My Experience as a Teaching Assistant

by Kristy Barrazae

Becoming a teaching assistant for Dr. Barchard’s Introduction to Statistical Methods class provided me with skills and experience I need to succeed in life. Currently, I am majoring in psychology and English, and I plan on attending graduate school to pursue a master’s in social psychology. Since I am preparing for graduate school, I find it important to get as much experience in psychology as possible.

As a teaching assistant for Dr. Barchard, I took on various responsibilities. For instance, I was responsible for teaching students to use Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS). None of the students had used SPSS in the past, which is why I was there to guide them and answer any questions. The students completed an assignment each week, and I graded their assignments and provided notes on how to improve their work for the future. Also, I was responsible for monitoring the students when they took tests. After administering their exams, I helped grade both their exams and their formula sheets.

One of the most important things I learned as a teaching assistant was that it is vital to have strong interpersonal skills. Without successful communication, students could do poorly on assignments or tests. During my first day, I let the students know that I was always available over email and text message. It was important to build strong communication from the very beginning because the students jumped right into their first assignment. Since the majority of students had never taken a statistics course before, there were many questions, but I was able to answer all of them because I have abundant experience using this program. After the first day, fewer and fewer questions were asked because the students were grasping the material.

Occasionally, a student would ask me a question that I had no idea what the answer was. When that happened, I sat down with the student and worked on the issue with them, starting from the very beginning of the problem. Together, the student and I worked out the problem and came to a solution. I never gave up on a problem because I wanted every student to succeed and master the use of SPSS.

As I became more empathetic and understanding towards the students’ problems, I also mastered the art of patience. On some occasions, students got frustrated with learning how to use SPSS. During those instances, I did my best to understand the student’s frustrations. I would discuss the importance of learning SPSS for their future with research and data, and show the student different methods of coping with the stress of learning a new program. Also, since our lab assignments were completed on computers, I had to be patient with technology. At times, there were issues with the computers, and I remained calm, patient, and vigilant to get the students back to work, which always worked in the end. Finding success inside the classroom was amazing, but I always remembered that it was only one aspect of my role of teaching assistant.

The last, but not least, skill that I learned as a teaching assistant was time-management. Teaching the students and administering exams was only some of the job; I spent a lot of time grading over the weekends. It was extremely important for me to tailor my schedule because the number of assignments that needed grading easily reached over 100 if I waited too long. Since I am currently a student, I had my other classes to worry about, which is why I was determined to set aside certain times to grade assignments. Time-management for a college student is always tricky, but it is one of the most useful skills anyone can have.

My experience as a teaching assistant for Dr. Barchard gave me the expertise that will open doors to more graduate schools, job opportunities, and everyday experiences. By the end of the semester, I found myself considering a career in teaching after graduate school. Time-management, interpersonal skills, determination, empathy, and patience are the skills that helped me become a well-rounded teaching assistant, but the impression the students left on me was greater than all of those: The most fulfilling moments were watching students succeed. In additionthe students I taught were my peers, which made it possible to form lasting bonds with them. Overall, my experience being a teaching assistant is something I will cherish forever because it provided me with essential skills, everlasting friendships, and a confidence in myself I never knew I had.

Kristy is a dual-major in English and psychology. She has been a member of the Interactive Measurement Group since spring 2016 and plans to graduate in fall 2018. She is also a member of the Murray Social Psychology Lab. Her research with Dr. Barchard and experience as a teaching assistant for an Introduction to Statistical Methods course have inspired her to earn a Master’s degree in Social Psychology. After earning her Master’s degree, she would like to pursue a career in teaching while she writes fictional books during her free time.