Any experience being a teaching assistant?

[flyguy3bua]

My contract also has a preset maximum hours of work per term. Works out to $30/hr.

[Mach]

I TA chem at UTSC

$26.50/ hour and the best part is invigilating .. i get the same rate for just standing there

[yan84]

So do you guys need to spend a lot of time preparing before each tutorial or lab? I really wanna be one too coz of the pay but I suck at giving presentations and my english is not perfect..

[Bmp5]

Dont worry about english.If you know your stuffs,you would be fine.

[UrbanPoet]

My contract also has a preset maximum hours of work per term. Works out to $30/hr.

ahh pre-set maximum hours? Meaning if you use up all those hrs and still have work that needs to be finished ur kinda obligated to work extra eh? I guess thats why my t/a's complained of 'not being paid' for 'xtra work'

[trusoulja2g]

So do you guys need to spend a lot of time preparing before each tutorial or lab? I really wanna be one too coz of the pay but I suck at giving presentations and my english is not perfect..

Suck at presentations + English not perfect = your students may not like you the best.

But profs don't really care. TA's are usually just the people who got the highest marks in the class and have the best relationship with the prof. As I said, it's a reward for great academic performance. I consider it more like a scholarship than a real job.

[cchiu]

I TA'ed 1st year Calc @ UTM a few years back. As another poster said, you'll be nervous the first time but after a few classes and getting to know the students, you'll adjust.

I found that the best approach was to keep the classroom "flat"....don't make the students feel intimidated. Make yourself approachable and encourage questions before, during and after class if you're available. Students apprecriate that.

Yes, you get paid $20+ / hour but you don't get paid for all the hours that you work. For example, test marking, office hours, test invigulating (sp?) are not paid for.

Good luck