Frequently Asked Questions

1.   What can I do to not feel nervous?

Feeling nervous is a problem faced by almost all new Undergraduate TAs (UTA).  There are a few things you can do to at least reduce how nervous you’ll feel the first time you UTA. Make sure that you know where your classroom is and you should check out your room a couple of days before classes actually start in case there are any problems to be addressed. Be sure that you have read over the syllabus and are prepared to discuss it with the students in case there are any questions. Remember that the students are nervous too. As the students get to know each other they will begin to relax.

2.   How important is it to learn every student’s  name?

Learning the students’ names is critical to communicate to them that you care about them as individuals. Although it may seem daunting at first, you’ll be pleased at how much your efforts will be noticed and appreciated by the students.

 3.   What do I do if I have a student who makes  trouble?

Also remember that your professor is your first line of defense. Always check with your professor on how to handle these types of problems. You can also consult with the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning (2^nd Floor). You should never try to handle a problematic situation by yourself.

4.    Should I be friendly or formal?

Generally speaking, an informal and friendly attitude is the norm for American classrooms, but the issue of just how friendly you should be is not always clear. You want the students to feel comfortable with you in the classroom but you don’t want to undermine your authority in the class. It is possible to be friendly while maintaining your authority as long as the students do not mistake your friendliness for leniency.

5.   What if my students don’t like me?

This is a common concern among new UTAs, but one that rarely actually arises. As long as you are enthusiastic about your teaching and subject matter and show a genuine interest in helping the students learn, the students will likely respond very positively.

 6.    What if I am the same age as my students?

When you are similar in age and experience to your students, your first priority is to demonstrate your competence as an undergraduate teaching assistant by being prepared and organized for every class. If you are able to grasp their questions and respond to them effectively, students won’t be concerned that you may seem young. If some cases, your knowledge of the course based on taking it yourself may give you greater insights in the nature of the student’s difficulties.

7.    What if I don’t know the answer?

Keep in mind that, by pausing to think, you are also showing students that it is okay for them to stop and think before answering. Saying, “I don’t know, but let’s see if we can figure it out together” or “I don’t know, but I’ll find out and get back to you” are also appropriate responses in many situations.

Responsibilities

At the iSchool, undergraduate teaching assistants may:

•  Conduct drill or practice sessions
• Tutor students on a one-on-one basis
• Oversee labs
• Attend lectures
• Attend weekly undergraduate TA meetings
• Provide written feedback (individual comments, detailed solution sets)
• Report on common student errors or difficulties
• Prepare quizzes, handouts, assignments, exam questions
• Hold regular office hours
• Conduct review sessions before exams
• Record attendance
• Proctor exams
• Maintain on-line resources for students

The critical thing to remember is to discuss your responsibilities with your professor to make sure that you understand what is expected of you. Also try to establish a regular weekly meeting time with your professor in order to discuss any questions or problems that come up.

Help for Undergraduate TAs

Your primary source of guidance and teaching assistance is your professor. Also, don’t hesitate to ask the  experienced UTAs for help and guidance as well.

In addition to the help you can get from your professor, you will also receive information from attending the three day IST337 course which will orient you to becoming a new UTA.

Becoming an Effective Undergraduate TA

Do we really know what constitutes being an effective UTA? Is effectiveness something that can be defined, evaluated, measured? What does the research tell us?

The studies which have been done on this topic have used various approaches and perspectives to examine the construct of “being an effective UTA,” ranging from classroom observations to measuring student learning outcomes to expert opinion and learning theory. (Chism, N. 2004)1 Although the approaches varied considerably, there is consensus on what makes UTAs successful.  Enthusiasm, rapport, interest in students, organization and intellectual challenge are the traits that appear over and over again in descriptions of excellent UTAs. Think about your own experience and these traits will undoubtedly come to mind.

In terms of effective methods, there are many to choose from depending on one’s own context. When deciding what methods to use, it is helpful to keep in mind the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education:2

Good practice:

Encourages Student-Faculty Contact:

Frequent student-faculty contact in and out of classes is the most important factor in student motivation and involvement. Faculty concern helps students get through rough times and keep on working. Knowing a few faculty members well enhances students’ intellectual commitment and encourages them to think about their own values and future plans.

2. Encourages Cooperation among Students:

Learning is enhanced when it’s more like a team effort than a solo race. Good learning, like good work, is collaborative and social, not competitive and isolated. Working with others often increases involvement in learning. Sharing one’s own ideas and responding to other’s reactions improves  thinking and deepens understanding.

3. Encourages Active Learning:

Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged assignments and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past experiences and, most importantly, apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves.

4. Gives Prompt Feedback:

Knowing what you know and what you don’t know focuses learning. Students need appropriate feedback on performance to benefit from courses. When getting started, students need help in assessing existing knowledge and competence. In classes students need frequent opportunities to perform and receive suggestions for improvement. At various points during college and at the end, students need chances to reflect on what they have learned, what they still need to learn and how to assess themselves.

 5.   Emphasizes Time on Task:

Time plus energy equals learning. There is no substitute for time on task. Learning to use one’s time well is critical for students and professionals alike. Students need help in learning effective time management. Allocating realistic amounts of time means effective learning for students and effective teaching for faculty. How an institution defines time expectations for students, faculty, administrators and other professional staff can establish the basis for high performance for all.

 6.   Communicates High Expectations:

Expect more and you will get it. High expectations are important for everyone—for the poorly prepared, for those unwilling to exert themselves and for the bright and well-motivated. Expecting students to perform well becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when teachers and institutions hold high expectations for themselves and make extra efforts.

7.   Respects Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning:

There are many roads to learning. People bring different talents and styles of learning to college. Brilliant students in the seminar room may be all thumbs in the lab or art studio. Students’ rich hands-on experience may not do so well with theory. Students need the opportunity to show their talents and learn in ways that work for them. Then they can be pushed to learn in new ways that do not come so easily.

As far as your role as a TA goes, students should be actively involved in the learning process and encouraged to ask questions. Furthermore, it is better to say you don’t know an answer and will find it for the next meeting, than to pretend you know or to ignore the question. One of the major roles a TA has is to answer student questions and nothing frustrates undergraduates more than feeling that a TA does not understand or is not willing to answer their questions.