When I'm not food blogging I'm teaching college students

posted on: Tuesday, November 30, 2010


For the last 4 years I've worked as a TA (teaching assistant) at the university. I see the students in lecture, I meet with them in section, and I grade all of their work. I have past students e-mail me about updates on their lives I have present students come to my office hours to talk about recent breakups and as a reward they listen to me when I talk about neoliberalism, U.S-Venezuela relations, and the civil war in El salvador. 

I love my students. I love the conversations we have and the knowledge that we create. I  especially enjoy working in the Latin American Latino Studies department because we get to talk about academics and activism as NOT two separate things.

Yesterday was my last section and I wanted to do something nice for them so I invited all 50 of them over to my house and cooked so much rice and beans that today I'm trying to convince Christian to invite his students over to eat the rest.

Christian laughed and said "I'll stick with regular section"

Sometimes I go back and forth about graduate school. I already have a MA so should I go for a Ph.D?  Can I write a dissertation where I align the margins to the right, because that's how I feel comfortable writing? Christian made a point yesterday as I  was stirring 4 huge pots of beans, "if you'd rather feed 50 people than have section I think you should stick with cooking and food blogging"

I think he's right.

Not that I don't love teaching. I do, I love teaching. I just don't like academic writing, yuck. I guess I'll stick with being a TA so I can continue to teach and not worry about the dense writing portion of academia.


Christian is doing a Ph.D right now but even he is not convinced it's the right thing for him.
Enzo on the other hand my students totally engaged with his lecture on geography and plate tectonics.  

I can't wait till he's old enough to read more science books, more Eduardo Galeano, and some cook books as well. We're all about being well rounded in this family.

As for baby Maria, Christian's dream is that she'll become a big wave surfer. Right now I'm just hoping she'll survive past the age of 2, then we can start working on some other skills.

25 comments:

  1. I have been a TA for the pat 3 and a half years. This semester is my last section, too! I am going to have a little dessert party in my office on Monday to celebrate. How nice that you had all 50 of them over. Isn't teaching wonderful? I am really going to miss it!

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  2. Dessert party sounds like the perfect idea. What subject do you teach?

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  3. oh my goodness you must be an awesome teacher!! There's always that one teacher that people remember forever and I think you're that kind :)

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  4. Brooke, what an incredibly nice thing to say!

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  5. So cute, I love how he's got them all in the palm of his hand in this picture! I think Christian may be right - it sounds like teaching is something you really enjoy and those students must enjoy you in return if they're willing to come over to your house!

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  6. Ahaha love that! I hear you about academic writing... it's totally not my cup of tea either.. I'd much rather blog about food too! I love that you have wonderful relationships with your students though, we all need teachers like that in our lives at one point or another!
    xox tash

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  7. Wow...50? That sounds like so much fun....I used to teach for a few years and then went into writing...Its so refreshing to see what a lovely relationship you have with your students:)
    Have a great day
    Kisses

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  8. I didn't necessarily give them the option. I just said "we're having section in my house next week." I guess i should of made it optional, that way they wouldn't have had to endure my cooking.

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  9. Wow, how fun would it be to be a TA? i would like it :) I've wondered about getting a PHD but yeah - I don't think I can keep up with all the pressure to publish!

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  10. Okay- seriously. 50 people?????

    Whether you have your Ph.D or not- you're a cooking rockstar and an entertaining genius... all in 1:).

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  11. I would love to have you as a TA, and not just because it's obviously a great excuse to hang out with Enzo. :)

    I'm dangerously close to opting for a Ph.D., but stories like yours make me wonder if there's more to life than academia. I love that you have so many non-academic passions, and I hope I can be as enlightened as you when I have to make my decision!

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  12. You're simple amazing Damaris! I love this post and I love what you share with your student, food included!
    Love,
    Ana

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  13. Incredible that you cooked for 50?!! And you work. And you're a mom. And you're a wife. And you blog. How in the world do you do it all?

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  14. Firstly, I used to be a huge Latin American history fan in high school. I wanted to become an archaeologist and move to Central America! :-D I've also done a fair bit of substitute teaching back in Finland and always enjoyed working with younger and older kids. I love how you opened your home to your students, that's really awesome!

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  15. As a trained teacher currently on a break I feel being a TA will be the only way I will ever return to school. Teaching here in England has become more and more about the paperwork and less and less about the teaching and that just seems all wrong to me!

    Thanks for popping over to my blog, I spotted you over on Becca's too!
    xx

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  16. I think you belong at Hampshire! Academics & politics absolutely go hand in hand there.

    Also, I imagine you teaching high school as another option: smart, interesting kids, maybe a boarding school where you can den mother a bit & be less chained to all things academic formatted so strictly. Plus, a great environment for smart kids.

    Lovely post.

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  17. ask christian to include me in the list of friends being invited for leftovers.

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  18. I would of loved to have you as a TA! I always thought the TAs were kinder and more approachable than some of the super old, tenured, very educated (sometimes sexist) professors! You are great :)

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  19. Thanks for coming to visit my blog.
    I have a PhD (but I'm no longer pursuing a career in academia). Sounds like you really enjoy doing what you are doing, so why change?

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  20. Wait, you're not in a program at the moment and they let you be a TA? I think you're the luckiest person ever. I'd love to just be teaching and not have my own research or classes to worry about. Working with college students is so rewarding -- I've been TAing for a writing class this quarter and it's been so much fun. Tomorrow's my last section with them! I'd love to do what you did and invite them all over to my apartment, but I don't have time right now to cook for everyone!

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  21. Answering some questions...

    1. I finished my MA last year and am not a student but I still get to TA because there are openings, usually in the LALS department.

    2. Someone asked how I do it all. Basically I don't commute anywhere. We don't commute anywhere. We live on campus, Enzo goes to preschool on campus, we work on campus, Christian goes to school on campus. This simplifies everything!

    oh and...
    thanks for the lovely comments as always.

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  22. I am soo at this point right now, too: should I write a Ph D thesis or not? The thing I hate most about it is it is such an unsocial job... it's you and your books and your computer. I wish it was possible to write a thesis together with 10 other people...

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  23. schlahtplatte: last year when i was finishing my MA thesis I seriously wanted to die (not really, but almost). I almost didn't finish it and am still not convinced I should have.

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  24. I just read this post now (soo behind on reading blogs) and I think it's so wise of you to think carefully before jumping into a PhD. I see so many people of making the mistake of just going for it without considering how hard it really is and yes, I may be talking about myself a bit here. :)

    If you love teaching and can do so without having to go through a PhD, then that's perfect! I don't necessarily think having a PhD makes one a better teacher. If you love research though, then there's a stronger argument for a PhD. I don't regret deciding to do a PhD but there are days, ok many days, when I have to really ask myself why I'm doing this in the first place. Like you, I also hope to teach one day but I was in a different field before so I try to convince myself that the PhD enables me to learn enough about this new field to eventually teach it. *Crossing fingers*

    Sorry this is so long. Anyway, this is all just to say this post really touched my heart. Thanks Da!

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  25. Angi thans so much for your words. It made me think about a couple things, which is always good.

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