This year, Xavier normalized teacher assistants. Since students are required to take eight classes, Xavier explored ways to add course options for students. Teacher assistants are the best way to allow students to learn more and help teachers.

“They help me keep my sanity, lots of students have questions and they answer questions, they help peer edit papers, and help prep stuff for the next day,” English teacher Mrs. Molly Burgeson said. “I love them, all of them, Akeela Jefferson, Ana Stangler, and Brooklyn Coate.”

These assistants help teachers with whatever they may need. They might clean-up or set-up and take down labs. These students can also help other students in the classroom.

“We’ve had a number of students request to be a teacher assistant and teachers willing to take them,” guidance counselor Mr. Dave Schemmel said. “Teachers who have them seem to love them, and we’ve had an increase of 11 students from the first semester.”

There are 32 students currently in the teacher assistant program. In the past, there have been art, science and math teacher assistants. This year, all classes can have a teacher assistant if the teacher wants one. This helps the program become widespread and formalized.

For some students, it might be easier to learn from students around their age rather than a teacher. Many students feel more comfortable with fellow students including junior chemistry teacher assistant Tyler Reid.

Reid said, “I became a teacher assistant because I wanted to help my peers with their academics. I feel like it’s a lot easier sometimes to ask someone you know for help rather than the teacher.”