Becoming a Teaching Assistant (TA)

Becoming a Teacher's Assistant

An exciting part of the college experience is branching out into the opportunities you have for work on campus. It involves discovering what you do and don’t like to do, as well as making connections with professors and peers that can benefit you along the way. 

I knew when I got to college, I wanted to work in something closely related to my field of study, journalism. I also wanted to work closely with peers and professors with whom I can learn as much as possible. In my first year of college, I primarily worked on student reporting and content creation, collaborating with a diverse range of staff, professors, and peers. Within my first year, I learned about the style of writing used in journalism and developed my own personal style. I developed connections with my fellow student journalists, who then introduced me to people with whom I would later work and connect. 

What does this have to do with being a Teaching Assistant (TA) or how to become one? Well, a big part of being a TA is finding a professor who needs a TA. Not every professor on campus requires a TA. Some classes are big or small; however, typically larger classes have assistants to aid the professor with tasks such as grading, answering student questions, taking attendance, and more. The functions of the Teaching Assistant are heavily dependent on the course. I am a TA for technical communication with Professor Susan Quatro. 

I discovered that she needed a TA last year at the College of Liberal Arts' end-of-year gala. My former coworkers for the College of Liberal Arts (COLA) student reporting were graduating and had previously worked with Professor Quatro. They introduced me to Quatro and gave me her email, encouraging me to reach out to her if I had the time. 

It wasn’t until late summer in July, after my classes had been confirmed, that I decided to reach out and ask if she still needed assistance. At first, it was not guaranteed, but closer to the start of my second-year fall semester, Quatro reached out again, saying she had room for one more TA. 

Excitedly, I took on the position. My goal when I accepted the role was to help Professor Quatro as much as possible, while also growing my connections within the college and assisting other students. 

The Work of a TA

This fall marks my first year of working with a professor in the classroom, rather than as a student. I compare being a TA to being a semi-qualified tutor or teacher. Students come to us with questions; we grade their assignments and quizzes, take their attendance, provide feedback, and offer additional support as needed, depending on the day. With all these responsibilities, it takes excellent time management skills inside and outside the classroom. 

It’s important to remember you are also a student at RIT. Therefore, you must be responsible for your own classwork and grades while doing your best to support your students in the class you are working with. For the first three weeks of classes, I struggled with that balance. The work doesn’t end after the 50 minutes you spend in the classroom. That’s not enough time to handle grades and questions, so what do you do? 
Take it out of the classroom and build a schedule that works best for you. Every TA is different; some work at night, evenings, by assignment, or right on top of it. For me, I tackle it one assignment at a time. Each morning, approximately 2 hours before my classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I work on grading based on the previous week's assignments. That allows me to have some time in my busy schedule to be unbothered and focus solely on feedback. In addition to grading, I spend some time working on attendance for students who won’t be in class that day and have communicated this to me.

There are some drawbacks to this method. It takes me longer to review my students' work within two weeks, as per our policy. But that is okay because other TAs are working with me who can help pick up the ball when I drop it. The work of a TA is more of a collaborative effort than a solo endeavor and requires the effective use of practical communication skills. 

If you are new to RIT or have been here for some time, consider venturing out and becoming a TA if you have the time. It is a great experience to work closely and collaboratively with your professors and students. You’ll learn, grow, and connect within your program. If you're interested, reach out and ask your professors: “Do you need a TA?”