Friday, October 15, 2010

Office Hours? Do People Go To Those?

It is recommended over and over.. go visit your teachers when they offer themselves up for office hours! So what exactly are office hours? Professors and TAs (teaching assistants) schedule time outside of normal class hours to meet with students. This is a great time to ask questions or clarify something from discussion, ask for extra help, talk about something that interested you particularly, or.. (this one is weird) get to know your professor!! The professor expects you to come in and lead the meeting in the direction you want to take it.

I have found that GW professors and TAs are always grateful to have students come and ask them additional questions during their office hours. My biology lab teaching assistant is a graduate student working on his own projects in the lab, and makes himself available Friday mornings. He informed me last Friday when I went to ask him questions about homework that I was the first visitor he had to office hours! IT'S THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER! I suppose Friday mornings are not the best time to expect students to be awake... but seriously? Here is a teacher who I can engage with one on one and assist me in getting a better grade on my lab report? I can't pass that up! After speaking with him, I had a much better idea of what he was expecting from our homework.

Particularly in English classes, it is to your benefit to visit office hours. Professors are always willing to help you formulate a strong thesis or review a rough draft. My experience with professors here is that they are unwilling to help you unless you make the first step of meeting with them. Do not email them with a rough draft, asking them to edit it, unless you have previously talked about it in person.

Tips To Take Away:
1. GW professors and TAs are very approachable!
2. They are lonely in their office hours without you.
3. Usually they have comfy chairs. Always a bonus.
4. Think of office hours almost as free tutoring.. from the person who matters most!

I am determined to always have pictures in my blogs.. here are some ideas of what office hours look like!
As always.. questions? Want me to write about something next? Email me at marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu.
- Marisa

No comments:

Post a Comment