#ta stuff

[scientistsarepeopletoo]

I might get to build chemistry software for my department!

Feeling super excited! I have a special TA appointment for the Spring quarter, and I really, really want to use it to build some lab simulation software to supplement the general chemistry lab courses (things like virtual titrations). This is something I plan on doing in my own time anyway, so if I could do it as an actual TA position, that would just be great. I’ve already made a couple prototypes just for fun, and today I heard through the grape vine the professors I’m going to work with think it’s a great idea, so there’s a good chance I’ll actually be able to do it!

[danisnotofire]

‪I love astronomy with my WHOLE HEART it's the coolest‬ thing I love being an Astro TA i love helping people understand it I love seeing how it applies I love stars i love it so much you guys

[scientistsarepeopletoo]

Yesterday was my first day teaching for the quarter, so I dressed all fancy to show the students I mean business, but today I decided to let them see my true "crazy cat sock lady" colors.

[scientistsarepeopletoo]

Ugggggh. I had to give a quiz this morning in my discussion session. One kid came in late and didn’t have a calculator. They wanted to use their phone which was of course a no, so I let him use a spare. After a few minutes they complained that the spare didn’t work properly (it did). Then, when I was collecting the quizzes, they wouldn’t turn it in, saying they needed extra time and just uggggggh.

[scientistsarepeopletoo]

Adventures in Grading Midterms 2

I love it when students draw cute pictures/write cute notes on their exams. I always try to find something creative to draw/write back and it just makes me smile :)

[scientistsarepeopletoo]

I was proctoring an exam this morning when a woman stormed into the room and declared that we didn’t have permission to be in her room and what did we think we were doing in her room. I told her that I was proctoring a midterm so whatever the issue, we were gonna be in the room until the students’ midterm time was finished. So she huffed off and later came back to basically say, ok, do your dumb midterm but don’t ever hold a midterm in my room ever again.

And it’s just. I am but a humble TA. If I’m proctoring an exam, all I do is go to the assigned room and make sure the students can take there exam in peace. If you are in charge of that room or whatever and there is an issue, talk to me and hopefully we can figure it out. But. Yelling at me and disrupting an exam does what exactly?

No one else needed to use that room at that time and she was just pissy that no one had okayed the room reservation with her >:(

[scientistsarepeopletoo]

Sooo only four people showed up to my discussion this morning because of rain/recently having a midterm, so I taught the four that were there and ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Now I’m in office hours and no one has come so far, so I’m actually getting some work done!

[scientistsarepeopletoo]

nonlinearfluctuations replied to your post “Sooo only four people showed up to my discussion this morning because...”

I had a session that was about 16-20 people and once I had only one student show up. I don't think it was bc of me though because that session was notoriously lazy and my other two were always active and well attended.

I was glad that my other session later in the day was full because only seeing a few students show up can be really disheartening! It was actually kind of fun though because the people that did come were super engaged and asking lots of good questions. Teaching to one person would be even weirder though. At least that student basically got their own private tutoring session!