One math class (second order partial differential equations and differential analysis) course I had back in college had three recitation teachers:

1) the professor

2) the oriental fellow who not only couldn't be understood but thought we all were geniuses and insulted anyone asking a question. BTW we all were pretty damn close to geniuses and even the brightest among us couldn't understand this guy.

3) a Texan who was so awfully obnoxious and egotistical that the entire class hated him.

That was in 1969 -- We complained so hard that they really did change that system.

When did they start you ask? I think speech replaced sign language the year before, "waybackthen"

I came back to add another comment about college.

The first course offered in Chemical Engineering (remember I went Carnegie Mellon University) when I went back in 1968 was a freshman course and it was designed to force the student into a decision. It was rough, hard, math-free (because you really need more than freshman math) and I saw brilliant people who never failed a course or even contemplated a "C" grade, just beating their heads off the walls trying to understand mass and energy balances... This was taught by the head of the department and it was a giant dump on students. You knew when you finished that course what your major would or would not be.

I will say it was good because one of the guys who dropped the course after 2 sessions, graduated with honors as an Electrical Engineer four years later.

It's better you learn what you don't want the first year than the third year.