In today’s busy and crazy middle school environment, some students go beyond their own studies and work to help teachers and classmates as TAs (Teaching Assistants). One great student, Avah, shared her thoughts on what it’s like to be a TA while still managing the hard work and time-consuming parts of middle school life.
When asked what she wishes adults understood better about being a middle schooler today, Avah said, “I wish adults knew school gets overwhelming.” Her words reflect the pressure many students feel as they navigate academics, activities, and social life. Some students feel like teachers and staff don’t fully understand how busy they are.
Balancing TA responsibilities with personal schoolwork can be tricky. Avah explained, “It’s hard to stay on top of your grades. Being a TA with schoolwork and activities isn’t that hard—it’s more just making sure you’re on top of your class and making sure that you’re still helping out any chance you get. A tip would probably be to make sure you’re not being cluttered while being a TA because then it’s way harder to grade stuff.”
Despite the challenges, Avah finds ways to stay organized and helpful. She also has ideas for what makes a great lesson. “If I could design my own lesson for the class, it would probably be on teamwork and how it’s important, and I would do it by group work,” she said.
While some students might find the TA role difficult or too overwhelming with schoolwork, Avah feels confident in her ability to manage it. “Being a TA isn’t that challenging for me, but I would totally understand being overwhelmed by the amount of work that has to be done,” she said.
Her advice for students considering becoming a TA is simple but important: “Advice I will give to another person that would like to become a TA is that you have somebody’s grade on the line, and that’s an important thing to remember.”
Avah’s experience shows that being a TA is more than just helping out, it’s about responsibility, leadership, and learning how to support others while growing and learning yourself.
