dan0075

There's a lot of great advice here. The only thing I would add is that I learned that you have to let go of wanting the students to like you. Of course you want them to respect you and to create an environment where they feel safe to express themselves and that they're being evaluated and graded fairly. That said, be careful of trying to be so laid back that they lose sight that the TA/student relationship is a strictly professional one.
 
Be friendly, yes, but make it clear that when in the classroom you are not their peer (despite your being a student as well) but their instructor. I certainly use humor a great deal in my classes, but I work to set a disciplined tone from the beginning. 
 
As much as it may seem that they want the freedom from boundaries, I don't believe this to be true. Not that student feedback is the most reliable barometer of one's effectiveness, but I have found I have gotten the best feedback from the classes from whom I least expected it, i.e., the classes where I tended to have to take a more hard line approach.
 
Keep in mind that no matter how affable you try to be and how invested you are in their success, there are going to be students who don't like you. We've all had those teachers that we talked about behind their backs. You're going to be that teacher to at least some of your students. Don't sweat it. It comes with the job.

Oh, and one other thing. If you don't get a question and you don't know the answer, don't try to fake it. They can see totally see through that. It's perfectly acceptable to say you don't know the answer, but that you'll look into it. They'll appreciate the follow through much more that your winging it and potentially adding to their confusion.

There's a lot of great advice here. The only thing I would add is that I learned that you have to let go of wanting the students to like you. Of course you want them to respect you and to create an environment where they feel safe to express themselves and that they're being evaluated and graded fairly. That said, be careful of trying to be so laid back that they lose sight that the TA/student relationship is a strictly professional one.
 
Be friendly, yes, but make it clear that when in the classroom you are not their peer (despite your being a student as well) but their instructor. I certainly use humor a great deal in my classes, but I work to set a disciplined tone from the beginning. 
 
As much as it may seem that they want the freedom from boundaries, I don't believe this to be true. Not that student feedback is the most reliable barometer of one's effectiveness, but I have found I have gotten the best feedback from the classes from whom I least expected it, i.e., the classes where I tended to have to take a more hard line approach.
 
Keep in mind that no matter how affable you try to be and how invested you are in their success, there are going to be students who don't like you. We've all had those teachers that we talked about behind their backs. You're going to be that teacher to at least some of your students. Don't sweat it. It comes with the job.

Oh, and one other thing. If you don't get a question and you don't know the answer, don't try to fake it. They can see totally see through that. It's perfectly acceptable to say you don't know the answer, but that you'll look into it. They'll appreciate the follow through much more that your winging it and potentially adding to their confusion.

Oh, and one other thing. If you don't get a question and you don't know the answer, don't try to fake it. They can see totally see through that. It's perfectly acceptable to say you don't know the answer, but that you'll look into it. They'll appreciate the follow through much more that your winging it and potentially adding to their confusion.

All of these tips are great in terms of teaching. But just as important as managing your teaching load is being vigilant about scheduling time for research and writing and honoring that schedule. In other words, the time you've set aside for writing and research should not be considered any more flexible than your scheduled teaching hours. 

Oh, and one other thing. If you don't get a question and you don't know the answer, don't try to fake it. They can see totally see through that. It's perfectly acceptable to say you don't know the answer, but that you'll look into it. They'll appreciate the follow through much more that your winging it and potentially adding to their confusion.

There's a lot of great advice here. The only thing I would add is that I learned that you have to let go of wanting the students to like you. Of course you want them to respect you and to create an environment where they feel safe to express themselves and that they're being evaluated and graded fairly. That said, be careful of trying to be so laid back that they lose sight that the TA/student relationship is a strictly professional one.
 
Be friendly, yes, but make it clear that when in the classroom you are not their peer (despite your being a student as well) but their instructor. I certainly use humor a great deal in my classes, but I work to set a disciplined tone from the beginning. 
 
As much as it may seem that they want the freedom from boundaries, I don't believe this to be true. Not that student feedback is the most reliable barometer of one's effectiveness, but I have found I have gotten the best feedback from the classes from whom I least expected it, i.e., the classes where I tended to have to take a more hard line approach.
 
Keep in mind that no matter how affable you try to be and how invested you are in their success, there are going to be students who don't like you. We've all had those teachers that we talked about behind their backs. You're going to be that teacher to at least some of your students. Don't sweat it. It comes with the job.

All of these tips are great in terms of teaching. But just as important as managing your teaching load is being vigilant about scheduling time for research and writing and honoring that schedule. In other words, the time you've set aside for writing and research should not be considered any more flexible than your scheduled teaching hours. 

There's a lot of great advice here. The only thing I would add is that I learned that you have to let go of wanting the students to like you. Of course you want them to respect you and to create an environment where they feel safe to express themselves and that they're being evaluated and graded fairly. That said, be careful of trying to be so laid back that they lose sight that the TA/student relationship is a strictly professional one.
 
Be friendly, yes, but make it clear that when in the classroom you are not their peer (despite your being a student as well) but their instructor. I certainly use humor a great deal in my classes, but I work to set a disciplined tone from the beginning. 
 
As much as it may seem that they want the freedom from boundaries, I don't believe this to be true. Not that student feedback is the most reliable barometer of one's effectiveness, but I have found I have gotten the best feedback from the classes from whom I least expected it, i.e., the classes where I tended to have to take a more hard line approach.
 
Keep in mind that no matter how affable you try to be and how invested you are in their success, there are going to be students who don't like you. We've all had those teachers that we talked about behind their backs. You're going to be that teacher to at least some of your students. Don't sweat it. It comes with the job.

There's a lot of great advice here. The only thing I would add is that I learned that you have to let go of wanting the students to like you. Of course you want them to respect you and to create an environment where they feel safe to express themselves and that they're being evaluated and graded fairly. That said, be careful of trying to be so laid back that they lose sight that the TA/student relationship is a strictly professional one.
 
Be friendly, yes, but make it clear that when in the classroom you are not their peer (despite your being a student as well) but their instructor. I certainly use humor a great deal in my classes, but I work to set a disciplined tone from the beginning. 
 
As much as it may seem that they want the freedom from boundaries, I don't believe this to be true. Not that student feedback is the most reliable barometer of one's effectiveness, but I have found I have gotten the best feedback from the classes from whom I least expected it, i.e., the classes where I tended to have to take a more hard line approach.
 
Keep in mind that no matter how affable you try to be and how invested you are in their success, there are going to be students who don't like you. We've all had those teachers that we talked about behind their backs. You're going to be that teacher to at least some of your students. Don't sweat it. It comes with the job.

I did my MA part time (6 credits - two three credit classes) while working a demanding 40 hour a week job and it was of course tremendously challenging and I never felt like I had enough time to get it all done. I'm now working on my PhD (minus the day job, but with a TA position in its place). Time management is still an issue, but I've learned a few important lessons over the last few years...
 
1. Embrace prioritization and reject multi-tasking. Multi-tasking is overrated and, frankly, impossible. You can only do one thing at a time. Rather than trying to juggle multiple things at the same time, assess what you need to accomplish in a given week or on a given day and prioritize those tasks. Plan your schedule accordingly. When working on a task, work ONLY on THAT task and put all of the others out of mind.
 
2. Be realistic about what you can accomplish. I learned early on that it was pretty near impossible to read every single word of every page assigned to me every week. The simple fact of the matter is that cutting corners on reading (although never ideal) will almost certainly become necessary once in a while. For example, if you have a paper due Tuesday morning and you still have two forty page articles to read for Tuesday afternoon, you may well have to skimp on the reading that week. I'm not saying this should be the usual state of affairs, but once in a while it happens. So don't beat yourself up when it does. Again it comes down to prioritization. In most cases, there are some readings that are more important than others. Making those distinctions is a talent you'll foster over time. 
 
3. Accept that once or twice a semester you'll have a few miserable nights of working all night long and then having to get through the following day on no sleep. But once you've accepted that, try to make the night as pleasant for yourself as possible. For example, on those nights, I give myself license to eat whatever I want (usually take-out so I don't have to spend time cooking). Buckle down and do the work, but indulge in something along the way. 
 
4. No matter how pressed for time you are, claim at least an hour for yourself every day. You are correct that you could well have a breakdown without any "me" time. The only way to ensure you get that time is to make it as much a priority as your coursework, research, and job. It really is just as important. For me, my "me" time is the gym in the morning and an old rerun of "Law & Order" on Netflix at the end of my day while preparing dinner. And I try as often as possible to take at least the greater part of a weekend day off. But if I find I can't take a full day away from the books on the weekend, I at least spend a good portion of my work time at a coffee shop or in some public space so I don't feel like a total hermit. 
 
The bottom line is that being a grad student (especially a grad student with a job) means always having a huge workload and a looming deadline. But there are many little ways to find some relief along the way. BUT you have to figure out what those little ways are and understand that the time set aside for those has to be protected as fiercely as you would protect the time set aside for work or study. Grad school does not have to be a totally stressful and hateful experience. 
 
One last thing, when you do find yourself relaxing a bit and not doing any work, DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT. A little break once in a while is not only deserved, but it is an absolute necessity for well being and success. 

I did my MA part time (6 credits - two three credit classes) while working a demanding 40 hour a week job and it was of course tremendously challenging and I never felt like I had enough time to get it all done. I'm now working on my PhD (minus the day job, but with a TA position in its place). Time management is still an issue, but I've learned a few important lessons over the last few years...
 
1. Embrace prioritization and reject multi-tasking. Multi-tasking is overrated and, frankly, impossible. You can only do one thing at a time. Rather than trying to juggle multiple things at the same time, assess what you need to accomplish in a given week or on a given day and prioritize those tasks. Plan your schedule accordingly. When working on a task, work ONLY on THAT task and put all of the others out of mind.
 
2. Be realistic about what you can accomplish. I learned early on that it was pretty near impossible to read every single word of every page assigned to me every week. The simple fact of the matter is that cutting corners on reading (although never ideal) will almost certainly become necessary once in a while. For example, if you have a paper due Tuesday morning and you still have two forty page articles to read for Tuesday afternoon, you may well have to skimp on the reading that week. I'm not saying this should be the usual state of affairs, but once in a while it happens. So don't beat yourself up when it does. Again it comes down to prioritization. In most cases, there are some readings that are more important than others. Making those distinctions is a talent you'll foster over time. 
 
3. Accept that once or twice a semester you'll have a few miserable nights of working all night long and then having to get through the following day on no sleep. But once you've accepted that, try to make the night as pleasant for yourself as possible. For example, on those nights, I give myself license to eat whatever I want (usually take-out so I don't have to spend time cooking). Buckle down and do the work, but indulge in something along the way. 
 
4. No matter how pressed for time you are, claim at least an hour for yourself every day. You are correct that you could well have a breakdown without any "me" time. The only way to ensure you get that time is to make it as much a priority as your coursework, research, and job. It really is just as important. For me, my "me" time is the gym in the morning and an old rerun of "Law & Order" on Netflix at the end of my day while preparing dinner. And I try as often as possible to take at least the greater part of a weekend day off. But if I find I can't take a full day away from the books on the weekend, I at least spend a good portion of my work time at a coffee shop or in some public space so I don't feel like a total hermit. 
 
The bottom line is that being a grad student (especially a grad student with a job) means always having a huge workload and a looming deadline. But there are many little ways to find some relief along the way. BUT you have to figure out what those little ways are and understand that the time set aside for those has to be protected as fiercely as you would protect the time set aside for work or study. Grad school does not have to be a totally stressful and hateful experience. 
 
One last thing, when you do find yourself relaxing a bit and not doing any work, DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT. A little break once in a while is not only deserved, but it is an absolute necessity for well being and success. 

I did my MA part time (6 credits - two three credit classes) while working a demanding 40 hour a week job and it was of course tremendously challenging and I never felt like I had enough time to get it all done. I'm now working on my PhD (minus the day job, but with a TA position in its place). Time management is still an issue, but I've learned a few important lessons over the last few years...
 
1. Embrace prioritization and reject multi-tasking. Multi-tasking is overrated and, frankly, impossible. You can only do one thing at a time. Rather than trying to juggle multiple things at the same time, assess what you need to accomplish in a given week or on a given day and prioritize those tasks. Plan your schedule accordingly. When working on a task, work ONLY on THAT task and put all of the others out of mind.
 
2. Be realistic about what you can accomplish. I learned early on that it was pretty near impossible to read every single word of every page assigned to me every week. The simple fact of the matter is that cutting corners on reading (although never ideal) will almost certainly become necessary once in a while. For example, if you have a paper due Tuesday morning and you still have two forty page articles to read for Tuesday afternoon, you may well have to skimp on the reading that week. I'm not saying this should be the usual state of affairs, but once in a while it happens. So don't beat yourself up when it does. Again it comes down to prioritization. In most cases, there are some readings that are more important than others. Making those distinctions is a talent you'll foster over time. 
 
3. Accept that once or twice a semester you'll have a few miserable nights of working all night long and then having to get through the following day on no sleep. But once you've accepted that, try to make the night as pleasant for yourself as possible. For example, on those nights, I give myself license to eat whatever I want (usually take-out so I don't have to spend time cooking). Buckle down and do the work, but indulge in something along the way. 
 
4. No matter how pressed for time you are, claim at least an hour for yourself every day. You are correct that you could well have a breakdown without any "me" time. The only way to ensure you get that time is to make it as much a priority as your coursework, research, and job. It really is just as important. For me, my "me" time is the gym in the morning and an old rerun of "Law & Order" on Netflix at the end of my day while preparing dinner. And I try as often as possible to take at least the greater part of a weekend day off. But if I find I can't take a full day away from the books on the weekend, I at least spend a good portion of my work time at a coffee shop or in some public space so I don't feel like a total hermit. 
 
The bottom line is that being a grad student (especially a grad student with a job) means always having a huge workload and a looming deadline. But there are many little ways to find some relief along the way. BUT you have to figure out what those little ways are and understand that the time set aside for those has to be protected as fiercely as you would protect the time set aside for work or study. Grad school does not have to be a totally stressful and hateful experience. 
 
One last thing, when you do find yourself relaxing a bit and not doing any work, DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT. A little break once in a while is not only deserved, but it is an absolute necessity for well being and success. 

I did my MA part time (6 credits - two three credit classes) while working a demanding 40 hour a week job and it was of course tremendously challenging and I never felt like I had enough time to get it all done. I'm now working on my PhD (minus the day job, but with a TA position in its place). Time management is still an issue, but I've learned a few important lessons over the last few years...
 
1. Embrace prioritization and reject multi-tasking. Multi-tasking is overrated and, frankly, impossible. You can only do one thing at a time. Rather than trying to juggle multiple things at the same time, assess what you need to accomplish in a given week or on a given day and prioritize those tasks. Plan your schedule accordingly. When working on a task, work ONLY on THAT task and put all of the others out of mind.
 
2. Be realistic about what you can accomplish. I learned early on that it was pretty near impossible to read every single word of every page assigned to me every week. The simple fact of the matter is that cutting corners on reading (although never ideal) will almost certainly become necessary once in a while. For example, if you have a paper due Tuesday morning and you still have two forty page articles to read for Tuesday afternoon, you may well have to skimp on the reading that week. I'm not saying this should be the usual state of affairs, but once in a while it happens. So don't beat yourself up when it does. Again it comes down to prioritization. In most cases, there are some readings that are more important than others. Making those distinctions is a talent you'll foster over time. 
 
3. Accept that once or twice a semester you'll have a few miserable nights of working all night long and then having to get through the following day on no sleep. But once you've accepted that, try to make the night as pleasant for yourself as possible. For example, on those nights, I give myself license to eat whatever I want (usually take-out so I don't have to spend time cooking). Buckle down and do the work, but indulge in something along the way. 
 
4. No matter how pressed for time you are, claim at least an hour for yourself every day. You are correct that you could well have a breakdown without any "me" time. The only way to ensure you get that time is to make it as much a priority as your coursework, research, and job. It really is just as important. For me, my "me" time is the gym in the morning and an old rerun of "Law & Order" on Netflix at the end of my day while preparing dinner. And I try as often as possible to take at least the greater part of a weekend day off. But if I find I can't take a full day away from the books on the weekend, I at least spend a good portion of my work time at a coffee shop or in some public space so I don't feel like a total hermit. 
 
The bottom line is that being a grad student (especially a grad student with a job) means always having a huge workload and a looming deadline. But there are many little ways to find some relief along the way. BUT you have to figure out what those little ways are and understand that the time set aside for those has to be protected as fiercely as you would protect the time set aside for work or study. Grad school does not have to be a totally stressful and hateful experience. 
 
One last thing, when you do find yourself relaxing a bit and not doing any work, DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT. A little break once in a while is not only deserved, but it is an absolute necessity for well being and success. 

I did my MA part time (6 credits - two three credit classes) while working a demanding 40 hour a week job and it was of course tremendously challenging and I never felt like I had enough time to get it all done. I'm now working on my PhD (minus the day job, but with a TA position in its place). Time management is still an issue, but I've learned a few important lessons over the last few years...
 
1. Embrace prioritization and reject multi-tasking. Multi-tasking is overrated and, frankly, impossible. You can only do one thing at a time. Rather than trying to juggle multiple things at the same time, assess what you need to accomplish in a given week or on a given day and prioritize those tasks. Plan your schedule accordingly. When working on a task, work ONLY on THAT task and put all of the others out of mind.
 
2. Be realistic about what you can accomplish. I learned early on that it was pretty near impossible to read every single word of every page assigned to me every week. The simple fact of the matter is that cutting corners on reading (although never ideal) will almost certainly become necessary once in a while. For example, if you have a paper due Tuesday morning and you still have two forty page articles to read for Tuesday afternoon, you may well have to skimp on the reading that week. I'm not saying this should be the usual state of affairs, but once in a while it happens. So don't beat yourself up when it does. Again it comes down to prioritization. In most cases, there are some readings that are more important than others. Making those distinctions is a talent you'll foster over time. 
 
3. Accept that once or twice a semester you'll have a few miserable nights of working all night long and then having to get through the following day on no sleep. But once you've accepted that, try to make the night as pleasant for yourself as possible. For example, on those nights, I give myself license to eat whatever I want (usually take-out so I don't have to spend time cooking). Buckle down and do the work, but indulge in something along the way. 
 
4. No matter how pressed for time you are, claim at least an hour for yourself every day. You are correct that you could well have a breakdown without any "me" time. The only way to ensure you get that time is to make it as much a priority as your coursework, research, and job. It really is just as important. For me, my "me" time is the gym in the morning and an old rerun of "Law & Order" on Netflix at the end of my day while preparing dinner. And I try as often as possible to take at least the greater part of a weekend day off. But if I find I can't take a full day away from the books on the weekend, I at least spend a good portion of my work time at a coffee shop or in some public space so I don't feel like a total hermit. 
 
The bottom line is that being a grad student (especially a grad student with a job) means always having a huge workload and a looming deadline. But there are many little ways to find some relief along the way. BUT you have to figure out what those little ways are and understand that the time set aside for those has to be protected as fiercely as you would protect the time set aside for work or study. Grad school does not have to be a totally stressful and hateful experience. 
 
One last thing, when you do find yourself relaxing a bit and not doing any work, DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT. A little break once in a while is not only deserved, but it is an absolute necessity for well being and success. 

I did my MA part time (6 credits - two three credit classes) while working a demanding 40 hour a week job and it was of course tremendously challenging and I never felt like I had enough time to get it all done. I'm now working on my PhD (minus the day job, but with a TA position in its place). Time management is still an issue, but I've learned a few important lessons over the last few years...
 
1. Embrace prioritization and reject multi-tasking. Multi-tasking is overrated and, frankly, impossible. You can only do one thing at a time. Rather than trying to juggle multiple things at the same time, assess what you need to accomplish in a given week or on a given day and prioritize those tasks. Plan your schedule accordingly. When working on a task, work ONLY on THAT task and put all of the others out of mind.
 
2. Be realistic about what you can accomplish. I learned early on that it was pretty near impossible to read every single word of every page assigned to me every week. The simple fact of the matter is that cutting corners on reading (although never ideal) will almost certainly become necessary once in a while. For example, if you have a paper due Tuesday morning and you still have two forty page articles to read for Tuesday afternoon, you may well have to skimp on the reading that week. I'm not saying this should be the usual state of affairs, but once in a while it happens. So don't beat yourself up when it does. Again it comes down to prioritization. In most cases, there are some readings that are more important than others. Making those distinctions is a talent you'll foster over time. 
 
3. Accept that once or twice a semester you'll have a few miserable nights of working all night long and then having to get through the following day on no sleep. But once you've accepted that, try to make the night as pleasant for yourself as possible. For example, on those nights, I give myself license to eat whatever I want (usually take-out so I don't have to spend time cooking). Buckle down and do the work, but indulge in something along the way. 
 
4. No matter how pressed for time you are, claim at least an hour for yourself every day. You are correct that you could well have a breakdown without any "me" time. The only way to ensure you get that time is to make it as much a priority as your coursework, research, and job. It really is just as important. For me, my "me" time is the gym in the morning and an old rerun of "Law & Order" on Netflix at the end of my day while preparing dinner. And I try as often as possible to take at least the greater part of a weekend day off. But if I find I can't take a full day away from the books on the weekend, I at least spend a good portion of my work time at a coffee shop or in some public space so I don't feel like a total hermit. 
 
The bottom line is that being a grad student (especially a grad student with a job) means always having a huge workload and a looming deadline. But there are many little ways to find some relief along the way. BUT you have to figure out what those little ways are and understand that the time set aside for those has to be protected as fiercely as you would protect the time set aside for work or study. Grad school does not have to be a totally stressful and hateful experience. 
 
One last thing, when you do find yourself relaxing a bit and not doing any work, DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT. A little break once in a while is not only deserved, but it is an absolute necessity for well being and success.