You are an ambassador for the course. Students want reassurance that everything is organized and will go according to plan. Your primary role is to build their confidence while helping them learn through guided struggle.

• If you don’t know something: “I don’t know, but I will check”
  • Make sure to write down their question and their email, and follow up later
  • You can post these in the Slack
• If they ask if the class is behind: “The class is exactly at the pace we’re supposed to go”
• Project confidence in the course organization

• Keep everything focused on course material only
• Avoid complicated tangents or advanced topics
• If students find the content straightforward, you’ve succeeded

• Students will wait to see if you’ll just give them the answer
• Be firm: “We’re going to spend [X] minutes thinking about this problem”
• Don’t cave when they look lost or bored
• Learning happens through struggling first, then seeing the solution
• Students who don’t try themselves are the ones who fail

• Set explicit time limits (typically 5-10 minutes)
• The timer protects you from jumping in too early to “save” students
• Display the timer alongside the problem on screen
• Let the timer run its course regardless of student reactions

• Always show both the problem and the countdown timer on the same screen
• Students forget what they’re supposed to do - keep reminding them
• Consider highlighting specific parts to work on
• Make the next step obvious (like in a video game)

• Don’t rush past “Any questions?”
• Explicitly wait 30 seconds for questions to emerge
• After answering one question, wait another 30 seconds for follow-ups
• Only move on after the full waiting period with no questions

Recitation offers something unique: A room where everyone thinks about the same problem simultaneously, struggling together. This shared struggle is what makes in-person learning valuable compared to just asking GPT for answers.

• Timer options: Mac timer app or Google’s “5 minute timer” search
• Anonymous questions: Consider using Slido for shy students
• Problem sequencing: Start with one question at a time if students struggle to begin, then build to multiple questions

Remember: Your job isn’t to make things easy - it’s to create a structured environment where productive struggle leads to genuine learning.