FSTAD Task 1

Mathematics Teaching Assistant Role

It has always been my dream to become a Mathematics Teaching Assistant (MTA). I must say, year 2013, have showed me that dreams do become reality. I am still in my infancies with regard to MTA role. However, to ensure that MAM150 YR 2013 course functions as it should, my character role as an MTA is summarized here:

Task 1A

 A University of the Western Cape graduate student do not need a reason condescend themselves against other graduate students anyway around the world. One thing that we always emphasize is the idea of preparation before each workshop, where students must complete all the exercises prior the workshop. During the workshop sessions we build leadership and collaborative skills among students-e.g. our students work in a form of small groups and discuss the worksheets. In this group activities students are encouraged and able learn from one another while developing team work abilities. One student will then be picked up from the group to represent the entire group by solving an exercise from the same worksheet. This sort of exercise helps that student develop presentation and leadership skill. 

Task 1B

Based on my own personal experience, I have learned that Mathematics is better off understood through self.  This personal experience is also supported by the National Research Council (NRC), 1989, page.58, i.e.” In reality, no one can teach mathematics. Effective teachers are those who can stimulate students to learn mathematics. Educational research offers compelling evidence that students learn mathematics well only when they construct their own mathematical understanding”.  Mathematics teaching remains under developed, because, throughout the years, I have learned that most Mathematics teachers turn to focus their attention more on themselves as the knowledge source instead promoting student learning capacities. This sort of behavior often leads the students to adopt wrong tactics by doing Mathematics towards scoring a desired grade symbol or just as course rather learning Mathematics towards professionalism (John et. al, 2013).  To avoid feeding into these experiences, I make it an effort to practice the values discussed in the aforementioned papers. For instance, I believe when learning Mathematics one should first establish a compassionate relationship with the subject. You are as good in Mathematics if you are able to explain the concepts in a manner that promotes and influences even better explanation by other people. Every time when I conduct student’s workshops, I always stimulate students to first get rid-off their negative attitudes they have attributed through their former Mathematics with weak efficacies that have made the students to buy into the notion of Mathematics is for genius, which is not the case. As Albert Einstein said “Everybody is a genius”. Part of the stimulation lies in me showing best interests and confidence n the subject. My focal point in workshops is helping students develop interest and passion in the subject, and believe more in themselves, because if that is achieved Mathematics learning becomes very simple.

References

1.       John P. Smith III. Efficacy and Teaching Mathematics by Telling: A Challenge for Reform.

Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, Vol. 27, No. 4 (Jul., 1996), pp. 387- 402

2.    National Research Council (NRC). Everybody Counts. A Report to the Nation

            on the Future of Mathematics Education. 1989.

Task 1C

Mathematics Teaching Assistant Role

It has always been my dream to become a Mathematics Teaching Assistant (MTA). I must say, year 2013, have showed me that dreams do become reality. I am still in my infancies with regard to MTA role. However, to ensure that MAM150 YR 2013 course functions as it should, my character role as an MTA summarized here:

Coursework preparation

On a day to day basis, I do course preparation for daily student’s office course consultation.  With these preparations, I am able to compile worksheets, tutorial tests, assignments, term test and exam (optional). 

    

Tutor management

 I supervise or monitor all the tutor’s commitments on the course: I moderate the scripts that have been marked and captured on an excel spreadsheet by the tutors, I run regular meetings with the tutors to discuss and plan for the workshops and all matters relating to the course and also take tutors attendance register, I monitor and signoff tutors monthly claim sheets ensuring that they get paid for what they worked for before submitting them to the claim sheets departmental coordinator.

 Workshop management

 I facilitate group work assessments and tutorial tests workshops on a weekly basis. I ensure that tutors pitch on time to the workshop sessions and are prepared. In these workshops, tutors are required to evaluate student’s homework and give proper feedback on the student’s attempts as well answer to any question the students may ask. On the basis of the workshop in hand, I decide on the actual time the workshop group assessment or tutorial test should starts. In each session I take the students attendance register and tutors registers. 

Course site management

My role is to keep MAM150 YR 2013 course site well organized and up to date.  This site is designed to assist students to continue building their genuine passion in pursuit of logical thinking.  This site serves an online communication space for the course. With the site students are able to know about day to day announcements. A student or tutor gets a notification via student email about the announcement and they are able to login into the site using the campus login novel details. This allows them to also be able to access all the coursework material –e.g. Latest Marks update, Task-Deadlines, Assignments, Worksheets, Tutorial Tests, and Term –Tests. There is a Discussion-Forum (DF) function on site.  Generally, Learning Mathematics can be outrageously quite a challenge. However, learning Mathematics through interaction can make it less the case. This function allows students to discuss Mathematics problems with one another. There are also other functionalities onboard.

Meeting attendance

On a regular basis, I am required to attend the departmental and Extended-Curriculum-Program (ECP) meetings and training workshops.

Student interviews

I constantly interview underperforming students on a regular basis. Specifically, I send email to those students inviting them to the office to explain to me as to why they are underperforming and so forth. This helps to really find out the challenge these students face.  I would then motivate them to have faith and do their best in the course and continue following up on them. 

Lecture Role

Ideally, lecturers on the other hand, develop teaching material and conduct the lecture; make final recommendations about the worksheets, assignments, tutorial tests, term tests and the exam. They assist me in weekly workshops and day-to-day student’s consultation. I constantly have to report to them about the tutors conduct and course administration. They also have equal amount of role to help improve the course site. They oversee the final updated mark schedule that goes into MAS. They also sit in the departmental Extended-Curriculum-Program (ECP) meetings and training workshops. They carry-out departmental duties as required by the department, i.e. assist in writing course reports to the department and ECP. They liaise with other lectures in the department, outside the department and other faculties.  Basically, the overall MTA A-game role is governed by the lecturer.