By Farzam Sepanta, Teaching Assistant, PhD Candidate in Building Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University
Students’ and teaching assistants’ (TA) success are two sides of the same coin. This piece will start by exploring the role of TAs in students’ success and the reciprocal benefits that TAs gain from this experience. Assisting professors and instructors with their instructional responsibilities is the main role of teaching assistants, but does this role hold more than that?
Inspiring students
Often, students see professors and their achievements as distant, while teaching assistants, who are earlier in their careers, provide a more relatable example. The role of TAs can be seen as a bridge to the next steps for students, especially for those considering a career in higher education or pursuing a graduate degree. While most academic institutions offer career services, undergraduate students often turn to their TAs for firsthand insights into what a graduate degree or industry holds for them. This is where the role of TAs goes beyond assisting professors; they inspire students by showcasing potential future paths. A TA can provide students with a firsthand experience and a broader perspective on their career possibilities, making their aspirations feel more tangible and achievable.
Helping students Achieve their maximum potential
I remember during my early days, my TAs played an important role in my success. They were always willing to meet with me and answer my questions. As a TA, I strive to help my students thrive in the same way. I see the role of a TA as an assistant who helps students reach their maximum potential and excel in their education. TAs have the flexibility to engage with students and support them in achieving their goals. For example, TAs can discuss with students how certain topics are trending in a subject area, helping them expand their expertise and perhaps focus on a specific topic for their graduate degree.
Teaching critical thinking
Often, TAs are tasked with solving problems or teaching small sections of topics as part of their responsibilities. This process can extend far beyond theoretical concepts, as TAs can provide students with real-life examples of how solving problems can help humanity thrive. For instance, in one of our courses, students are required to measure their energy consumption and come up with innovative solutions to improve their energy efficiency. When assisting students with this task, TAs must guide them through various materials, from building codes to developing their own metrics. Throughout this process, TAs can illustrate how some of the tasks at hand are significant issues that experienced engineers are still working on. This not only demonstrates the real-world importance of classroom topics but also emphasizes the need for students to rely on their judgment and critical thinking skills to solve problems. Critical thinking is one of the most important skills students gain throughout their education, and TAs play a crucial role in accelerating this development.
Promoting collaboration and teamwork
Most classes in academia require collaboration and teamwork. TAs play a huge role not only in helping students build teams and collaborate but also in assisting them in gaining skills in team building, team management, consensus building, conflict resolution, and many more. These skills are vital not only in the classroom but also in their careers. We all have the experience of attending a workshop where, by the end, people tend to stick with those they initially met or already knew. Similarly, in the classroom, students often form groups based on familiarity. While students are free to form their own teams, TAs can design team-based activities that shuffle students’ teams, exposing them to different classmates and helping them develop essential collaboration, teamwork, and communication skills.
Benefits for TAs
Previous topics were some of the less frequently mentioned yet fundamental roles TAs play in assisting their students thrive. But how do teaching assistantships help TAs?
Pedagogical experience and skill development
Whether someone is teaching for the first time or has years of experience, there is always room for improvement. TAs gain valuable experience through teaching tutorials, solving examples, and helping students. Additionally, being a TA provides opportunities to develop leadership skills such as decision-making, time management, and the ability to inspire students. These skills are crucial for TAs’ future careers. Being a TA is not only about teaching; it’s also about professional development. Numerous professional development programs are available for TAs to enhance their teaching methods and approaches. These programs help TAs become better versions of themselves, benefiting their students’ success.
Expanding academic network
Furthermore, TAs expand their academic networks by collaborating with professors, students, and staff members. This collaboration offers firsthand experience in higher education settings, particularly beneficial for those pursuing careers in academia.
Continuous improvement
Moreover, TAs receive feedback on their performance, allowing for continuous improvement. Exposure to a diverse range of students, perspectives, learning styles, and topics helps TAs gain experience and become more effective instructors.
My journey as a TA at Carleton University significantly improved my teaching skills. From preparing lesson plans and designing engaging classroom activities to developing empathy and refining my teaching methods, being a TA has been an invaluable experience. It is an essential step for anyone pursuing a career in teaching. I had the privilege of working with over 300 students during my time as a TA at Carleton University. My students honored me by nominating me for an Outstanding TA Award, for which I received an honorable mention. However, the most rewarding experience was seeing my students graduate and attending their graduation ceremonies.
Gratefully yours in the journey of learning,
Farzam Sepanta
Farzam Sepanta is a researcher at Carleton University. He is a member of the Human Building Interaction Lab (HBI) and his research focuses on the comprehensive assessment of the energy impact of teleworking in different domains of transportation, residential buildings, offices, and information and communication technologies (ICT). With a specialization in decarbonization and human building interaction, he has authored more than 15 publications on energy optimization, occupant behavior, daylighting and optimum lighting, multi-objective optimization, and virtual reality in peer-reviewed journals and conferences.