I've just started TAing for the first time and, while I have one seminar group that are talkative and reasonably informed, I just had a seminar that dragged like hell. :-s It's a first year introductory class to a subject that they will not have studied previously and it's an elective (so includes students from other disciplines), but there was just a basic lack of any general knowledge that could be drawn upon AND the concepts we were discussing were misunderstood by wide margins. So, I'm intending to go back to the drawing board for next week's lesson plan - I'm even thinking of having a basic lesson plan (for the talkative and informed group) and a more well-structured lesson plan (for the painful group.)

Does anyone have any useful time-eaters that also make sure people get a grasp of the subject? I can't take a semester of slow seminars.

Maybe you're suffering from the converse of the Dunning-Kruger effect: that your increasing competence has weakened your self-confidence because you falsely assume that "normal people" have equivalent abilities. It's also unfair to compare yourself to lecturers because they have had many more years of learning than you. It's like comparing GCSE and Uni students.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

Matilda is right: how long is a piece of string and how many pieces of string will get you to the moon? However, to be slightly more helpful, one of my lit reviews (the other one is not written) was 12,021 words long and had 109 entries in the bibliography.

Yeah, it was slightly passive-aggressive - "It's the final straw; I'm writing a note!" However, I think it was the right thing to do: you didn't create a confrontational scene and managed to communicate your displeasure at being kept awake. Also, I think its perfectly reasonable to request that people stop annoying you because, after a while, "annoying" does become "unbearable".

First, yes, it is possible to read 75 pages a day.

Second, however, it depends on what the material is.

Third, it depends how well written it is.

Fourth, it also depends on how you are as a reader/learner.

On this last point my personal experience is that within my family me and my mum are the "hardcore" readers. My mum has finished many a book in a single sitting and I can read a good 1000 page book in a day if the feeling takes me. However, my brother, sister and dad, while being readers, are far slower. In fact, I've ended up borrowing my brother's books just after he's bought them and reading them before he needs a new book (actually, my mum also prereads books before giving them as presents.) Course, this spiel is all about fiction books and academic books are far harder to read, but it does kinda back my point up; it just depends.

What course are you doing?

24 here....but I have had tons of freshers think I'm a second year ("Pah," I say "Second year? Try sixth year. Facebook didn't even exist when I started Uni!" or something along those lines that doesn't sound so condescending. I also like "So, are you a second year?" "In one manner, yes.")

Anyhow, don't feel that cooking (or brewing, weaving, etc) skills are a sign of age, they are a sign of a well-rounded personality that cares about more issues than the traditional 18 year-old's concerns of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll...or, as it currently appears, sex, clubs and clothes.

Woo! I passed too. Bloody awful meeting where I was knackered (three hours sleep due to sodding freshers), fluffed a few easy questions and got asked some just plain leftfield things. Other than that, some really good points were raised and a lot of useful information was thrown at me. Anyhow, now that it's done I can go back to bed before starting to work on some of the issues they raised. Yay! Second year.8-)

Not to be overly mean, but using a jar of dolmeo is not really "making" spagetti sauce.

Basic recipe - http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3228/chilli-con-carne

Are you sure you don't like Kidney beans? They're fairly amazing in chilli.

I would double the amount of cumin in this and add 1 tsp ground coriander. Also, if you have them, use chilli flakes (fry in oil and then add the oil and chilli flakes in) for the basic layer of heat in the chilli. And, of course, use salt and pepper to taste (which the recipe seems to omit.)

You could also add a bit of red wine.

I have also been looking for preparation resources for Monbukagakusho Scholarship for some time. I think at first the official guidelines should be checked. A lot of information can be found at this site http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/toj/toj0307e.html.

You can also check Monbukagakusho Scholars Organization Homepage(www.monbusho.org) for more information shared by the current scholarship holders.



;-)

Eska, it may be that your roller is overloaded because it hasn't been worked sufficiently in the grid part of the tray. It's been a while since I painted, so that's just a guess.

Bug, it's never worth comparing yourself to other people in the gym because they'll always be someone better. What it is worth doing, though, is making sure you get the technique spot on and then spend the time quietly laughing at people who insist on doing stupid things with heavy weights. I had a (short, fat) friend who wanted to show off about something so loaded the leg press up to 300-350 pounds. He did 3 reps, stopped, and then couldn't walk home.

Bug, use the rowing machine for cardio and arms. Bloody hard work is the rower. Other than that (and the armbike) a few weights never go amiss. Maybe even things like pressups? I think one thing you may want to do is evaluate your arms and think what muscles really need toning. At a guess, it will be your triceps rather than your biceps and these are the muscles you should focus on.

Also, Wally cursed me for this before, but for your core, do you know about the plank?

Well, by 2013 you'll have been a student for 7 years so maybe a job at a bar/offie/brewery? Or you could always turn tricks under the name "Dr. Love."

How about trying the Civil Service Faststream? Difficult to get on to (though there is a similar one for local government) but you could end up with a slightly more hands-on version of what you want.