Student Blog

10min read

Hello, everyone! I'm Manari Shimamura (Manari) from SPA!
Today, we have the second installment of the student staff TA (Teaching Assistant) series, "Freshman TA Roundtable Discussion!"

Last time, we heard from the pro TAs, but I imagine many of you might still be interested in TA work but lack confidence, right? Even the students I've worked with as LTA (Leader-TA) at MCW (Multicultural Collaboration Workshop) initially had similar anxieties.
So, we gathered to discuss how our junior TAs have been doing after six months of activity.
※ You can find the previous "TA Master" interview article here (It’s also about "First-Year Education TA"!)

＜TAs appearing in this roundtable discussion＞

Name: Seo Seunghyun (Seunghyun)
Hometown: South Korea
Faculty: College of Asia Pacific Studies
Year: 2
TA Experience: Pre-Entrance Day TA
Other activities: E-sports community management, Onsen Club

Name: Mai Sunako (Mai)
Hometown: Shizuoka Prefecture
Faculty: College of Asia Pacific Studies
Year: 2
TA Experience: SSW
Other activities: GASS, Wadaiko Drum Circle, Part-time job

Name: Honomi Tomiyasu (Honomi)
Hometown: Fukuoka Prefecture
Faculty: College of Asia Pacific Studies
Year: 2
TA Experience: First time
Other activities: Part-time job

Name: Motilal Yanglem (Moti)
Hometown: India
Faculty: College of Asia Pacific Studies
Year: 2
TA Experience: SSW
Other activities: RA (Resident Assistant), Part-time job, Basketball Club

Name: Nao Umeda (Nao)
Hometown: Miyazaki Prefecture
Faculty: College of Asia Pacific Studies
Year: 3
TA Experience: Japanese Support TA, Pre-Entrance Day TA
Other activities: Part-time job

Name: Nguyen Minh Tu (Mitu)
Hometown: Vietnam
Faculty: College of Asia Pacific Studies
Year: 2
TA Experience: First time
Other activities: RA, Part-time job, Common Viet (Vietnamese Circle), TED×APU, Project B-GCC (APU Debaters)

Below, everyone will be called by their nicknames:

－Manari
Could each of you share what motivated you to become a First-Year Education TA?

— Nao
Before becoming a TA for MCW, I was a Language TA (Japanese TA), and I unexpectedly found TA work enjoyable. So, I thought I'd challenge myself with First-Year Education TA, which seemed a bit more challenging as the next step.

— Honomi
Yes, at first, I thought, "Maybe I'll give it a try," and I remembered that before enrolling at APU, I wanted to be a TA or RA. Also, when I was a student last year, TAs not only taught in class but also gave me advice and showed great care, which motivated me. I was hesitant because I had the impression that being an MCW TA required English proficiency, and I lacked confidence in English, but I thought, "Let's give it a try anyway!" and decided to challenge myself.

— Mai
I was originally interested in educational work and wanted to be involved in education in some way during my university years, so I decided to become a First-Year TA, where I could interact more actively with students.

— Seunghyun
When I had free time on Wednesdays without any lectures, I thought that I shouldn’t let that time go to waste, and TA seemed like the best option, so I decided to give it a try.

— Moti
I started because I wanted to make more friends! Also, I wanted to develop my public speaking skills.

— Manari
How about it? Have you made any friends??

— Everyone
Yaaay!!!! (Laughs)

— Manari
You're all so friendly! (Laughs) It makes me so happy as a LTA to see everyone getting along!!

Our class TAs

— Manari
So, what was it actually like being a TA? Were there any difficulties or enjoyable moments?

— Nao
The most difficult thing for me was coordinating with my partner TA. Sometimes our communication methods and frequencies didn't match, and we couldn't coordinate well. In the past, I would have endured it without saying anything. However, with advice from Kota-san (a senior TA from the previous interview) and other LTAs, I learned to talk openly and resolve issues when they arose. So, I think I've grown in that aspect. Also, since I'm considering a future in education, I rediscovered the joy of teaching.

— Mitu
The difficult part is creating a good atmosphere and motivation in the class. The enjoyable part is meeting various people. Since we interact with teachers as well as TAs and students, we meet many new people. There was a personal story task, and sharing and reading those stories allowed me to learn interesting aspects about different people.

— Honomi
At first, it took time to balance TA work with other responsibilities. I couldn't manage my time well initially, as I had to prepare slides and other materials for the next class after each weekly session. However, I gradually got used to it and found a rhythm in my life. Also, although I love interacting with people, I'm not comfortable speaking in front of a crowd. I didn't know how to boost my energy early in the morning. But when I heard pleasant stories relayed by friends like, "This is what Honomi said," or when students greeted me outside of class, it made me really happy. It felt like, "I made some junior friends!" and that made me happy. (Laughs)

— Mai
The most challenging thing for me was interacting with students. Since each student is different, I often wondered how to approach them. I still don't have all the answers, but I find joy in thinking about them earnestly. In my case, having Moti as my partner TA was a great support. I also handled SSW, another First-Year Education TA. When I did that, I managed everything by myself, so I could run things in my own way, but I also had doubts about maintaining the right distance from the students. So, it was good that I could improve on that through MCW this time.

Mai (left), Moti (right)

— Moti
Being an MCW TA is very enjoyable. As Honomi mentioned, it's really nice when I meet MCW acquaintances on campus and they greet me with "Hey!" or "Good job!" Creating slides is a bit challenging for me as I'm naturally slow at it, and that's a concern.

— Seunghyun
It was difficult to balance with other activities. I'm not very efficient, so when I try to come up with Powerpoint slide ideas or plan small group activities, it takes time. I could keep refining endlessly, but that would take up too much time, so I'm always fighting this struggle between wanting to focus but having limited time. (Laughs) Speaking of enjoyable things, the students are just adorable. (Laughs) I was a student myself a year ago, so when I see the class I'm teaching now, it feels nostalgic and makes me think, "Was I like this a year ago?" (Laughs)

— Honomi
I know how you feel! It makes you feel like crying when you think, "This is how everyone grows." Witnessing not only my own growth but also others' growth was a new experience for me, so I was deeply moved.

— Manari
It's an experience you wouldn't have if you weren't a TA, right? Truly one of the joys of being a TA!!

— Manari
You're all engaged in various activities every day, so you must be really busy.
How did you manage to balance your TA duties with other activities?

— Nao
I made a schedule in advance, deciding "I'll do this from this time to this time!" If I couldn't do something, I rescheduled it for another day, ensuring that my daily life balance wasn't disrupted.

Mitu (left)

— Mai
I'm also in GASS, the Wadaiko Drum Circle, and have a part-time job. When my tasks were challenging, I prioritized them. I guess I'm similar to Nao-san in that way. (Laughs)

— Mitu
For MCW tasks, we split the workload between us so that neither of us felt burdened. I think that's the key to keeping it going.

— Seunghyun
When preparing for MCW, I set goals to achieve. As I mentioned earlier, being too fixated on something would prevent me from doing other things, so it took time initially, but once I got used to it, I naturally managed to balance both.

— Honomi
I've always been a part-timer, so during my break times at work, I prepare for MCW. It's easy for me to switch gears, so I can concentrate well. I handle tasks like assignments in the morning after waking up.

— Moti
In addition to being a TA, I'm also an RA, have a part-time job, and play basketball. I have work around 11:00 every day as an RA, but other than that, I have plenty of time, and weekends are free, so I use that time for study, clubs, and MCW preparation. I prefer staying busy rather than having free time, so I've managed to balance things just right.

— Manari
It's really good to make time for yourself and take breaks even in the midst of a busy schedule. I also make sure to handle assignments diligently, and I value switching gears by watching movies or dramas, taking walks, or chatting with friends.

— Manari
Finally, could you each give a word of advice to future TAs who are considering becoming one?

— Moti
If you're thinking of becoming a TA, just go for it! Don’t think about anything. Just do it!!

— Mitu
You can gain wonderful experiences and meet amazing people as a TA, so don't hesitate to give it a try!!

— Honomi
Seriously, if you have even the slightest desire to do it, you absolutely should!! You'll discover a new you!

— Nao
Take a step forward and give it a try!

— Seunghyun
If you're hesitant, I think you should give it a try. It might turn out better than you think. You won't know until you try!

— Mai
When you hear about being a TA, it may seem challenging, but in reality, the joy outweighs the difficulty, and you'll have many great memories and experiences! If you're on the fence about trying it, I really want you to give it a shot!

Group photo of all MCW TAs

＜Post-interview thoughts:＞

This time, we interviewed fresh, rookie First-Year Education TAs. The TAs are all close friends, and there was never a shortage of laughter during the interview.
First-Year Education TAs certainly have many opportunities to interact directly with students, and their management and preparation greatly influence the outcome. However, through this experience, they can witness their own growth and that of their students.
And remember, there's no time like the present.
One TA said, "Even in my fourth year, trying out TA work was surprisingly enjoyable." I truly think that's the case. Being able to contribute from a teaching position after being a student is a valuable experience. Whether you've never tried it before or if you've tried it before and want to try again, please give it a shot. Other First-Year Education programs besides MCW are also looking for TAs, so be sure to check those out too!! We TAs will be waiting for you!!

Manari Shimamura

Hello, I am Manari Shimamura (Graduated in March 2024). I love to travel and last year I visited 15 countries in Europe. This year, I will be traveling around Asia and Japan. APU and Beppu are full of interesting things to do! I will share with you the charms of APU and Beppu through articles!