It may help to know that there are about a million articles on the Internet focused on putting that first year of university/grad school/teaching assisting/teaching into context. The overwhelming consensus among each of these resources is that it’s important to remember that you are a work in progress. Yes, you the person, you the GA/TA. Once you recognize that you have room to improve, then you can focus on how to improve.

Let’s Review

What were your major teaching successes this semester? Make a list of all the things you accomplished this semester. Detail examples of positive engagement, productive discussions, and effective conflict resolution that took place in your lab or classroom. Analyze these instances and try to make connections. What made them successful? What did they require of you? What did they require of your students?

What were your major teaching challenges this semester? Make another list of issues or problems you feel went unresolved. What do they have in common? How did your actions, your students’ actions, and your environment influence their development? Do some research: what does the literature suggest about these issues? (We promise, you likely aren’t the first person to struggle with whatever you find yourself struggling with).

What have you learned this semester? This applies equally to your teaching and your studies. What have you learned from your successes and your struggles in your teaching? What have you learned from you research in your chosen discipline? Did you accomplish your academic goals this semester? If not, were they realistic?

How is your life/work balance? If you don’t know what life/work balance is, that probably means you need more of it. What did a typical week look like for you this semester? Were you able to manage deadlines? Is your work conflicting with your personal relationships? Reflect on how much time each of your daily/weekly/monthly tasks took you this semester and project a schedule based on those times for the coming semester. It may seem superficial and even ambitious, but schedule time for meeting up with friends, hitting the gym, or doing whatever takes your mind off your work. Don’t spend every waking moment teaching and studying. Variety is the spice of life.

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So, moving forward, here are some things to consider in your next semester as GA/TAs:

Strategies for Success

• Think about your teaching identity. What kind of instructor do you want to be? Do you want to emphasize your experiences as a student or as a teacher? Do you want to appeal to your students through compassion or authority?
• Lean on your peers. While we sometimes guard our classrooms like secret lairs, it’s important to remember that our peers are an excellent source of support. Chances are the challenges you’re facing in the classroom have been or are being faced by other GA/TAs. Talk openly about your practice and your struggles and seek out advice. On that note, have you heard about GATA Winter Academy?
• Be flexible. As a new student teacher, I was often flustered when questions diverted class time from my pre-determined lesson plan. When I shared my anxiety with my advisor, he suggested that divergences were the norm and that I needed to build more flexibility into my plans. Give yourself options in your lesson plans so that you can react to your students’ needs as they develop. More importantly, give yourself a chance to react before you panic. Also, do think about having a lesson plan, if you haven’t already.
• Be invested in your teaching. Chris Palmer underscores the importance of investing yourself in your teaching and encouraging your students to do the same in their learning. As student teachers, we often only have so much of ourselves to invest. But while it’s important to make our own studies our priority, it’s also important to show that you care deeply about the class. If caring is the hard part, you might consider Natascha Chtena’s advice.
• Find ways to relax. In an article entitled “What I Learned About Surviving Grad School”, Chuck Fidler reminds struggling graduate students to detangle themselves from their busy lives for regular relaxation. The same can be said for GA/TAs. If you enter the classroom overworked and high-strung you’re likely to dampen your students’ moods.

See more from Chris Palmer at: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/faculty-development/reflections-on-teaching-from-surviving-to-thriving/#sthash.bdj7fhax.dpuf