By Alaa Azan
You landed your first Teaching Assistant (TA) position. You are both excited and nervous...I feel you. A while back, I started my first TA position and I was very nervous and didn’t know what to expect. Yet, looking back, one of my best memories in school was being a TA. Do not get me wrong, I’m still just as nervous every time I get a new position...but I have learned a few things along the way about how to be a successful TA and truly enjoy the experience!
1. Organize your time
I know what you are thinking...duh!! But hear me out. When I first started, I was a perfectionist and I really wanted to do my best, so I spent way too much time preparing for tutorials and taking extensive notes on the readings. This came at a cost as I did not perform well in my own classes. Over time I learned how to avoid this by simply setting a time limit.
The balance between your schoolwork, personal life and TA responsibilities is tricky but possible. You could ask previous students, reach out to your professor or attend one of the time management workshops offered by the Teaching and Learning Support Services (TLSS).
2. Be prepared
This tip is more relevant to those who will be leading tutorials or discussion groups as part of their position. Make sure to prepare before class in any form as required. Being prepared includes knowing how to use the technology that your professor will be using in the class - Brightspace, Zoom, Microsoft Teams. That will reduce your nervousness and prepare you for in-class questions. However, do not be afraid to not know the answer to a question. If you are faced with a question you do not know the answer to, make sure to get back to the student during your next meeting or by email - depending on urgency. This is key to establishing trust with the students and making sure you are supporting the students.
3. Take the initiative to find and/or create resources for class
As you do the readings and prepare for class, try to seek out and/or create additional resources to make the class more interactive and engaging. Think of yourself in your students’ position and ask yourself “ As a student in the class, what would help me to better grasp the material?”.
Get creative and have fun as there is no limit to the type of resources you can choose. It could be something to help you clarify key points, start a discussion, or engage students with the material. For example, you could play a video, do a class poll, or organize debates. Better yet, you could ask students what they would prefer to see and include it if possible.
I hope you are now feeling more confident to start your new TA position!
To search for TA opportunities and apply for positions, monitor the university’s job postings.