• Introduction

• Content of the Learning Community

• Structure of the Learning Community

• Rationale for the Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Model

• Compatibility of Teaching and Learning Needs

• Recruitment and Selection of the Teaching Assistants

• Preparation of the Teaching Assistants

• Roles and Conflicts

• The Teaching Team

• Evaluating the Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Model

• The Experiences of the Teaching Assistants

• The Pedagogic Value of the Model

• Printable Text of Article

© Copyright 2000 by Kimberly Eby (keby1@gmu.edu) and Paula Gilbert (pgilbert@gmu.edu). The right to make additional exact copies, including this notice, for personal and classroom use, is hereby granted. All other forms of distribution and copying require permission of the author.

Several noted how their experience as a TA furthered learning in their specific fields of study. As one explained: 

The assignment of group work complemented my field of study through both research and practice. I found that through observation of my groups and the dynamics in the class I noticed different trends related to group work. These observations have helped me begin noticing the same patterns in different classes and forums. I would be interested in pursuing research on some of these trends in the future.

In fact, as we look at where each of the TAs is now, we can see how this experience strengthened their commitment to their fields of interest and study. Two of the TAs are in graduate school in conflict analysis and resolution programs; one is continuing community service work abroad, including work in the area of violence prevention; one is teaching elementary school students; and one is hoping to work studying issues of violence and gender internationally. 

Furthermore, the TAs were struck by the amount of work that is required to prepare and deliver a course successfully, particularly a complex, interdisciplinary, team-taught learning community. They reported that they had no idea of the time commitment, the level of collaboration, and the thought that goes into teaching a course. They were also taken aback at the effort that is required to respond thoughtfully to students, whether about work required for the class or issues external to the classroom environment. A TA addressed this idea when he wrote: 

Another important aspect of my experience was to learn how to effectively communicate to the students and how to ask relevant and poignant questions in the classroom. . . . I have learned body language and voice tone also impact how students will respond to you, and that certain dynamics (i.e. comfort level and patterns of interaction or participation) are not always obvious unless the professor gives them special attention.

Another TA expressed her surprise at how invested she felt in one student's academic success after providing feedback on early drafts of papers and offering assistance with writing. She reported that she had never imagined that her professors might care so much about what she learned and how she performed in their classes: 

I found that I was always very hopeful that the students would do well and was quite saddened when they failed to do well on various tasks. I often found myself stopping to talk to the students outside the classroom . . . discussing certain issues that may have been brought up in class or ensuring that they understood why I wrote certain comments on their rough-drafts. In a way, I felt as though their success was also my success.

Finally, perhaps more than anything else, all of the TAs expressed amazement at the sense of community that we developed as a teaching team, and how that contributed to success in the classroom. As one TA wrote: 

I believe the essence of this experience lies in Drs. Eby and Gilbert choice of team members and the underlying structure of the team's interaction, which they orchestrated. The members of the teaching team possessed unique strengths and abilities that enhanced the overall team effort. In addition, there was a unity of commitment and enthusiasm with which each member approached this project. The combination of unique ability and harmony of effort created an atmosphere that inspired excellence.

Next Section: "The Pedagogic Value of the Model"

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