Geoff Schoenberg

Today I make my first foray into formal teaching. I’ve led groups, developed skills and facilitated discussions but usually with a title that is not formally a teacher.

I’ll be the tutor for the practical sessions of the Facilities and Event Management class here at Deakin. I’m pretty excited (and a little nervous) about it. I’ll be taking four tutorials a week with a class size of 15-25. This class is a great fit and will be a nice bridge into the world of teaching. It’s on a topic that I have a reasonable amount of very practical experience that I should be able to draw on. In addition, the structure of the class is more about group facilitation and discussion rather than lecturing. Again, something I’ve done a lot. Also, this class is a third year class, so there *should not* be as much hand holding. The unit chair seems to have a very similar attitude to me, so I’m not worried about micromanaging. I feel pretty free to lead the class in my style, as long as the material is covered.

My goal is to run a tutorial that is student driven and focused. While it’s good to have ‘war’ stories to share, I remember, as a student, that the overuse of them appears as self-indulgence by the teacher. While it is important for me, as the teacher, to keep the class focused, it is also important that students’ concerns and areas of intrest are discussed in a safe and respectful environment.

So, what are your experiences in tutorials? As a teacher? As a student? What are your pet peeves? What were the characteristics of a great teaching assistant? I know a few of you out there have experience, so please share!