Planning & Leading TA Sessions

First-Day Organization

The first class TAs attend may be the course lecture, in which case their course instructor will lead the session. For their first day leading a session, recitation, or lab, TAs should put their best foot forward by preparing carefully ahead of time. Before class, TAs may wish to:

• Visit their assigned classroom or laboratory. Learn how to get there. Check that the room is stocked with chalk or markers and erasers. Check that classroom technology is in working order, particularly if audio or visual materials will be shown in class.
• Print the course roster. If the TA is required to take attendance, have a method ready to mark down who is present.
• Prepare any handouts for the students. Bring extras in case students have enrolled in the course at the last minute.
• Have a written plan for what will be covered in the first class. This will ensure that no crucial information is missed.

During the first class, TAs may wish to:

• Introduce themselves. This is a great opportunity for TAs to explain why they are interested in the subject (or field) and to foster students' excitement about the course. TAs may also want to have students introduce themselves, if there is time, so that they can begin to learn their names and gather information about why students are taking the course.
• Provide their email and office hours. TAs should also ensure that this information is on the syllabus or Moodle course site.
• Explain how the course is structured, vis-a-vis the syllabus. Make note of exam and assignment dates. Note the major themes or competencies the course will go over.

First-Day Anxieties

It is completely normal for TAs to be nervous on the first day of class, or for the first several weeks of the term. The following advice, from experienced Bryn Mawr TAs, may help TAs to manage their first-day anxieties and ensure a smooth first class.

• If you feel nervous about the first day of class, you should come a little early. You can say hello to a few students at a time and feel that you are welcoming them to the class rather than walking in, precisely on time, to face a room full of strangers. 
• Do not feel obligated to say that you are nervous, or that you are new. Students expect teachers and TAs to take charge, so to a certain extent you can role-play for the first few days. As your confidence level rises, you can cut back on “acting” like a teacher as you internalize your role and become a teacher. 
• Do not worry if you do not know all the things you will be asked whether about the course or the material. Your students may at first expect you to be the complete authority on your topic but if you let them know that you are an informed, advanced student and teacher, you will both ensure reasonable expectations and provide a model of a thoughtful, non-authoritarian member of the profession. 
• Make a note of questions you are not able to answer, check with your course instructor, then get back to the student with an answer.