The restructured classroom enables profound changes in the Teaching Assistant Scholars' meta-cognition, communication skills, self-concept as a teacher and learner, in addition to tremendous content growth. These four factors of change can be found throughout their journals, focus group sessions, and class discussion. Here are some examples:
TA Scholars report that their own learning is heavily influenced by teaching peers.
"I have been a TAS for about two full months now and I am completely honest when I say that I have learned so many skills that have not only enhanced my teaching skills but also my learning, processing information, and responding abilities. Some of the activities we have learned in TAS class I have applied to my own classes such as asking specific questions to classmates or to my teacher whenever I am confused." - Isora
"When I started in the PERC class, for the first time in my life I could understand and appreciate a teacher's work. As a TAS, I've learned so many skills that I applied to myself. Now I am highly motivated and use some of my methods to help me with my own homework. And at home, I am now able to help my little brother on his work." - Lisbeth
"As a TAS I learned to take notes because they benefit me as well as others. Upon writing my Questions and Pitfalls I gained organizational skills that were helpful when writing essays in English and Economics Class." - Jordan
TA Scholars report that they become better communicators and more responsible workers.
"You get a lot of working experience, a lot of communication skills. You mature a lot from it. You learn a lot from the program and even from the kids that you are tutoring." - Jason
"Communication with peers helped me academically because now I can communicate with them especially during group work activities. If I can communicate well, then we can get the task at hand done before the deadline." - Jonathan
"I have to say that the best part of being a TAS is the experience. The experience to me is worth a lot considering that I plan to pursue a career as a math teacher. I learned that in spite of a student's attitude, they always care about their grades even if it's just a little bit. That little bit is enough to motivate them to do their work and as long as they try I will not give up on them." - Jose
TA Scholars report that they begin to identify with their teachers and, as a result, behave as better students in their other classes.
"The best part of being TAS is getting to be the "teacher."It makes us grow up faster because we are responsible for the education of our students. It also shows us how our behavior upsets the teacher. I don't appreciate when a student is wasting my time and his own. I understand why my teachers get so upset when we misbehave. It's a waste of valuable time." - Aaron
"When I teach my student I see how my teachers feel when they teach me in my classes. I see how the teachers feel. I see the school in different ways now. Not just the way the students see, but also how the teachers see. [In my other classes] I am more willing to do work or listen to the teacher." - Brikena
"The methods that I instill in my kids, I also use in my other classes. I write down information copiously and make sure to do my own personal round robins.I take the role to help others not only in my TAS class, but also outside and in my other classes, helping kids who need more explanation in my other advanced classes such as AP Calculus and U.S. History.This TAS and PERC class has helped me inherit a leadership that I might have not gained without it." - Taylor
"It has been great experience being not just a teacher but also a co-learner of all the stuff that we were supposed to teach the students. It was huge experience as I learned about what it is like to be a teacher and how much immeasurable responsibility comes on your shoulder as soon as you step inside the class room." - George
"I feel that being a TAS this year has shown me how I have been in the classroom in the past and how tough it is for one person to teach and have 30 students in one whole room and make sure they understand what they have learned." - Letisha
TA Scholars report that teaching the content to their peers, allows them to get a broader understanding of the material.
"I have developed incredible math skills during this program. One thing is to understand the material and another one to be able to teach it and explain it. One must really break the material down in order to be able to teach it. And, after it is broken down it is much easier to remember throughout the years." - Lilly
"There was some work that I hadn't seen when I took this class in 9th grade but made sure I understood it before going in front of my students." - Devaron
"For instance, in probability some students learned it through fractions; while others learn through tree diagrams. Because of this, I had to really understand the math concepts being taught. The nice thing about math is that there's always more than one way of getting to an answer. So, I had to search through all these paths with each separate student." - Rosmel
"Being a peer tutor was a good way to refresh my memory of biology. Not only to refresh my mind but to help and increase my knowledge on the topic. While tutoring students you had to come up with many different ways to explain something. During the TAS class we did Advanced Placement work and that really helped me learn. I already knew all of the basic biology. Using the AP textbook explained everything with more detail." - Mateusz
