Blog on how your performance and student interactions have changed (if so)
- I’d like to think that I have improved on my confidence and performance in giving review sessions. I feel that the more review sessions I gave, the more confidence I’ve gained. I was more communicative and more interactive with the students towards the end of the semester in the review sessions. I’d like to note that the first review session went alright, the second review session was better, and the last review session was more down-to-earth and approachable from my point of view. If I had another chance to give a review session, I would like to improve on my knowledge and skills of giving a review session. I should work harder to challenge students by asking them more alternative questions. In order to be able to do so, I would polish my knowledge of the material to be a better TA.
“Now that the semester is over, what did you learn from the TA experience? Comment on the class and semester in general.”
- From the TA experience, I have learned a lot about what it is like to be a professor, to give a lecture, and to help students learn Psychology. Reflecting back on the beginning of the semester, I was very excited and nervous to be a TA of 250-class. However, with other TAs and Dr. Gurung’s support, I got accustomed to the system very quickly. I have learned how much work is required to be a professor by being a TA. Being a professor is not only about lectures. Before and after the class, there is almost always some students who need more assistance. On top of that, professors need to grade students’ assignments and/or evaluate the exams. Because there is so much to say, I am going to summarize my reflection by writing a free style poem.
- “Professors need a lot of preparation for each lecture, even before the semester starts.
- Professors need to read a lot and know the content of the material well to elaborate.
- Professors need to be confident in what they are doing, but yet need to be adaptive and accommodative.
- Professors need not to sweat the small stuff. Professors need to consider equity, equality, rights, and ability of students.
- Professors need to keep on smiling to be approachable.
- Professors need to be active in thinking, thinking for the class.
- Professors need to want to improve for the betterment in any condition they are in.
- Professors need to be organized and be open to new ideas so that they have more opportunities to reach their potentials in teaching.
- Professors need to be in touch with students, even when they receive 100 messages in the inbox.
- Professors need to have interesting styles of teaching to help students engage in learning the material.
- Professors need to have good judgments that are appropriate for time, place, and issue.
- Professors need to be insightful and encouraging, like a role-model.
- And, professors are also human; they have emotions like we(students) all do.”
- I don’t mean any of this to be an insult at all if they sounded like it. I just thought that if I wasn’t a TA, I wouldn’t have felt or known what professors think of each lecture, event, and contact they have with students. I was so lucky to be one of the TAs this semester, and I am very thankful for this opportunity. I learned a lot about myself and I need to work more to be a better TA if I become one in the future. I should work on polishing my knowledge in Psychology and become more interactive with students to be more approachable. I know the material, but I was not the best at explaining the materials to the students. I think that’s something I should definitely improve. I know I have a good personality and I am very motivated. However, there is always something I can work on to become a better role-model. It was a wonderful experience, and I cannot be any happier or more thankful for the opportunity to be a TA with Dr. Gurung.