Bye Bye UNIV

It is almost the end of the semester. Students have begun giving their final presentations summarizing everything they did and loved during their two semester journey in UNIV 111 and 112. I have really enjoyed the presentations they gave, each one of them stood out in some way. They pointed out how much they learned and how much they are expecting what they learned in UNIV to be useful in future courses they may take at VCU.
As for myself, it was a pleasure watching each and every one of them grow mentally and develop their skills. I appreciate their interaction with one another, I appreciate the way they interacted with us (the professor and the TAs) and lastly I appreciate the effort they put forth to learn.
Some of these great students are going to move up to being TAs themselves next semester. As a TA, I had some input into whom I thought would fit the job. I was happy to see that the professor and I both agreed on those personalities that just popped. The personalities we thought would make great role models. I am looking forward to seeing the difference they would make.

As for the program as a whole, I am getting much more out of it than I had expected. I had previously thought that my journey would end here, at the end of the second semester. It is however about to extend for another semester or two! there is a new course developed for third year TAs who want to guide future TAs in their tasks. I am really excited in starting that course, and I am really grateful that I got involved in this opportunity.

It is opening a lot of new doors for me, I have learned a lot, and I would definitely recommend it to every Freshman in UNIV 111 and 112.

Trust

When I was chosen to become a T.A exactly one year ago, I was very excited about the experience that I was going to have. In addition to feeling compatible, I felt that I was chosen because my professor saw a person she can completely rely on in me andI felt the same way. From that day forward, I made it my goal to always perform to the best of my ability and to carry on the responsibility that was given to me by my professor. My fellow T.A and I had the opportunity to give a few classes in their entirety when our Professor was out of town or simply could not make it. We saw this as our job, but mostly; we felt it was our privilege to do so while she was gone. It made us feel responsible, mature, and accomplished. It was definitely one of my most fond memories of the T.A program.

Recently however, we were told that from now on, we would have to always have a substitute professor with us in the room when our main professor was not able to make it.

I am aware that we are approaching the end of the semester now, and that there probably will not be anymore classes where we would have to take over for the professor. I still however feel the need to express my disagreement with the idea that two fully capable T.As should not give a 50 minute class to a group of well behaved students every now and then.
It completely defeats the purpose of having T.As. We are there to help the professor and run their work for them when they are gone. If we needed someone to watch over us doing so, I do not think we should have been chosen for this position.

My hope is that this will not continue in the future. It is important for the T.As to feel the responsibility a professor feels when giving a class.

Man on Wire

In class lately, we have been watching a documentary called Man on Wire. Professor Lucas had told Hayden and I about it before we saw it in class, but I honestly did not expect it to be as good as it is. Man on Wire is a 2008 documentary film directed by James Marsh. The film chronicles Philippe Petit's 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center. It is based on Philippe Petit's book, To Reach the Clouds, recently released in paperback with the new title Man on Wire. The title of the movie is taken from the police report that led to the arrest (and later release) of Petit, whose performance had lasted for almost one hour. The film is crafted like a heist film, presenting rare footage of the preparations for the event and still photographs of the walk, alongside reenactments (with Paul McGill as the young Petit) and present-day interviews with the participants.
It competed in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize: World Cinema Documentary and the World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary. In February 2009, the film won the BAFTA for Outstanding British Film, the Independent Spirit Awards and the Academy Award for Best Documentary.

After we watched the movie in class, I asked the students what they thought of Petit himself. They all agreed that he was very self absorbed. He let go of his friends as soon as he achieved his goal. They all worked hard to help him achieve what he wanted but once he became the New York star, he forgot all about them.
The movie was quite inspiring, but Petit's personality was definitely a turn off.
never the less it did not take away from the enjoyment of the film.

I recommend it to anyone who likes an adventurous inspiring film!