This semester I have the pleasure of being a TA, also known as a Teaching Assistant, for my major advisor. I absolutely love going to the class every week and giving my best effort to help in anyway I can to whoever I can. Whether it be grading or advice, TAing makes me feel so good.
1.) Helping The Students
This may be the best of all the points. Helping the students by leading a midterm study group or just giving them advice for the quizzes we have weekly makes me feel good. I like feeling like I helped them learn something that will benefit them in class and in their lives going forward. As a TA you have taken the course before so if I can take what I learned to help them do even better in the class, I will do so instantly.
2.) Being able to help my favorite professor
The professor I TA for is one of my favorite professors/teachers I have ever had. He is an insanely smart guy who does nothing but help and better his students. He is so passionate about what he teaches and passionate about helping students. He is also insanely busy, so if I can help alleviate some of his stress by helping him grade the quizzes and take attendance every class, I will do so gladly. I am honored to have this opportunity and honored that he would trust me with this job.
3.) Getting potential teaching experience
I have always been interested in teaching one day, so TAing this semester is definitely giving me an insight to what that may very well be like in the future. I see my advisor teach and I admire him greatly, so if I do teach I would try to model my methods after his. I am getting teaching experience on some level and I know that if I do pursue it I will be very happy.
4.) Getting credits just for being helpful
I love helping people, no matter who they are, but the fact that I get credits for doing so is amazing to me. I would do it for no credits at all just because I love the professor and the class so much. The credits don’t matter that much but it is going to be very rewarding at the end of the semester when I get them. Like I said though, I’d do it for nothing as I get appreciation from my professor every single class, which is enough for me.
5.) Feeling like I’m making a difference
I always walk into the classroom knowing I am going to make a difference in someone’s life, even if that is my life. I feel like I am making a difference in my professor’s life for sure as I know helping him takes away stress so it makes me very happy. Helping a student by proctoring a make-up exam so they don’t get a zero on their midterm, it makes a great difference in their education. By helping them they will know they can trust me and come to me for help, which makes a big difference (a good difference) in my life.
