<p>Sometimes I think they are a waste of time. I've had several classes where the TA comes completely unprepared and walks into the room and asks, "So what did you think of the readings?" And then when the room is silent, he or she will start getting frustrated because nobody answers his or her pointless, very vague questions. Do any of you actually get something out of your discussion sections, and what happens in yours.</p>
<p>I’ve had a few good ones. Philosophy discussion my first semester, urban studies discussion my first semester, physics discussion last semester, music discussion this semester.</p>
<p>My accounting discussions were also productive but not that fun. Basically just the TAs clarifying all the confusing crap haha.</p>
<p>I’ve never had an unproductive discussion class, but I’ve also never experienced a TA. My professors are always good about stirring up discussion.</p>
<p>I’ve never really had an unproductive discussion based class either, but, as said before, I’ve also never experienced TAs (except for my science class lab sections but those are hardly discussion based). My profs are really good at keeping the discussion going and getting us to really analyze everything.</p>
<p>The only conceivable circumstances under which group discussions will be fruitful is in classes where people are grouped by major or major type <em>and</em> the material pertains (somewhat) to their major.</p>
<p>But discussion groups in an general English or Art History class with a bunch of people who are only taking the class to fulfill a requirement and don’t want to be there nor care anymore than I do, yikes…makes my skin crawl just thinking about it.</p>
<p>^Not a problem if you don’t have any distribution requirements. Everyone at Grinnell who takes a class is there because they want to be there.</p>
<p>It sounds to me like tomjennings should complain to the department about the TA.</p>
<p>I’m in a Great Books course that has phenomenal class discussions. Fingers crossed the trend continues into sophomore year…</p>
<p>If the questions are vague, ask for clarification. If the questions are pointless, ask them what they mean by them. I guess I am biased, but have a little sympathy for your TA - they are often required to TA the class in order to stay in their program, and may have little preparation from the professor wrt leading a discussion section or teaching in general. They don’t teach us how to teach - they throw us in there and say “This is what you need to do, now go do it.”</p>
<p>Although if he is coming in unprepared, then he is being unfair to all of you. Preparing for discussion sections takes a tremendous amount of time, but we should do it. It’s not fair to waste your time by not preparing, so if it seems like he is truly unprepared (not reading the material, not preparing engaging questions for you, not guiding the discussion) then you should definitely say something.</p>
<p>Don’t complain to the department, though. Talk to the professor first.</p>
<p>I’ve only had one as bad as what you described-- it was a history course and given the material it should have been an easy discussion, but our GSI (what we call TAs) was COMPLETELY inept and didn’t appear to be interested in the course-- he was studying sociology so I am not sure how he ended up TAing for a history course anyway. I’ve had several FANTASTIC discussion sections. Most fall somewhere in between. I don’t think they’re a waste of time, if nothing else it gives you a chance to clarify things you didn’t grasp in lecture, even if there isn’t a riveting discussion. And in my program many of the lectures were huge, so having the smaller sections made it easier to meet people to make study groups.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, my english discussions were the best ones I ever took, and I am a poli sci major so was not taking courses that were exclusive to majors. I took two courses on victorian novel, one huge one that was an eclectic mix of majors, and one small that was mostly english majors with a few randomers like me thrown in. Both were excellent. The common demoninator there was the professor.</p>
<p>I suppose I’ve had a pretty lousy experience with discussion sections. Of all the one’s I’ve been in, most were led by international TA’s with crappy English and a lack of ability to ask insightful questions or promote intellectual discussion. Usually when they tell us to discuss something with the people sitting around us, we’re discussing something completely unrelated 30 seconds later.</p>
<p>I had a TA/discussion leader last semester who spoke such poor English (and also didn’t come to lecture so had no idea what we were doing in class) that she turned discussion over to us and made a different group of us lead discussion each week while she either didn’t come or showed up and didn’t speak. </p>
<p>At my school, it’s pretty natural for mandatory attendance in discussion but if that weren’t the case I’d never go.</p>