Before and after class, and during any breaks, students can wander about, talk,
etc. Please keep in mind that even though the class may not be in session,
this IS a college classroom and conduct yourselves accordingly. Once I
start class and go into "lecture mode" I can't put up with a lot of interuptions, and it's very distracting when students are carrying on a coversation while I'm trying to teach.
Questions are VERY welcome...but keep them relevant. I do ask that you
respect me as a TA and an authority figure, but I'm open to some pranking
and joking. Feeling comfortable and enjoying the class makes students more
willing to ask me questions and keeps attendance high--but once lecture
mode starts, the level of professionalism WILL increase, and I ask that
you respect that. I don't mind personal questions, but I will NOT answer them while lab is in session; I'll just indicate that it's not an appropriate subject for the lab, and you can ask later. I try very hard to connect what I teach
with what you experience every day--whether it's the uses of diatoms, the meaning behind the name of an organism, or just some of the cool facts and concepts behind what I teach. I enjoy this subject, and try to provide a multi-dimensional view of it, rather than just re-explaining what you already have written in the text or out of lecture. When you can go out, and look at the world with the eyes of a botanist, and it's no longer just a tree or a flower, but a complex and amazing organism with a long history leading up to it all the way from a bacteria.....then you've got 'Botanist Eyes.' You'll find you spend a substantial amount of time each week picking off a leaf here and there and pulling apart a flower to see and appreciate the intricate details and arrangements. :o)
