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KULTURE
THE UNIVERSITY DARY KANSAN WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2006
John Zacharias, Lawrence Freshman, discusses his homework with Glenna Short, Edmond, Okla., junior. Undergraduates account for about two-thirds of the Kansas Alggebra Program's teaching assistants.
Student teachers perform job well
BY BRYAN DYKMAN
It is a Friday afternoon and about half of the expected 24 students have shown up to Alex Raymond's math class. At the end of the period, after the last student has filed out, Raymond collects the few pieces of homework the students handed in.
KAP isn't the only department to use and employ undergraduate TAs. The biology, chemistry and economics departments all use undergraduates in their programs, but not quite like KAP does.
Raymond, Leawood junior, is one of nearly 100 teaching assistants working for the Kansas Algebra Program. The TAs are, on average, only one or two years older than the students they are instructing. Undergraduates account for roughly two-thirds of KAP's discussion leaders.
To account for such large enrollment numbers — more than 2,200 students in both Math 101 and 002 — KAP divided its students into smaller discussions, with each discussion led by either a graduate or undergraduate TA.
Most of the Tas in KAP said their proximity in age to the students was beneficial.
But while the age may make the undergraduate TAs more approachable, it also creates frustrating gaps between the TAs and their classes.
"The age has a lot to do with the approachability factor," Raymond said. "There's no better way to get a student to get it than have another student teach it."
"All of the TAs are good students. We look for that when we hire them," Ingrid Peterson, director of KAP, said. "They are surprised and sometimes frustrated when they see that some of their students don't share those
same values."
This certainly isn't the case with all the students in KAP, Peterson said. Any new teacher undergraduate or otherwise, would have a similar reaction when some students did not perform as expected.
Nationally, beginning algebra programs have had withdraw/ failure rates as high as 40 to 50 percent. Peterson said. These classes are taught online or by an adjunct professor in a large lecture hall. KAP's withdraw/failure rate is a combined 20 to 25 percent.
"We've had lots of positive feedback," Peterson said. "I've heard students say that the undergraduate TAs are right on their level, and that communication is stronger because of the closeness in age."
"Math, especially at this level, requires more of a focus by both the student and the teacher," Peterson said, "That is why we don't allow more than 22 students in any Math 002 class and 24 students in Math 101."
Without undergraduate TA involvement, Peterson would have to lecture in front of all the students and be unable to accommodate individual needs and questions, something she said KAP does best.
Alex Bergin, who is enrolled in a Math 105 class with 300 students, estimated that about 15 to 20 students show up unless a test is given, about 5 percent of the total enrolled.
"The fact that it is an extremely large class with relatively little class participation endures skiing, regardless of whether or not you understand the material," Bergin said.
Back in Raymond's classroom, the undergraduate knows that the amount of homework the
students turned in isn't a reflection on the number of students who understand the material. Combined with grade printouts and test scores, Raymond uses a simple system to see if his students understand the material: he will pause from time to time and look at his class and count the number of sour faces. If all is clear, he'll continue.
This year, KAP is employing undergraduates who are psychology, philosophy, education and engineering majors. And while age and major contribute to the TAs effectiveness, assistant KAP director Melinda Montgomery, thinks another factor makes a TA a successful teacher.
"We [all the TAs] are good at math, but that doesn't mean that we are all completely mathematically inclined," Raymond said. "Having TAs with a broader range of interests helps us communicate with the students who also have interests outside of math."
"It's less to do with age and more to do with managing the class and the TA's ability to communicate effectively," Montgomery said.
Fifth-semester TA Bridget Franklin, Topeka senior, exemplifies Montgomery's ideal. After one TA was dismissed, Franklin took on more students in her class. She says she has come to be more of a peer counselor to her students than just a TA. Recently, she helped one of her students settle a roommate dispute after class.
Kansan correspondent Bryan Dykman can be contacted at editor@kansan.com.
"This class is hard," she said. "But it's your responsibility as a teacher to be open and let your students who are not succeeding know you are here to help them."
Edited by Jacky Carter
Jeff Stebbins, Lawrence freshman, works on his math homework with help from his teaching assistant Alex Raymond, Leawood junior. Raymond is one of nearly 100 TAs for the Kansas Algebra Program.
Photos contributed by Kevin Grunwald
Stephanie Smith, Topeka junior, assists Charlotte Lipsky, Prairie Village freshman, with her math assignment. The Kansas Algebra Program uses undergraduate students as teaching assistants, so there's only a few years difference in age.
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