I have a bad teacher's assisstant teaching me, what do i do?

Question

well she technically isn't "bad." She is the TA for my political science class -- The Canadian Government. First of all, she is an American and I dont really think that she knows much about Canada. Second, she treats me like I'm retarded because I am only in my first year at university. Third, she has a cult of personality and tries to establish her own divinity and thinks that she is smarter than all of us just because she has her master's degree. Finally, the most crucial point, is that we stand on opposite ends of the political spectrum. We have conflicting beliefs and since it is a discussion class I am very scared that heated arguements are going to ensue because I have a set of very strong beliefs. I can't transfer out of the discussion class because all the other ones are full and the only way I can get out of there is to completely drop the course! (which of course i dont want to)

Answer 1

She may not be a good teacher, but certain things in your post lead me to suspect that the problem is partly yours as well.

My advice? Talk to someone higher up, like the professor or possibly the department head. Also, don't be too quick to assume that she'll give you a bad grade if you disagree with her. In my experience, even most of the strongly ideological professors don't do that. They may be biased, but they have a lot of respect for people whose views are well thought out and well presented. You could easily be worse off if you shut your mouth and try to be invisible.

Talking to the prof/dept head should alleviate some of your concerns. If worst comes to worst, you may just have to deal with the situation. That, too, is good training for real life - and if you get a C instead of an A in a class on the Canadian government, well, take my word on this: in the long run, it really isn't going to matter to anyone.

Good luck!

Answer 2

First of all, you don't have to be Canadian to know about Canada, but if you feel that TA doesn't really "know her stuff," that's a legitimate complaint. As for her treating you like you're "retarted," perhaps she doesn't realize it. And regarding your being on opposite sides opinion wise, that's not uncommon. You don't have to be in agreement, but rather the TA simply needs to present the information and help you learn it.

Don't forget that TA's aren't trained teachers, but rather students. And some are better than others. And some emulate the behaviors and styles of the prof they TA for. My suggestion is to voice your concerns with your prof. Perhaps you're not the only one experiencing. If you don't get satisfaction, then I would take it the next step, which would be going to the Chair or Dean.

Answer 3

It is true that in life you'll need to learn to deal with all sorts of people, including prospective employers and supervisors whose behavior may be similar to this TA. Life is full of people with vastly dissimilar political ideologies. It's also true that life isn't always fair. There is a saying, "You'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar." Try smiling and using charm when you feel the least like it. She may surprise you and warm up to you. Maybe she appears egocentric because she's really feeling insecure right now. Sometimes when we look for it, we can find the humor in situations. Try looking for the positive and see if that makes a difference. There's another saying, "We've agreed to disagree." It's possible to have a good relationship with someone even if your beliefs are very different from theirs. And sometimes those differences provide us with opportunities to learn new things, expand our minds, and see the humor.

Answer 4

Deal with it :) Part of growing up is realizing that you aren't always going to agree or get along with everyone you are in contact with daily. Make the best of it and see what you can learn from her despite her obvious flaws.