# Chateau de la Tobler

## Wednesday, December 16, 2009

### Good Teacher??

So I guess I must be a good teacher or something as I was being fought over as a TA for this next semester. As most, if not all, of you are aware, I was a TA for an introductory astronomy lab 3 nights a week during this most recent semester. This meant, that when we had a short lab, I didn't get home until 9pm. When we had a long lab, I didn't get home until midnight or 1pm. This put a damper on spending time with the boys those 3 evenings. As such I tried to spend time with them before they went to school int he morning, but I was always very tired during the morning. I would take Wednesday off to catch up on my sleep and also so that my boys knew I was still around. It was a great job but the extra driving to and from ASU was taxing on my system. My advisor had requested that I TA for him in the undergraduate advanced lab. He was told that the department could needed to put me with astronomy as there are so few native English speakers in physics who could do astronomy. Also, the TA that did work with my advisor this last semester will not be TAing as he will be graduating soon and has a RA to finish writing his thesis. So next semester he cannot work in the labs with my advisor.
I got a general email from the physics department asking if anyone would like to work in the advanced lab with my advisor. It said to talk to my advisor. So I do and he informed me that he, once again, requested me but is not sure if I will be put with him. For the same reasons. By this point I had already talked to the astronomy professor and requested to work with him next semester. You see, there are too many graduate students needing TA positions in the physics department and not enough TA spots. So I was going to work in astronomy again as that was a guarantee spot. Once I got the email requesting students to talk to my advisor I jumped at the chance. To help make sure I got to work with my advisor, I had to talk to everyone involved in the selection process. I talked to the astronomy professor and the physics professor who is in charge of assigning the TAs. I made sure they understood why I wanted to work with my advisor, and not just because he is my advisor. I told them all that as much as I loved the astronomy, I wanted something that would help me be home before my boys go to bed at night.
They all understood. The astronomy professor told me that if the TA position did not work that I was welcome to come back and work for him. I got the official word about a week ago that I will be working with my advisor in the advanced lab. I admit that I am excited as I don't have to come home past 7:30pm each evening. I know my boys will like that.
Love you all, SKT

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