This image was captured on the first day and during my first class as a TA.
Becoming a Teaching Assistant was never something I planned, yet it became one of the most meaningful chapters of my academic life. As a TA for CCE-1106(Computer Fundamentals & Programming Sessional) and CCE-1208(Object Oriented Programming Sessional) at IIUC, I wasn’t just helping students with programming tasks; I was growing alongside them. Every class, every question, and every challenge helped me understand teaching, leadership, and communication in a new way.
How It Started
It all started after finishing all the courses of my BSc, only the thesis remained to complete my degree. I was free from my academic responsibilities. As the new semester began, one of the professors of my department announced that they were looking for Teaching Assistants (TAs) for the upcoming semester. Then he suddenly messaged me via WhatsApp asking if I was free and willing to take the class. As I was free, looking for ways to stay engaged, and wanted to gain experience at the same time, I showed interest in it.
As, I wanted to gain experience by helping students with their programming assignments and projects. So the professor called me a couple of days before the new semester started. I went to the university to discuss both this and my thesis work. Needless to say, the professor was my thesis advisor too. During the meeting, he checked my GPA and results for those subjects. He also tested whether I was fit for this role or not. Although he already knew about me, he did it for formalities. After that, he gave me a form to fill out and asked me to submit it. Then the teacher called the office and assigned me as his TA for the next semester. I was about to take a total of four classes in the female department.
First Day As TA
July 14th,2024,The First day as TA. As my university is Islamic, boys and girls have different academic zones including different timelines. Since I was assigned as a TA in the female zone, my class schedule was in the morning. On the first day of class, I was quite nervous as teaching is not an easy task.
As the class was scheduled to start at 9 AM, and no male students had classes during that time, I had to go alone on a local bus. But I went to another place by mistake and called my professor so I could take the teacher’s bus instead. Luckily, I managed to get into the bus. However, there was a problem entering the female academic zone. No male is allowed unless accompanied by a teacher. So my professor came and guided me to the FSE building. He asked me to take the attendance sheet to monitor.
Most importantly, it was the first day and first class of university life for the students, so they were excited and enthusiastic.
I was fully prepared for the class. I studied and made my own slides. The professor was present in the first class and motivated them for the rest of the semester. For nearly half an hour, he gave his lecture. The class was 3 hours long. After that, he asked me to take the class. I was a bit nervous but I managed it. I started with my introduction and then continued with my lecture. The first lecture was "INTRODUCTION TO C PROGRAMMING." I showed them how to install an IDE and explained what C programming and programming are. As they had studied this in HSC, they understood the basics easily. And that’s how the first class ended.
Some of the images from the presentation I made for the students.
But I could not continue after this. After that class, the student movement started and all university academic activities were stopped indefinitely. But after the revolution, when everything was settled, I was able to continue my TA work but not in the female academic zone. The new authority changed the system so that no male could take classes in the female academic zone. So my next destination was the male academic zone.
My Responsibility
As my new destination was assigned, I prepared myself again.
9th September 2024, the university reopened after nearly three months of the student movement. I went to take my first class with male students. They were my juniors, and I could easily relate to them. The first class ended successfully.
After the class, I gave them lab tasks and practice problems to solve at home. As a TA, my main responsibility was to help students with their programming assignments and projects. I was also responsible for guiding and grading their assignments and lab tasks. Additionally, I coordinated with the professor to ensure the students were progressing well in the course. That’s how the classes continued.
Experiences and Memorable Moments
The most memorable moment was guiding two students who came from Nepal, as well as some students who used to sit on the back benches. They were more like gossiping friends, but when I started helping them with their programming assignments, they began taking interest in programming. I showed them everything I could in the given time. I even taught Git-related topics which were not in the syllabus. They were enthusiastic and eager to learn. Seeing their progress and growth was truly rewarding. The last class was emotional for both me and the students. Still, whenever I go to the university, it reminds me of those days. Those juniors still come to show respect and communicate with me. That is definitely worth sharing.
What I Learned
I learned a lot from this experience. Before this, I was a shy person. But being a TA required communicating with many people including professors and students, which helped me overcome my shyness. I gained communication skills, leadership skills, classroom management skills, and more. I also learned how to be patient with students as everyone has a different learning pace. This experience helped me gain the confidence I was missing.
How It Helped My Career
The TA experience helped me in many ways. It strengthened my resume and made me stand out among other candidates. It helped me develop skills that are highly valued in the job market. It improved both my technical and soft skills. It also helped me become a better game developer because the subject was programming-related, and I had to code a lot to help students. This practice improved my coding skills significantly. And OOP helped me understand game development concepts better.
Final Thoughts
This journey is beyond description. It went exactly the way I wanted. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a TA and for the support of my professor and students. I am happy that I was able to serve my department and university this way. A big thanks to my professor for trusting me and giving me this opportunity. It was a life-changing experience for me. It still encourages me to do better in my career. And I would recommend others to take TA roles if they get the chance.
Being a Teaching Assistant taught me one thing: knowledge grows when you share it. I walked into the lab hoping to help students, but I walked out having learned even more. This journey shaped my confidence and strengthened my passion for teaching, coding, and leadership.
"Sometimes the best way to learn is to teach. I never thought of being a TA, but I got the opportunity and grabbed it. It turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. That’s why I always search for opportunities, because even in the ashes of unexpected situations, there lies a chance to grow and learn."← Back to Blog