Suggestion 103. Attend or lead lab or discussion sections yourself

IF YOU WANT TO:

• Know if the class is understanding you or not

• Know if the students are bored or confused

• Give help to students who are having problems

• Get to know at least some of your students

Attending or leading lab or discussion sections yourself.

Several faculty report that they always lead one lab or discussion group themselves so that they have firsthand knowledge of how the course is going.

"Students vary considerably in their command of prerequisite subject matter in this course," one faculty member explains. "It's a tough course and the chief task is to find out as soon as possible who is going to have trouble and to give them help early on. I can't find that out sitting in my office; I can't always depend on the TAs to let me know. Also the atmosphere in the biological sciences is so fiercely competitive, many of the students try to hide their weaknesses until it is too late for me to help them."

Another faculty member in the sciences agrees. "I find there is no substitute for knowing firsthand how students are doing, what parts of the course they are grasping well, what parts need more explanation or more opportunities for practice."

Many excellent teachers also attend the lab or discussion groups led by their TAs to observe or to participate. In labs, they circulate through the lab, observing, asking questions, or lending a hand to students who may be having special difficulties. In this way, they also hope to provide the TAs with good role models.

Limitations on Use of Suggestion

  Discipline:  None
Course Level:  None
 Course Size:  None
        Mode:  Laboratory or discussion sections

Copyright 1983 by the Regents of the University of California

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