Limits
If there's one thing I can't stand more than Yes-men, it's pointless idiocy.
As a Teaching Assisstant, I get up first thing on Monday mornings and observe a full staff member teach the first section of lab for the week. This is to let TAs know what to do with their labs, things like material to cover, time to spend on a subject, and ways to present difficult subjects.
Despite it being Dr. Wood's lab, the wonderful and hilarious Maija (pronounced "Maya") teaches that section instead. I've known Maija for several years. She's a very smart, intelligent person to be around. Also, since she's originally from Latvia, she's got that cool Eastern European accent going.
Tangent: Last Friday, I was discussing room schedules with the other TAs and Maija asked, "Are you arguing?" I made a (half-) joke that we would be soon, to which she replied, "OK, then I want to see blood."
Anyway, without asking any of us, she put all us TAs to work teaching her class. She rearranged the groups to fit the number of "teachers" present. I had a few problems with this. First, I don't care if you're the King of Spain or the Rock of Gibraltar, you will ask me to do something extra or I probably won't do it. Second, I don't want anyone else messing with my authority in my class, so I don't want to mess with anyone else's; that's a quick way to get flaws in what students learn. Third, it's not my job. I'm supposed to be a "fly on the wall." At most, I can answer questions students might have, but nothing more than that. I was the only one not telling the students what every last little thing was.
First thing you learn in college about writing: show, don't tell. It works just as well for teaching. It's another version of the old line, "Fish for a man, feed him for a day; show a man how to fish, feed him for a lifetime."
If this happens again, I'm going to be blunt with Maija about what I'm supposed to do in her class--because I have a lot of respect for her. If that doesn't work, then I think my going to that lab is optional....
Lauren. Not happening. She knew I was in the room and walked by without really even giving me more than a glance. She wasn't being uppity, she was just leaving. That's how I knew the window of opportunity there had come and gone.
Immediately after finding this bit of information out, I started outlining cultural differences between the rival nations in Ashes of War. I figured out how their police systems, roads, buildings, and local governments work. I got on a good roll with thoughts and ideas with that. I was quite pleased.
As a Teaching Assisstant, I get up first thing on Monday mornings and observe a full staff member teach the first section of lab for the week. This is to let TAs know what to do with their labs, things like material to cover, time to spend on a subject, and ways to present difficult subjects.
Despite it being Dr. Wood's lab, the wonderful and hilarious Maija (pronounced "Maya") teaches that section instead. I've known Maija for several years. She's a very smart, intelligent person to be around. Also, since she's originally from Latvia, she's got that cool Eastern European accent going.
Tangent: Last Friday, I was discussing room schedules with the other TAs and Maija asked, "Are you arguing?" I made a (half-) joke that we would be soon, to which she replied, "OK, then I want to see blood."
Anyway, without asking any of us, she put all us TAs to work teaching her class. She rearranged the groups to fit the number of "teachers" present. I had a few problems with this. First, I don't care if you're the King of Spain or the Rock of Gibraltar, you will ask me to do something extra or I probably won't do it. Second, I don't want anyone else messing with my authority in my class, so I don't want to mess with anyone else's; that's a quick way to get flaws in what students learn. Third, it's not my job. I'm supposed to be a "fly on the wall." At most, I can answer questions students might have, but nothing more than that. I was the only one not telling the students what every last little thing was.
First thing you learn in college about writing: show, don't tell. It works just as well for teaching. It's another version of the old line, "Fish for a man, feed him for a day; show a man how to fish, feed him for a lifetime."
If this happens again, I'm going to be blunt with Maija about what I'm supposed to do in her class--because I have a lot of respect for her. If that doesn't work, then I think my going to that lab is optional....
Lauren. Not happening. She knew I was in the room and walked by without really even giving me more than a glance. She wasn't being uppity, she was just leaving. That's how I knew the window of opportunity there had come and gone.
Immediately after finding this bit of information out, I started outlining cultural differences between the rival nations in Ashes of War. I figured out how their police systems, roads, buildings, and local governments work. I got on a good roll with thoughts and ideas with that. I was quite pleased.
posted by LEN! at 11:33 PM
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