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And I bet the real working world is much worse! Sometimes I kind of don't mind doings piles of assignments and projects and having to study for exams, but it's really stressful sometimes.. But I doubt the real working world is any better... So yeah, just enjoy whatever we are doing now! Haha. I'm still happily enjoying my holidays before school term gonna start in 3 weeks!
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Mathmaniac
- Silver Member
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- Joined: 16 years ago
- Location: NJ
tcliffy:
Grad School is worse than Undergrad in most cases. The homeworks take more time, the exams are few and far between (which means one screw up on an exam can change your entire grade drastically), and for me, I am a TA, so this semester I'm actually teaching 2 sections of Statistics. All I can say is: 6 hours of teaching the class, 14 hours of prepping and grading per week!
Seriously, if teaching is an interest of yours, definitely pursue it. We need more good teachers in the world. I'll probably (hopefully) be teaching high school math at this time next year, once I finish my masters.
Oh, and a word of advice to the high school students: learn to get an education, not just a piece a paper saying "I graduated."
Grad School is worse than Undergrad in most cases. The homeworks take more time, the exams are few and far between (which means one screw up on an exam can change your entire grade drastically), and for me, I am a TA, so this semester I'm actually teaching 2 sections of Statistics. All I can say is: 6 hours of teaching the class, 14 hours of prepping and grading per week!
Seriously, if teaching is an interest of yours, definitely pursue it. We need more good teachers in the world. I'll probably (hopefully) be teaching high school math at this time next year, once I finish my masters.
Oh, and a word of advice to the high school students: learn to get an education, not just a piece a paper saying "I graduated."
"The true joy of life is the journey. Don't become obsessed with calculating the steps to achieve goals. Instead, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more, cry less, and enjoy the presence of the people around you."
- Dr. John Grieco, 1941-2004
- Dr. John Grieco, 1941-2004
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kjackson83
- Moderator
- Posts: 906
- Joined: 16 years ago
Hear, hear...Mathmaniac wrote:tcliffy:
Grad School is worse than Undergrad in most cases.
...I actually probably wouldn't take it as far as "worse," but things are much different around here. You've definitely got to be "with the program" 100% of the time, or the sheer number of things to accomplish will bury you like an avalanche--it's almost literally killer intense. I'm TAing a class of 450 unruly students--that's a real challenge on your people skills, especially when the age difference between you and your students is a matter of 3-4 years at the most.
On top of the TAship are your own classes--in history, we do an enormous amount of reading: usually an average of two books weekly.
Grad school requires a serious commitment to getting it done, and it's an unforgiving, if rewarding at the end, taskmaster.
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kjackson83
- Moderator
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- Joined: 16 years ago
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Mathmaniac
- Silver Member
- Posts: 133
- Joined: 16 years ago
- Location: NJ
TA's act in different capacities depending on the department (and university). For instance, as a 2nd year math TA, I am essentially the teacher of two sections totalling 65 students. All lectures, quizzes, and exams are mine to construct, except for the final. I'm a bit worried that I made an easy exam though. My first one, which I gave on Tuesday and graded Wednesday, yielded an average of almost 87, and only a couple people failed, though no one earned a grade below a 60.
TAing takes about 20 hours in and out of the classroom a week.
Classes on top of TAing sum up to 9 credit hours, but about 3-5 times that much (minimum) for homework per week. The good thing is, I am only going for my masters right now and looking to do some high school teaching afterwards, so lecturing definitely helps.
TAing takes about 20 hours in and out of the classroom a week.
Classes on top of TAing sum up to 9 credit hours, but about 3-5 times that much (minimum) for homework per week. The good thing is, I am only going for my masters right now and looking to do some high school teaching afterwards, so lecturing definitely helps.
"The true joy of life is the journey. Don't become obsessed with calculating the steps to achieve goals. Instead, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more, cry less, and enjoy the presence of the people around you."
- Dr. John Grieco, 1941-2004
- Dr. John Grieco, 1941-2004
Wow, and do you guys study at the same time? As in being a TA and a student of the school? Sounds unbelievable, and really lots of work, time and commitment. I guess you need really good grades to be a TA right? I haven't really heard of this term until now. How do you guys cope? Man, I don't think I can do it like you guys!
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Mathmaniac
- Silver Member
- Posts: 133
- Joined: 16 years ago
- Location: NJ
It's true that you need to keep your grades up (i.e. not failing) to keep your TA job, and I believe I need a 3.0 (B) average to get my masters, but it really isn't as bad or as hard as it might sound. One of my roommates is a student at the medical school close by, and his weeks are much harder.
Something I've learned from years of schooling: If you want to do something, you will rearrange your schedule to do it. (eg: choir, scouts, etc.)
Something I've learned from years of schooling: If you want to do something, you will rearrange your schedule to do it. (eg: choir, scouts, etc.)
"The true joy of life is the journey. Don't become obsessed with calculating the steps to achieve goals. Instead, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more, cry less, and enjoy the presence of the people around you."
- Dr. John Grieco, 1941-2004
- Dr. John Grieco, 1941-2004
Tomorrow is back to school for me! New school term officially starts tomorrow! Time really flies and I haven't really enjoyed my school holidays! How I wish school holidays to be much longer. ARGH. Oh well. And of course, I'll still drop by Libera dreams as often as possible to check out news about the boys. Actually, I visit this website every single day. If I don't I'll feel a little uneasy. LOL. I call it "Libera dreams syndrome". 
I love the boys and this forum so much!
I love the boys and this forum so much!
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kjackson83
- Moderator
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Since we're all writing essays...
I just got through grading 130 essay exams and don't ever want to hear the words "American" and "history" in the same sentence again...
...was anyone aware that the "American Revolution began because of a world war between Great Britain, the United Kingdom, and the State of England"?
I just got through grading 130 essay exams and don't ever want to hear the words "American" and "history" in the same sentence again...
...was anyone aware that the "American Revolution began because of a world war between Great Britain, the United Kingdom, and the State of England"?
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kjackson83
- Moderator
- Posts: 906
- Joined: 16 years ago
Well, not exactly...tcliffy wrote:
you mean someone actually wrote that!!!!!
Here it is, verbatim--
"The American revolutionary was started be cause of world war between United kingdom, the great Brittain, and the England state..."
Honestly--I nearly cried. It's almost as bad as being told, "The United States and Japan annexed the Philippines to steal them from America..."
