphasis is placed on learning and teaching in the context of the restored gospel. We do so by purposefully integrating gospel principles in the course content, in our commitment to the mission of BYU, and in striving to embody Christ-like attributes as representatives of American Heritage and BYU. TAs appreciate the administrative and faculty support for secular and spiritual growth they receive.

The mentoring environment in American Heritage relies on every member to have strong communication skills and be willing to give and receive feedback. To create this environment, there are a variety of channels where students and student employees can find success. First and foremost, the faculty and I are attuned to their students' needs and while we expect a lot from our TAs, our support for them is equally robust. The TAs are an integral part of the chain of communication, and rely on their mentor teams, trainers, faculty, and administration to answer questions and receive direction. Because of these systems, as faculty/admin we are then able to filter which situations and students are high priority. These robust systems and procedures are both efficient and due in part to the culture of respect and kindness that is cultivated in our American Heritage community.