Course offered in: Spring 2022

My journey as a TA: I had always wanted to teach after coming to IITB, some of my first-year course TAs were great and that was one of the reasons I chose to apply for MA111 TAship.

The TAship came with the typical hassles of online teaching: awkward silences and internet disruptions. During these moments, I got a glimpse of what Profs went through during my classes. My sessions followed the same pattern: I used to go over the theory that the kids were taught in the previous week for the first 15 minutes or so, then continued with the questions to be discussed. I solved the questions in the tut itself as I found beamer slides dull. In the end, I asked the colourful MsTeams boxes whether there were any doubts post which we’ll call it a day. I also maintained a WA group to help resolve any leftover queries.

TAship helps you become more proficient in the subject and greatly enhances your analytical and communication skills.You have to explain the content in a way that is neither too mundane nor too complex, as you are catering to a wide variety of audience. Every person in your Tut batch should take away something from that discussion. This requires time and patience to inculcate but once developed it boosts your persona.

Responsibilities” As a TA you are the first point of contact for your tutees regarding any logistical or academic issue related to the course. It is your responsibility to answer their queries promptly. You should be well prepared before any tut session and thorough with the theory to address all doubts. Rest, just stay patient with everyone; each person has their own pace of understanding and learning. You might be required to proctor and correct answer scripts, although this wasn’t required in this course and at the end collect cribs and distribute marks. The exact work allocation is Professor dependent.

Overall Experience: I had fun teaching the course as it was one of my favourite freshie year courses. I got to interact with many juniors. Although the sessions were online, the students were patient whenever interruptions or other technical difficulties happened. I got to know the numerous ways different people approach any problem. Overall it was an amazing experience. On the last tut, I held an informal session where we played some games. Subsequently, the tutees scrounged a treat from me when they came to campus.

Time Commitment: Time commitment isn’t much. I used to see the slides a day before the tutorial and look over the solutions or solve the questions. The entire commitment is ~3 hours of preparation + 1 hour of tutorial per week.