Ranor did a great job explaining things and showing how they may be incorporated in our everyday lives. He was always more than willing to help and answer questions. His enthusiasm made coming to class fun. He wasn't like some of the TAs I've had before who treat the students as inferiors. He was eager for us to learn the material.

Honestly, our TA was really great. He was well-informed on almost every topic we discussed. He knew how to relate to his students in a way that allowed us to understand him as well as respect him (but still have a little fun too).

I think Ranor did a good job connecting with the students. He was always very friendly and made the experience of microbiology very enjoyable.

Ranor was a perfect example of what a TA should be like. Ranor was very good at not only presenting the slides through Powerpoint, but he was also very good at explaining the complex material further, so all students could understand it. He was always available to students for questions and concerns. I feel because of him I learned more than I ever thought I would learn in a class like this. (I took this class before and the first time, I was intimidated and almost scared of my TA. With Ranor, he related to the students but was still able to get the materials across clearly.)

He is the best TA I have ever had in all of my science classes.

Ranor was very prepared with pre-lecture slides and explanations of what we were supposed to learn to do in every lab. Ranor was also a hella cool person to teach the class. We laughed every lab and he let us make nicknames (ex. "Rain" haha) for him. How many TAs do that? He also was so good that we didn't know it was his first year until he told us during lab one time.

He connected with the students well and it also seemed as though he has done this before.

Showed that he really cared.

I'm going to miss these kids next semester! My friend Jenny (not wing-woman Jenny--another Jenny) told me that she heard people outside the lab talking about how they hate this part of the semester, especially when they have to say goodbye to a TA they liked so much. I'm getting the warm fuzzies inside!

Hearing things like this from my students further confirms to me that I want to work towards being a professor. I thought about whoring out to industry, and maybe I still will, but I want to be able to teach a class at least once a semester even if I do. I know academic jobs are hard to come by these days, and I'll probably be underpaid for the rest of my life if I stay in academia, but I like doing this. I like that feeling when someone understands something for the first time.

This also gives me a much-needed confidence boost. It's not news I tend to emo-out sometimes, especially when certain boys are concerned. But you know what? I don't need to do that all that much, dammit! I'm an awesome person, I'm good at lots of things, and I don't need to worry about being perfect all the time. I shouldn't need external validation to feel good about myself--especially when it comes to my academic performance and when it comes to Nicholas... but I think until I get to that point (and I'm trying to work towards it dammit!), things like this will help me get by.

:)

Aww, that's nice. :)
» randomjunk on 2009-05-08 11:07:44

Woo! Much better than the reviews we left for a teacher we had: "we learned NOTHING! Good day, sir!"

Yes, if you have these people telling you that you are awesome, then obviously you are, and should carry yourself as such at all times.

Just don't be cocky, because that's not cool.
» ikimashokie on 2009-05-08 11:49:03

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