| | TAing for Prof Smiles was a totally different experience than TAing for Prof Die Hard. I didn't have to play "bad cop" this time since Prof Smiles was up front about grading. I tried to incorporate simulations (fundamental game theory simulations), however as the course material discussed issues such as legislation and bureaucracy, these mental games got harder to create and I went back to lecturing. Initially, I was torn between having a discussion of the readings that only ten-percent of the class read or lecture the whole class on stuff that they may need to know. Again, I avoided going over the review questions that the students had ahead of time; instead, I talked about other parts of the readings that (I thought) needed emphasis. The distribution was overwhelmingly positive, so I will only include the negativity, since that's what makes this entry interesting and worth while.
1. What were the strongest points of the TA in discussion section or office hours?
Not answering the question:
• Is responsive to emails and requests, but the discussion never helped with assignments or exams. We would be given activities that do not specifically relate to the topics learned in class.
2. Do you have any recommendations for your TA that would help that person be a more effective TA in the future?
Fair criticisms:
• a little more organized, and write a little clearer
- Don’t swear in class. It comes off awkwardly.
• Some of the details he gave in discussion section seemed extraneous.
Technically, not my job:
• Perhaps focus more on the questions from reading that would be on the tests.
• all the information given never seemed to make sense and/or help on the exams
• - Work more directly with course material rather than presenting other things. More review of the course readings or review of lecture. While every discussion was related to the course, sometimes it was hard to find a direct correlation/purpose to why we were doing certain activities.
• For this class, go over the questions she gives us so we can improve on what is expected and how to approach teh questions.
What I would like to do one day as a pedagogue:
• More discussion, less lecturing. It may seem like the students want him to recite the readings, but it would be more useful to incorporate some of the earlier teaching methods that he was using during the first two weeks. I find the material is easier to grasp if the TA doesn’t handout the answers all the time. |
| | Posted 6/19/2009 12:53 AM - 4 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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