How can I effectively teach in a seminar room without being nervous?

[scorpa]

I'm always pretty much just happy when I walk in and see my TA can speak english haha. Sounds like you are going to do great Jason, as long the class knows you care and are putting in effort they will respect you and it will go well.

 

[JasonRox]

I'm always pretty much just happy when I walk in and see my TA can speak english haha.

That's my main focus point.

 

[JasonRox]

I took over another TA's job. She lost the job because she couldn't speak english and everyone complained about her!

I talked to two of the students. They didn't even plan on showing up at the tutorial. I let them know that I was the TA and that they better be there this week. I'm sure they will be there too.

 

[JasonRox]

Ok, I have another issue to deal with.

I know I need to check up with the professor, but she's not around right now. I'll talk to her most likely tomorrow about the issue. It shouldn't be a problem though, but I'm asking because some of you were TA's and I am just curious about what your situation was.

My questions was...

Am I allowed to tutor?

I do know people in the class, and those that I know clearly understand that I can not help with the assignments. I asked the professor about that and it seems to be my only restriction thus far, which makes complete sense! Yet, I put a bigger restriction on this issue because most TA's practically give out the answers. I don't even tell them how to start where other TA's solve atleast all of it but the last line! So, I'm good in this respect.

I volunteered to tutor this one girl in my class. I haven't started tutoring her yet. I helped her a bit, but only in terms of the concepts and clarifying what the assignment is asking for. My response to questions relating to how to start a problem is basically read the section or basically I don't know. That's basically it.

Keep in mind that I said volunteer, so I get no compensation for this besides learning how to teach I guess. I figured getting compensation might lead to problems like money for answers, etc...

The only problem I can see is that other students might complain about it. They might think I'm doing her assignments or whatever. Who knows.

Anyways, let me know what you think.

Some of you have been TA's, so did you tutor for that class?

 

[tribdog]

I didn't TA, but my gut feeling is if you want to tutor someone tutor them. If other students complain tell them to shut up and quit being crybabies. I can't believe anyone would complain anyway, unless you are TAing a bunch of 1st graders.

 

[Bystander]

If you tutor one, you'd best be prepared to tutor any who ask for extra help. You'll be happier in the long run if you state a one-on-one time limit up front, and be damned sure the one-on-one time is taken from the "class time" you're TAing, or done in the grad student "cube farm."

 

[Cyrus]

Tutor and TA all the women, and tell the guys to get lost. I'd even go so far to say, give all the girls your cell and tell them to call you, whenever they feel like it. <slaps jason on the shoulder>

 

[JasonRox]

Tutor and TA all the women, and tell the guys to get lost. I'd even go so far to say, give all the girls your cell and tell them to call you, whenever they feel like it. <slaps jason on the shoulder>

I really like that idea.

I'd be glad to help any of them.

 

[mattmns]

Tutor and TA all the women, and tell the guys to get lost. I'd even go so far to say, give all the girls your cell and tell them to call you, whenever they feel like it. <slaps jason on the shoulder>

:rofl: Awesome!

 

[Moonbear]

Ok, I have another issue to deal with.

I know I need to check up with the professor, but she's not around right now. I'll talk to her most likely tomorrow about the issue. It shouldn't be a problem though, but I'm asking because some of you were TA's and I am just curious about what your situation was.

My questions was...

Am I allowed to tutor?

I do know people in the class, and those that I know clearly understand that I can not help with the assignments. I asked the professor about that and it seems to be my only restriction thus far, which makes complete sense! Yet, I put a bigger restriction on this issue because most TA's practically give out the answers. I don't even tell them how to start where other TA's solve atleast all of it but the last line! So, I'm good in this respect.

I volunteered to tutor this one girl in my class. I haven't started tutoring her yet. I helped her a bit, but only in terms of the concepts and clarifying what the assignment is asking for. My response to questions relating to how to start a problem is basically read the section or basically I don't know. That's basically it.

Keep in mind that I said volunteer, so I get no compensation for this besides learning how to teach I guess. I figured getting compensation might lead to problems like money for answers, etc...

The only problem I can see is that other students might complain about it. They might think I'm doing her assignments or whatever. Who knows.

Anyways, let me know what you think.

Some of you have been TA's, so did you tutor for that class?

That doesn't sound like tutoring, but what you're supposed to do as a TA...help the students who need extra help during office hours. As someone else mentioned, though, make sure you're not favoring one student over the others. As long as any of them can come in during your office hours, or by appointment, then it's fine to offer extra help to those who request it.

 

[Cyrus]

That doesn't sound like tutoring, but what you're supposed to do as a TA...help the students who need extra help during office hours. As someone else mentioned, though, make sure you're not favoring one student over the others. As long as any of them can come in during your office hours, or by appointment, then it's fine to offer extra help to those who request it.

Unless she's cute.

 

[Yonoz]

I have a friend who's an expert on getting TAs to help her during exams, be it by showing off a bit of cleavage or harrassing them until they tell her what she wants.
I hope you don't encourage this sort of behaviour!

 

[Yonoz]

Here's a good tip: don't get high before lectures. Check this out: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/boingboing/iBag/~3/28744492/video_apparentlybake.html" , especially the mentioned minute 28.

 

[JasonRox]

That doesn't sound like tutoring, but what you're supposed to do as a TA...help the students who need extra help during office hours. As someone else mentioned, though, make sure you're not favoring one student over the others. As long as any of them can come in during your office hours, or by appointment, then it's fine to offer extra help to those who request it.

There is no office hours as far as I know.

 

[Severian]

I was going to warn him to check his zipper, teeth and nostrils. and make sure they are up, clean and empty.

I have seen someone give a presentation as part of a job interview with his fly down and his shirt hanging out of it (making it really obvious). He didn't get the job...

 

[Cyrus]

Here's a good tip: don't get high before lectures. Check this out: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/boingboing/iBag/~3/28744492/video_apparentlybake.html" , especially the mentioned minute 28.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: That guy is WASTED! :rofl:

 

[Yonoz]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: That guy is WASTED! :rofl:

They must have some good sh*t in Florida.

 

[JasonRox]

I didn't have time to talk to the professor today. I saw her though.

Anyways, I'm not favouring students over others. I'm basically willing to help anyone, but for this particular student, I'm tutoring. As far as I know, she never tried to score points or anything of the sort.

Well, I'll be sure to talk to the professor tomorrow.

 

[shmoe]

It's a bad idea. You will have to be ready to devote the same amount of time to the rest of the class on a private one on one basis or you are favouring her. Not telling the other students that you are willing to do this so they don't ask for private tutoring won't fly when people find out about it later on. Be prepared to spend the rest of your free time tutoring students.

There's also the issue of your union. I'm not sure I remember what university you are at, but I believe it has a union for TA's and sessional instructors? They can get pissy if they find out you are devoting lots of extra time and not getting paid for it. (Right out of the question is getting a student in a course you are TAing to pay you for private tutoring, this is abusing your position and probably explicitly prohibited by your department).

This may make me sound like an uncarring bugger, but really I'm not. I never really worried about whether the time I spent in a course equalled the time I was getting paid for. Sometimes no one would show up for math aid centre and i'd get paid to do my own work for an hour. sometimes it would be very busy and I'd stay an hour extra without getting paid. It may have balanced out in the end, but it's more likely I've ended up giving time. But starting to give extra tutoring hours to individual students (or even small groups) is setting yourself up for a host of problems.

 

[JasonRox]

It's a bad idea. You will have to be ready to devote the same amount of time to the rest of the class on a private one on one basis or you are favouring her. Not telling the other students that you are willing to do this so they don't ask for private tutoring won't fly when people find out about it later on. Be prepared to spend the rest of your free time tutoring students.

There's also the issue of your union. I'm not sure I remember what university you are at, but I believe it has a union for TA's and sessional instructors? They can get pissy if they find out you are devoting lots of extra time and not getting paid for it. (Right out of the question is getting a student in a course you are TAing to pay you for private tutoring, this is abusing your position and probably explicitly prohibited by your department).

This may make me sound like an uncarring bugger, but really I'm not. I never really worried about whether the time I spent in a course equalled the time I was getting paid for. Sometimes no one would show up for math aid centre and i'd get paid to do my own work for an hour. sometimes it would be very busy and I'd stay an hour extra without getting paid. It may have balanced out in the end, but it's more likely I've ended up giving time. But starting to give extra tutoring hours to individual students (or even small groups) is setting yourself up for a host of problems.

Exactly what I was looking for. I know about the risks though. I just wanted someone who has been a TA to give me some opinions based on experience.

I'll probably end up opting out though.

That's just the way the world turns.

 

[Moonbear]

Yeah, if it's personal tutoring, and not something you'd offer to all the students, then it'll be considered favoritism.

If you know someone else who's a good tutor in the subject who is not a TA, you can recommend that person to this student. I also wouldn't see a problem with you deciding to hold office hours, even if they're not required (bah to the union if they have a problem with it...they're clueless about how many hours people really put into teaching anyway...they only counted the time I was physically in the classroom when I was forced to be part of one as a TA), but it would have to be something you offered to everyone in the class.

 

[JasonRox]

Yeah, if it's personal tutoring, and not something you'd offer to all the students, then it'll be considered favoritism.

If you know someone else who's a good tutor in the subject who is not a TA, you can recommend that person to this student. I also wouldn't see a problem with you deciding to hold office hours, even if they're not required (bah to the union if they have a problem with it...they're clueless about how many hours people really put into teaching anyway...they only counted the time I was physically in the classroom when I was forced to be part of one as a TA), but it would have to be something you offered to everyone in the class.

I'm getting paid like 7-10 hours a week, for only 1 hour of class time. That's pretty sweet.

I prefer to tutor. You can really get the subject across.

Anyways, she'll understand.

 

[shmoe]

...I also wouldn't see a problem with you deciding to hold office hours, even if they're not required (bah to the union if they have a problem with it...they're clueless about how many hours people really put into teaching anyway...they only counted the time I was physically in the classroom when I was forced to be part of one as a TA), but it would have to be something you offered to everyone in the class.

They will find out about it, your students tell students in other tutorials, those students tell their TA's ("why can't you do...blah..for is?"), those TAs tell other TAs, it gets to the union rep in your depatment, etc. Doing something that out of the ordinary will get around, it's not like spending an extra 10 minutes after class to answer some questions. It depends on how militant the union is on what happens next. I know I've had TA orientations where we were explicitly told by the course instructors to not have office hours because they didn't want to deal with the union when they found out (my union was such that they would make it the course instructors problem).

It depends on many factors, Jason should still talk to his prof. about it of course and see what she thinks.

 

[shmoe]

I'm getting paid like 7-10 hours a week, for only 1 hour of class time. That's pretty sweet.

That seems like alot! What's the rest of the hours for? Some prep time presumably, invigilating exams, the rest marking?

typical courses I've done have been ~6 hours per week for a course that had 2 hours of tutorials + 1 hour of prep time (the tutorials would be the same material, 2 sets of students 1 hour per week) and 3 hours for marking/invigilating that was spread out over the year, i.e. all rammed into the mid term and final periods.

 

[JasonRox]

That seems like alot! What's the rest of the hours for? Some prep time presumably, invigilating exams, the rest marking?

typical courses I've done have been ~6 hours per week for a course that had 2 hours of tutorials + 1 hour of prep time (the tutorials would be the same material, 2 sets of students 1 hour per week) and 3 hours for marking/invigilating that was spread out over the year, i.e. all rammed into the mid term and final periods.

Yeah, I got one tutorial hour. I have 3 assignments to correct for the year and a midterm. I'll probably be doing some of the final exams, but I get paid extra for that. Probably like $100 bonus or something.

I guess the hours are for prep time and such. I do read the chapters and do all the problems myself. I find it important to know where to look for answers, especially if a student is curious to know how to do something or whatever. I know the textbook pretty well, so well that I know where to find specific theorems and problems! :shy:

My first class went great. I got compliments from students saying they really like me, so that's really good news.

As for the tutoring thing, I talked to the TA coordinator (faculty member) and she said I'm allowed to tutor people. She said there has been no problems in the past, and the choice is up to me. So, I'm up for it.

A student did find out, but I'm not sure if she cares though. She might actually just be jealous.

Note: For the salary/hours, I get paid $15.70/hour somewhere around there. Apparently it is the lowest in Ontario or it used to be anyways. There is a CBA in January, so maybe that's a raise coming. I'm loving it. Next year, I'll TA two courses, and then I won't have to work outside of class, which is sweet.

 

[Moonbear]

They will find out about it, your students tell students in other tutorials, those students tell their TA's ("why can't you do...blah..for is?"), those TAs tell other TAs, it gets to the union rep in your depatment, etc. Doing something that out of the ordinary will get around, it's not like spending an extra 10 minutes after class to answer some questions. It depends on how militant the union is on what happens next. I know I've had TA orientations where we were explicitly told by the course instructors to not have office hours because they didn't want to deal with the union when they found out (my union was such that they would make it the course instructors problem).

It depends on many factors, Jason should still talk to his prof. about it of course and see what she thinks.

And people wonder why I hate unions? It shouldn't be against the law to go the extra mile for your students if you're willing to do so. The union should be there to protect you from being required to work unpaid hours, but if you're willing to do it out of your own concern for the students, the union should be told to shove off.

Where were you a TA that other TAs would report stuff like that to the union? When I was a TA, we all scoffed at the union and were pissed that they deducted money from our paychecks whether we wanted to be a part of it or not. There was some minimum amount they deducted no matter what, and if you officially "joined" then they deducted more...we didn't really think that was helping us much. The only people who were actually "into" the whole union thing were the technicians, because they wanted to be sure they could just drop everything and walk out the door at 4 pm when their work day ended.

 

[JasonRox]

And people wonder why I hate unions? It shouldn't be against the law to go the extra mile for your students if you're willing to do so. The union should be there to protect you from being required to work unpaid hours, but if you're willing to do it out of your own concern for the students, the union should be told to shove off.

Where were you a TA that other TAs would report stuff like that to the union? When I was a TA, we all scoffed at the union and were pissed that they deducted money from our paychecks whether we wanted to be a part of it or not. There was some minimum amount they deducted no matter what, and if you officially "joined" then they deducted more...we didn't really think that was helping us much. The only people who were actually "into" the whole union thing were the technicians, because they wanted to be sure they could just drop everything and walk out the door at 4 pm when their work day ended.

Well, I don't want to comment on the union because I just started. I have no idea if they are good or not. It really depends.

I'm just happy that it was a professor that recommended me. That in itself is awesome. Looks great for graduate school and the NSERC Award I'm going to pursue. No more working at the grocery store.

 

[JasonRox]

Anyways, I want to thank all the members who contributed so far. I hope all goes well.

Note: I have another dilemma that I will hold for next week.

 

[shmoe]

And people wonder why I hate unions?

For the most part, I agree! Our union consistently made demands I felt were totally unreasonable. They seem to think you should be able to support a family while working 6-8 hours per week as a TA (honestly! the benefits they ask for!). While most of the department wouldn't really care, the union reps leaned on the militant side and would make a fuss if they caught wind. Unusual TA things tend to get around, not necessarily intentionally.

the union is ideally there for the TAs protection. There are enough cases where TAs are treated very unfairly and having a union to back you is a good thing. They do go overboard easily though.

I can't say that the union did nothing for me. During my undergrad I made something like $7 hour to TA, grad students at the time something like $9 (they formed a union a year or two after I left). By comparison the people operating the cash machines in the cafeteria, who were unionized, made $15/hr. It wasn't that I thought I should be making that much, but I felt TAs were more irreplacible than cash machine operators (we certainly had more qualifications) and I would have been happy if their salary was lowered. The union where I am now, we make more than the cafeteria workers, so I'm content about that.

 

[shmoe]

My first class went great. I got compliments from students saying they really like me, so that's really good news.

As for the tutoring thing, I talked to the TA coordinator (faculty member) and she said I'm allowed to tutor people. She said there has been no problems in the past, and the choice is up to me. So, I'm up for it.

Sounds good on both accounts!

 

[Cyrus]

Anyways, I want to thank all the members who contributed so far. I hope all goes well.

Note: I have another dilemma that I will hold for next week.

She's pregnant, oh boy here we go...I told you to stay away from the women.

 

[JasonRox]

She's pregnant, oh boy here we go...I told you to stay away from the women.

She's stuck with me now. :rofl:

 

[fourier jr]

what does everyone think of george polya's 10 commandments of teaching:

1. be interested in your subject
2. know your subject
3. know about the ways of learning: the best way to learn anything is to discover it by yourself
4. try to read the faces of your students, try to see their expectations and difficulties, put yourself in their place
5. give them not only information, but 'know-how', attitudes of mind, the habit of methodical work
6. let them learn guessing
7. let them learn proving
8. look out for such features of the problem at hand as may be useful in solving the problems to come - try to disclose the general pattern that lies behind the present concrete situation
9. do not give away your whole secret at once - let the students guess before you tell it - let them find out by themselves as much as possible
10. suggest it, do not force it down their throats

i would say some apply more to teachers at a certain level than other teachers. #6 & 7 might apply more to high school teachers for example.

 

[JasonRox]

what does everyone think of george polya's 10 commandments of teaching:



i would say some apply more to teachers at a certain level than other teachers. #6 & 7 might apply more to high school teachers for example.

Good rules to follow.

I noticed professors following the number 9 rules as well as textbooks too.

 

[Moonbear]

fourier, that's all good advice!

One thing that's always worth including...challenge them! Not every student will be up to the challenge, but for those who are strong students, including some real challenges will keep them from getting bored, and it's wonderful to see who will meet the challenge.