3 The TA as a Teacher

In Part Two suggestions are made to help you design a lecture or an objective test as well as start you thinking about why you are lecturing instead of leading a discussion, or giving a multiple-choice test instead of an essay exam. (Adapted with permission: Farris, 1985)

In your various roles as discussion leader, lab-section instructor, or as a lecturer, you may have the opportunity to use a variety of different teaching styles. You also may choose between which technologies to utilize. The choices you make will depend on what it is you wish your class to accomplish. Regardless of the particular style employed, the process of instruction can be understood to include three basic elements: preparation, implementation, and evaluation. Each of these is discussed in the second section of this manual and we encourage you to refer there for information useful in planning and executing your own teaching activities.