#undergrad ta

[justsuchsmallhurts]

the prof i TA-ed for this semester, my favorite professor of all time, got me a thank you gift for working for her and oh mes dieux i might just die

[jungleuniversity]

Landing the Undergrad TA Position

Hi everyone! I've been an undergrad TA for econ for two semesters now and just wanted to share some general advice and information for becoming an undergrad TA. I’ll be speaking from the perspective of an Economics major, but this applies to many other majors as well.

Setting the Stage

Complete introductory level courses with flying colors. Be attentive/participate in class and try to get to know the professor. They do not need to know you very well but should be able to recognize you.

Excelling in the following intermediate courses will set you apart from other students. It is here that many students decide to switch majors or begin to feel challenged. If you did not do as well as you wanted in introductory courses, doing well in the intermediate level shows improvement and mastery of the introductory subject. For me, doing well in intermediate microeconomics resulted in my first interview and later a department scholarship.

Gain relevant experience. Most professors do not require prior teaching experience, but having experience as a department tutor, peer-assisted study session leader, etc. can help set you apart (and give you experience in teaching others).

Finding the Position

In some cases, a professor will actively look for TAs, and in rare cases, may contact you first with an offer. If this happens, grab the opportunity. Do not rely on this happening, however.

Check the relevant department’s website or course sites. Postings for undergraduate TA positions may be on your department’s website or posted by a professor in your current course website (Canvas, Blackboard, etc.). 

Reach out to professors you want to TA for. Sometimes, your best bet is to email the professor you took an introductory course with. Additionally, introductory courses will typically have at least 2 or 3 professors teaching the course at any given time, and it is to your benefit to contact them as well. 

The Interview

This stage can be rather nerve-racking. Try to relax (it’s okay to be nervous!), and dress appropriately (does not have to be very fancy, but don’t look rugged). The interview will likely be ten to fifteen minutes.

You will be asked about why you want to be a TA. This requires a very personal and thoughtful answer and can include anything from a commitment to teaching as a career to a desire to understand the subject on a deeper level by helping others understand it. Think about this beforehand, and be prepared to elaborate in length. 

Part of the “test” during this interview is your speaking skills. By conversing with the professor in a professional, yet relaxed and confident manner, you can prove to them that you are capable of speaking in front of an audience of 30 or more students.

Best of luck,

Shayon

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[preppybiologist]

ugh, academic politics

Someone* in my department decided that undergrads shouldn't be grading undergrads (and found out I was). Now I'm not allowed to grade or even see my students' grades.

Thanks for taking away half of my experience as a TA. What were you so worried about? that I'm not impartial? What's to say that as an undergrad, I'm not? And what exactly makes you as a professor so impartial? Because in every class I've taken here, I've seen favoritism... Have you forgotten how much you can learn from grading? About your students and their understanding of the material, but also about yourself and your expectations? My professor already knows, so why not let me learn (I want to be a prof., after all). Are you upset because no one ever wants to TA your classes? That might happen if you were nicer (also I was approached by my professor, not the other way around).

I guess I have more time to look at grad schools now?

* I don't know who it was, but I have it narrowed down to 2 or 3 people (it's a small department). And I'm pretty sure it's the same person who complained when my friend was a TA (I replaced him for 2 classes, the others are now TA-less) because they didn't like the idea of undergrads teaching undergrads.