My First Day

On Wednesday, August 29th was the first day of class. I arrived about twenty minutes early to write an outline of the class session on the board. When the students started to arrive, I tried to make myself look busy by reviewing something in my journal. All the while, I was saying internally, "When should I say something--when do I break the ice and speak." My memory fails me now as to what I actually said to get the class going, (it probably was something like "So, who likes 8 o'clock classes). Come to think of it that's what I said, "So, who likes 8 o'clock classes" and some students begin to smile.

The night before I struggled with the idea of what to do for an introduction activity. Finally, I decided to read the class a piece of flash fiction by author Sandra Cisneros, from her collection "The House on Mango Street." The idea behind the activity was solid, I would read the story and explain the changes the main character Esperanza encountered as she both hated and loved the house she spent most of her childhood. This would lead into the introductions of the class, we would each state one thing we loved and hated about where we came from being with me. The purpose of this was to get to know the students and for them to get to kow each other. One problem that I encountered was as the students were talking I was too busy writing down their names, and really didn't get to learn their names.

First Day of Blogging N'Stuff

This is my blog. This is me. Goodbye :)
This is going to be so much fun--can't you feel it? I can.
Ok, let's go.

Something about the reading ...

In the Teacher's Assistant Handbook, I found the discussion on the conflicting roles TAs generally face very interesting, because as a first-year teaching assistant separating the two can be challenging. It's also encouraging to know that there is literature out there about this concern most newbies fixate on, so the feeling of "going at it alone" transforms into "going at it together" with the help of mentors and other departmental staff.