From Challenge to Confidence: My Journey as an International TA

I came to Canada in 2017 with more than just my suitcases. I carried years of teaching experience and a deep love for helping students learn. But when I began my position as a math TA at Dalhousie, I quickly realized that teaching in a new culture comes with its own unique challenges. Being an international TA is more than teaching equations or marking assignments. It means learning to navigate a new language, a new educational system and a different culture, all while trying to maintain a work-life balance.

Challenge #1: Finding My Teaching Voice in a New Language

My first challenge came almost immediately: explaining mathematics in English. I knew the concepts by heart, but I didn’t always have the right words to express them. Although I had scored 29 out of 30 in the listening section of my TOEFL test, I soon discovered that understanding real conversations was a different story. Everyone spoke so fast, and sometimes I caught only half the words.

So, the challenge began, and I accepted it. I’ve always believed that learning is an inseparable part of teaching. So, I became both teacher and student at once. I listened carefully to how students phrased their questions, to the words they used, and the way they pronounced them. Slowly, I expanded my mathematical vocabulary so that I could teach more confidently.

There are two words I’ll never forget struggling with: equilibrium and perpendicular. It took me countless tries to pronounce them correctly! Even now, eight years later, I sometimes find myself checking a word’s pronunciation or meaning as part of my class preparation.

Challenge #2: Discovering a New Way of Teaching, Learning, and Evaluating

The second challenge came soon after: adjusting to a very different educational system and classroom culture. In Canada, classroom norms, grading expectations, and communication styles were unlike anything I had experienced before. Back home, classrooms were much more formal and hierarchical. The instructor was the central authority, and learning often meant listening carefully and taking detailed notes. No one would eat a snack or lunch while listening to a lecture. Grades were heavily determined by final exams, creating intense pressure on students. It was a system that valued structure, precision, and discipline.

Here in Canada, I discovered that classrooms functioned quite differently. Teaching was more student-centred and interactive. Students were encouraged to ask questions, discuss ideas, and even challenge the reasoning behind solutions. It took time and effort to adjust, yet those early struggles shaped many of the teaching skills I value today. I realized that to connect with students effectively, I needed to be flexible and open to new ways of teaching. I began exploring active learning strategies and inclusive practices through professional development workshops. I learned to appreciate the diversity in my classroom where students came from a wide range of cultural and educational backgrounds, each bringing their own perspectives and learning needs. Gradually, I began adapting my teaching to create a more inclusive and engaging learning environment.

One of my first adaptation experiences was grading a math project. Coming from a strict and highly competitive educational system, where even a small algebraic mistake could result in a significant penalty, I graded my first set of projects with the same mindset. I carefully followed the rubric provided by the course instructor and deducted points for every small error I noticed. Not surprisingly, when students received their grades, several went to the instructor with questions and concerns.

It was my first real lesson in grading. I realized that here, assessment isn’t only about accuracy. It is also about fairness, encouragement, and learning. Students value constructive feedback and partial credit for valid reasoning, even when their final answer isn’t perfect. Over time, I developed a new approach. I learned to balance precision with compassion to grade based on the depth of understanding rather than just the final result. I began giving partial points, leaving specific comments, and framing feedback in a way that guided improvement rather than discouraged effort.

Challenge #3: Finding My Balance When Everything Happened at Once

I honestly don’t know how I survived my second semester at Dalhousie. As a PhD student, I was taking two advanced courses and preparing for my comprehensive exams, both of which demanded a huge amount of study time and focus. In the middle of all that, I had to move to a new apartment in early February, right in the middle of the term. And to make things even more intense, it was also my first semester teaching a tutorial class in Canada.

As a TA, I suddenly had a long list of responsibilities: preparing solutions, delivering tutorials, collecting assignments, invigilating and grading biweekly quizzes, all while trying to keep up with my own research and coursework. It didn’t take long before I started to feel completely overwhelmed. I was constantly switching roles from student to teacher, from grader to researcher, and I couldn’t find where one ended and the other began.

That semester taught me one of the hardest and most important lessons: you can’t pour from an empty cup. I realized that maintaining balance isn’t a luxury; it’s essential for survival in graduate school. I began using calendars to organize my week, setting clear boundaries around my working hours, and permitting myself to rest without guilt. Even small routines like taking a walk between grading sessions or designating evenings for personal time helped me regain focus and perspective.

From Challenges to Growth: Lessons I Carry Forward

Looking back, every challenge I faced as an international TA taught me a lesson and made me a more confident and better teacher. What once felt unfamiliar now feels natural, and each experience, from my first tutoring session to leading tutorials, has shaped the educator I am today. Teaching has taught me as much about resilience and growth as it has about mathematics.

Author bio: Leila Mohammadi is a PhD candidate in Mathematics at Dalhousie University. Her experiences as an international TA have shaped her commitment to inclusive, student-centered teaching and learning.