by Addi Gilreath, Biology

I can think back to the exact moment of the night before my first lab; the nerves were unsettling. Being a first-year biology GLA (Graduate Learning Assistant), I felt rather out of water. Many of my colleagues were pursuing advanced degree plans in STEM fields such as chemistry and biology, while I was working on the business side of healthcare. I had no background in teaching, and the idea of standing in front of a class in an attempt to guide students through biology labs was terrifying. Fast forward to now—my first semester ending—and I am amazed at how much I have grown. The experience has been transformative, not only in the way I approach teaching but also in how I communicate, manage challenges, and even see myself.

Initially, my goal was to survive the semester without making any major mistakes. But once I started engaging with students, I realized what a difference I could make for students. Not necessarily in how they learn about biology but in how they approach learning in general. This has taught me that the greatest teaching is not the mere dispensation of information, but rather the fostering of curiosity, collaboration, and community—where kids feel okay with sharing their opinions and discussing them among themselves. These ideas have made me a much stronger communicator and have immensely improved my public speaking skills—something I never thought I would be able to say before this experience.

Takeaways from Writing in the Discipline (WID) Training—

One of the most important takeaways from my experience as a first-year GLA was the teaching methods I learned through my Writing in the Discipline course. One of the chapters from our coursework, Strategies for Including Writing in Large Courses, gave me an entirely new perspective and approach to teaching and learning. There are three major ideas that I will take with me into my career. First, the idea of quality over quantity, assigning more readings and writings doesn’t equate to more learning. Even a simple one-paragraph writing assignment can hold great value for students. Second, writing can simply be used as a thinking tool (instead of just a graded assignment). Writing serves not only as a method of assessment but as an activity to inspire critical thinking and support learning. With ungraded writing assignments, students can delve deeply into the material without feeling grade pressure. Lastly, and most importantly, clarity is key as a teacher. Taking the time to clearly explain the expectations of an assignment beforehand can save lots of frustration for everyone involved. I have learned this the hard way while grading biology lab reports. It seemed that when several students missed the same concept, I couldn’t help but think about how I could have explained the material better during the lab. This realization led me to create a shared Google Drive for each of the labs I taught, where students were able to access lecture slides if they were unclear about the class assignments.

Writing serves not only as a method of assessment but as an activity to inspire critical thinking and support learning.

Reflecting on this semester, I’m filled with gratitude for the growth I’ve experienced as a teacher. I’ve learned that teaching isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being adaptable, empathetic, and willing to learn alongside your students. The skills I’ve developed this semester—communication, public speaking, and the ability to foster meaningful discussions—will undoubtedly shape my future, both in teaching and in my career.