1995_09 The Daily Collegian September 1995

              News Editor: Leah Perich
Telephone: (209) 278-2486
News
THE DAILY
COLLEGIAN
Thursday, September 21, 1995
TAs adjust to teaching while still learning
By Draeger Martinez
Staff Writer
They're fresh-faced, excited, and
look young enough to be attending
that introductory-level class. But
surprise — they're the instructors,
though they're still students too.
Many departments on the Cali¬
fornia State University, Fresno cam¬
pus offer classes taught by profes¬
sors and lecturers only.
However, some, such as chem¬
istry and engineering, have gradu¬
ate students assist lecturers by con¬
ducting laboratory sections.
But a few disciplines offer ac¬
tual teaching positions for graduate
students, such as teaching associ¬
ates, or TAs.
Tom DeMarchi, a fall master's
candidate in English, finds the En¬
glish 1 section he teaches "a good
bunch of eager, serious students.
The only expectation I had going
in was that I'd learn things about
myself and the nature of teaching,
as well as teach some things."
While enjoying her teaching ex¬
perience as welljellow English TA
Jennifer Sheehan strives to over¬
come an unforeseen obstacle. "I
didn't think my students would be
so hesitant to discuss and'partici¬
pate," Sheehan said. "More and
more,'I find myself going back and
remembering what teachers I've
had have done to spark participa¬
tion."
David Balzer, a Speech 3 in¬
structor working on his master's in
speech communication, has found
some aspects of teaching surprising.
"In"the past," Balzer said, "I've
done plenty of seminars, workshops
and other one-time events, so the
aspect of conveying information to
groups remains the same."
"What's new for me," Balzer
said, "is the sense that I'm part of
the students' educational continu¬
ity. It demands I take more of a
long-term perspective than with
seminars,"
Balancing their roles as students
and teachers provides singular chal¬
lenges to the TAs, -
• "I'm definitely taking things I
learn in classes I've attended and
applying them to my English 1 stu¬
dents," DeMarchi said. "Not strictly
the material, but also teaching tech¬
niques, finding what works and
what doesn't, then trying to emu¬
late what works."
"What I've been finding very
time-consuming," Sheehan said, "is
trying to do more than just the pre- .
scribed teaching methods. I want to
be creative and original in my teach¬
ing, on top of taking a full load of
classes toward my master's. The
students, via written feedback, have
let me know that they do appreci¬
ate the extra effort."
Balzer and Sheehan have not yet
found their own youth much of an
issue, even if their students may be
only a few years younger.
Balzer said, "I try to dress and
act in a manner that projects my
sense of professionalism and dis¬
tance. I want them to see me as an
instructor, not a peer, though I cer¬
tainly try to stay open and friendly
to everyone."
"I try to make the classroom a
good mix of casual and profes¬
sional," Sheehan said. "They pay
attention both to what I say and how
I say it, and I do try things they'll
relate to, and they see that."
"The first day of my class,"
DeMarchi said, "I walked in wear¬
ing shorts, sandals and a T-shirt.
When I announced I was the in¬
structor, there was this audible gasp
of surprise, but I think the students
feel comfortable around me. Hope¬
fully, that comfort level will help
them gain confidence in their writ¬
ing."
Before being selected for an
associate-ship in the English depart¬
ment, graduate students are recom¬
mended to take English 281, Cur¬
rent Writing Theory. Alternately, a
candidate may gain one semester's
experience tutoring in the depart¬
mental Writing Center.
Once selected. English TAs also
take English 282, Practicum in the
Teaching of Writing, to share teach¬
ing experiences and strategies.
Balzer said that prior to selec¬
tion, the speech TAs took Speech
214, the Communication Education
Seminar. "It (Speech 214] reminded
me* that the speech discipline will
inform my teaching style." Balzer
said, "so I include numerous small-
group activities^ The idea is to turn
teaching from communication as
performance to communication as
encounter."
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