Hello All,

I have a somewhat lame question.  I have always done my classes alone 
without a TA because I've had quite small classes--I'm a language 
teacher.  I'm turning to TBL in the hopes of keeping up the small class 
atmosphere while dealing with a very large class.  Now I have to write a 
rationale for why I need a TA.  Frankly, when they told me this-- I 
began to doubt whether I really do need one and am wondering if you all 
can advise me.

I couldn't get a scanner for grading the iRATs so I was hoping the TA 
could be hand-grading those while I administer gRATs and start students 
on other tasks.  I also thought the room set-up (getting tables set up 
for teams and putting them away again at the end) might be a little 
tough on my own--though once it becomes a routine I'm sure the students 
could do this.  My TBL is all hand-made.  No clickers, just laminated 
A,B,C,D cards for teams to hold up.  I do have the IF-AT forms--but 
that's all the budget I've been given.

I'm not as young and spry as I used to be, but am I just being wimpy in 
thinking that I need a helper? Do I have good reasons for getting a TA?

Thanks for your input!

Christine

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Christine Kuramoto, Assistant Professor: Medical English
Kyushu University, Department of Medical Education
Faculty of Medical Sciences
3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582 Japan
Phone: (+81)92-642-6186 Fax: (+81)92-642-6188
E-mail: [log in to unmask]