����ֱ��

TAing as an International Student

International TAs are a vital and integral part of ����ֱ��’s educational system, bringing diversity of experiences and culture to the College. They also face some unique challenges. International TAs may benefit from familiarizing themselves with the expectations of their students and the general culture of ����ֱ��.

����ֱ�� Undergraduate Education Structure

Students

The standard undergraduate education in the United States is a four-year program. An undergraduate enters ����ֱ�� as a “freshman” or “first-year” after finishing high school, typically at the age of 18. “Sophomore” is the term for a second-year undergraduate and “junior” refers to a third-year student. A “senior” is a student in their final year as an undergraduate.

Courses

To earn a bachelor’s degree, students must complete 32 courses, including a set program of courses specified by their major department or program. Undergraduates typically take four classes each semester, in consultation with the Undergraduate �ٱ𲹲�’s Office and/or their undergraduate major advisor.

A liberal arts education seeks to expose students to various fields of knowledge. ����ֱ�� undergraduates take courses in a wide range of subjects, and the College has a distribution requirement that facilitates students’ engagement in studies across a variety of fields. By the end of their sophomore year, students declare a major in which to specialize. The declaration of a major is part of the Sophomore Planning Process which is posted on the �ٱ𲹲�’s Office website each fall. Students may also double major with the approval of both major departments and their dean. The precise distribution and major requirements for each degree are listed in ����ֱ�� Undergraduate Course Catalog.

Courses which are not distributional requirements or major requirements are known as electives. Students elect to take them because they are either in their major field of study or simply because they are interested in the subject.

Undergraduate courses have four different levels, ranging from introductory 000 or 100 level courses to 300 or 400 level special categories of work for seniors majoring in the subject.

Grading System

Students receive grades for each course they take. The grades can be based on problem sets, quizzes, exams, written papers, laboratory reports, and presentations. ����ֱ�� undergraduate grades are on a 4.0 scale. Students must earn a 1.0 or higher in a course to receive credit. Students must earn a 2.0 or higher (grade above merit) to count towards college requirements and major requirements. The grades count towards a ���ٳܻ��Գ�’s grade point average (GPA) which is a significant indication of a ���ٳܻ��Գ�’s academic success. Students may take some courses under the Credit/ No Credit (CR/NC) option. The grade for the CR/NC option course is not factored into the ���ٳܻ��Գ�’s GPA. All students’ coursework is recorded by the College on the official transcript. More information on grading and academic records can be found in Bryn Mawr College Undergraduate Course Catalog.

International TA-Specific Challenges 

Language

English may not be the first language for some international TAs, which may cause them some anxiety. International TAs should remember that the knowledge they will be providing students far outweighs the minor issues that sometimes arise from language differences. Nonetheless, the following tips may help to prevent and resolve language issues in the classroom.

• Make it clear that English is not your first language and ask students to speak slowly and clearly if necessary.
• Ask students to explain any slang expressions or colloquialisms that you don’t understand.
• Be prepared for your classes and be patient with the students.
• Work with your students to establish two-way communication.
• Maintain a positive attitude toward issues that arise from language differences. Most students will overlook the issues when they see your subject competence, willingness to help, and friendly attitude.
• Work on improving your English-language proficiency. Practice your pronunciation, read more English books and newspapers to improve your vocabulary, listen to conversations in English, and consume English-language media such as movies, TV, and podcasts.

Culture Shock

International TAs, particularly those who are new to living the United States, may experience some culture shock as students and in the classroom. Culture shock refers to the distressing feelings associated with being immersed in an unfamiliar cultural context. International TAs should expect some culture shock to occur in the classroom but can address this by asking questions to gain a better understanding of unfamiliar cultural norms, speaking with others in their department or the broader ����ֱ�� community who come from the same country or a similar region, and/or discussing these feelings with a member of Counseling Services.