Teaching My First Lecture
I previously mentioned that I was the Teaching Assistant (TA) for the Operating Systems class this quarter. It’s going quite well, though just as I remember, this class is a lot of work for the students, and a hell of a lot of work for the TA. I recently finished grading the third project in the class, and am now continuing my preparation for tomorrow’s lecture.
Tomorrow’s lecture is super exciting for me because not only do I get to lead it, it is my first time talking to a mostly full class for an hour and fifteen minutes. I teach discussion sections each week, however these differ in that roughly only half the class shows up, and additionally I don’t have to prepare much material since discussion sections go in the direction that the students desire. Tomorrow, however, this is not the case. I was given lecture slides from which it is my responsibility to impart knowledge onto the students about a specific topic, and that is exactly what I intend on doing.
I’ve read the relevant sections in the book from which the slides were prepared and I have even thought up some questions students might ask. To top it off, I’ve even planned some stupid jokes, such has how I am planning to say, “It’s a trap!†when the kernel traps due to an invalid memory access. I don’t want to give away too many of my tricks, but hopefully you get the impression that I’m excited and ready for tomorrow’s lecture.
Am I nervous? Absolutely not. I was nervous to prior to teaching my first few discussion sections last quarter, however talking in front of Computer Science students has simply become part of what I do. I’d probably be nervous if I had to instruct a class for a different department, but I’m always nervous the first time I do something new.
To end this I want to write that I’ve finally updated my CV on my Computer Science home page. If you’re interested in what academic and professional things I’ve been up to check it out.
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Comments
Comment from Willo
Time 2009/05/06 at 6:20 AM
How I enjoyed your post on your lecture today. We have a thing or two in common,as you know. In the olden days (1975-1995) when I taught Television Production to high school students I prepared 80 minute lectures once a week. At that time there were no high school level text books available and it was up to me to impart the technical information that the students needed to know in order to write scripts, set up lighting, understand sound, direct a studio crew, and produce television. My emphasis after the basics were news and documentary production.
Alas, with high school seniors, my greatest challenge of the second semester was changing pace often enough to keep them taking notes. Sometimes I had to resort as kindly as I could, by quietly asking Peter if he could stay awake just a few more minutes. Their final before graduation was to write a documentary production manual using my chapter titles, in the last 80 minute class. I so enjoyed teaching, even the grading of scripts and judging the productions.
I can’t imagine that you are the best TA on the campus! Your enthusiasm will most certainly be caught by your students and they will do you proud.
Comment from Bryce Boe
Time 2009/05/06 at 8:55 AM
@Cheri- I wouldn’t have gotten this far on my own. I cannot thank you and your family enough for your role in helping me get here.
@Grandma (Willo)- It must have been quite challenging and rewarding teaching high school students. I imagine there must have been a little drama as there is with all high schoolers. The one thing I’ve already noticed about myself teaching college students is I don’t care if they fall asleep. It’s all on the students to stay awake and pay attention, whereas it is my job to teach those that are eager to learn.
I modified the listing on my CV for the reward I received as it was misleading. It is an award only given within our department at the end of each quarter, and they give out four of them. One for the best reviewed lower division TA, two for the best reviewed upper division TAs, and one for the best reviewed graduate course TA. The reviews are conducted by the students at the end of the quarter.
Comment from Cheri @ Blog This Mom!
Time 2009/05/06 at 9:16 AM
Thank you, Boe. The thing is, you would have gotten this far on your own, because you did. All we did was stand on the sidelines cheering you on. Well, that, and my superior ability to pick the winners for whom we stand by the sidelines to cheer. There is that. 
Keep on rockin’ it.
Comment from Tom
Time 2009/05/06 at 3:13 PM
Excellent Bryce!
Comment from Bryce Boe
Time 2009/05/06 at 7:14 PM
Thanks Tom.
Cheri, I slightly doubt that I would have gotten this far on my own. Maybe it didn’t take much work, nonetheless I remember being pushed in the right direction by you on more than one occasion.
Comment from vi
Time 2009/05/07 at 1:42 PM
nice blog…i’m sure u will do great in the lecture..all da best!
Comment from Adam Doupe
Time 2009/05/13 at 3:22 PM
Dude, I had no idea you were teaching an actual lecture! I thought it was just a discussion section. Congrats man, an hour fifteen is a long time to fill. Hopefully your students haven’t paged out all the stuff you’ve taught them.
Comment from Norma Saiph Savage
Time 2010/01/24 at 10:29 AM
haha good geeky jokes.
Man I want to integrate that kind of jokes in my class …:-/
Do you know any good ones for a c++ programming class?
I like all the positive energy you had about giving class, nice ñ_ñ
Comment from Cheri @ Blog This Mom!
Time 2009/05/05 at 11:45 PM
I am so impressed with you I could cry. In fact, I am a little teary, not just because it’s one AM and I should be sleeping either.
I would like to say, and I will say, because it’s true, that I knew all along that you’d turn out this good.
Your CV totally rocks, btw. I especially like the translation for CV and your Henry’s Market job description.