posted Jul 1, 2009 6:43 AM by Anne Fitzsimmons
We’ve come up with several tips to help you in your first year of teaching. First of all, try to request a classroom with technology. If you can’t, be sure to schedule library sessions and computer clusters early in the semester. Not only is it helpful to have access to the Internet in class, it’s always nice to change the location of class every now and then. It helps keep the classroom dynamic fresh. Along the same lines, schedule time for creative projects or different types of activities. These aren’t “throwaway” assignments – they help to engage students in a variety of ways. Also, consider creating projects that require students to connect to the campus and community. Research about real-life situations create great motivational factors for otherwise sheltered students. And finally, don’t be shy about reaching out to peers, veterans, and PWIs, whether for help with a lesson plan or just some morale support -- it works.
Christine, Boke, and Tony
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posted Jul 1, 2009 6:35 AM by Anne Fitzsimmons
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updated Jul 1, 2009 6:41 AM
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Greetings!
This is a letter primarily for MAs, but we hope it will be helpful to all incoming writing TAs. First let us start with some encouragement. In truth, even though you are nervous now you will find that teaching can be fun and that you truly get something out of it. It is terrifying now but by the end of the year you will wonder what it was you were afraid of. Some of the most rewarding experiences of graduate school come from teaching moments.
Our primary advice to you is to stay flexible! Resist the desire to plan everything ad nauseum. When handing out a syllabus in the beginning of the semester, go for the basics because you will have to change things around, you will have to go slower, you will find that your planning just didn’t quite anticipate your particular group of students. Having said this, at the same time you should always have a well thought out game plan. Give students the basics, but also have your own really detailed calendar that is open for change. Just having this ‘in your back pocket’ will give you a better idea of where you’ve been and where you’re going and that makes a huge difference.
Expect the unexpected. Students have their own unique, nuanced minds. Know that whatever it is you try to do can potentially be taken in directions you would have never anticipated. In this respect, have a plan for how to reinterpret, redirect, or respond to spontaneous situations. There will be classes that just won’t go smoothly, but don’t be discouraged because your next class could be the best you’ve ever had.
We were afraid of students not being respectful of our authority, but in truth students are eager to learn. Even if you aren’t confident of your authority, they see it. Be comfortable with your own style. You will see other TAs who have a different way of teaching than you; don’t compare yourself to them because their style may not really work for you. So hone in on your own style early and be proud of it.
Your situation as MAs requires that you be conscious of time management. Be aware of the flow of the semester: as an MA you will be responsible for producing 60 to 75 pages in total just for seminar papers (not including periodical written assignments). You will also be reading easily 100 pages a day for your own classes. Therefore time management is key for you. Keep in mind that there are three big pulses of grading for WRT 105 during the semester – put those on your calendar early. Keep in mind that the first time you grade you will spend much more time on each paper than you realize (plan a good 30 minutes per paper). Over time you will learn how to be more expedient with grading.
Don’t be afraid to use each other as resources and please use us veteran TAs. Sometimes you will come across students who present unique challenges that, in truth, at your experience level you may not be able to handle on your own. This is what your 670 coordinators are for! We will be here and ready to share advice and materials and are more than willing to give advice or just listen if you need it. Good luck, we anticipate you will all be successful!
Sincerely,
Laurel Ahnert, Sarah Barkin, Eric Van Hoose, Sarah Lozo
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posted Jul 1, 2009 6:34 AM by Anne Fitzsimmons
Dear New TAs:
Welcome to the jungle. Here is some of the tidbits of knowledge that we have picked up over the course of this year.
- Make your assignments clear and don’t bury your assignment under too much pedagogy. Sometimes we want to over-justify why we’re doing what we’re doing, and that doesn’t necessarily mean that the assignment sheet is a good reference for the student when they’re trying to write the actual essay. Don’t let students lose the “key verbs” of the assignment—argue, analyze, make connections, etc. Using bold, italics, or ALL CAPS can do wonders in this realm.
- Be prepared to be unsettled, multiple times, by what students say and the ideas that you encounter with them. Recognize those as productive opportunities rather than obstacles. For instance, when one of my students understood an anti-gay ministry website as a pro-gay, queer-positive group, it turned into a productive “teachable moment.” By first understanding how the student came to that impression, returning to the text and posing questions that redirected student attention, we all came to a more complex understanding of that phenomenon.
- Don’t underestimate the importance of feeling enthusiastic about the topic. Sometimes I taught an essay that I didn’t really like, or came to the class in an unproductive mood. This was especially true when the first class seemed to tank, and I had to remember to restart at a fresh place for the second class. I thought that I was allying with my students, if I agreed that the text had faults, but in reality I was just reinforcing bad attitudes and a reluctance towards the assignments and class as a whole.
- Coming from a science background, I had to negotiate how to be involved with the students, while realizing that there was one right answer. Opinion-based writing rather than a clear answer in which the building stays up or falls down.
- I found myself asking if the evolving thesis was a good thing or a bad thing. You’ll be introduced to a lot of new vocab and concepts, but don’t get overwhelmed before the orientation ends (though you may want to at times).
- You may at times feel like you are not equipped to talk about the issues that are presented in the readings, such as gender, sexuality, race, disability issues. This can be really challenging. You’ll get thrown into this—at some point you’ll be confronted with some sensitive topic that you have no background with. Don’t be afraid of it. Don’t be afraid to take the questions away, ask questions, and come back to this issue with your class at another time. This is why the position of instructor as fellow researcher can be important and really helpful.
- Students can be really valuable resources in your classes, so don’t be afraid to hand the authority over to them at times and let them
Though scattered and random, we hope that the insights we have gathered here are useful to you in your preparations as new teachers. As a final thought, we recommend tranquilizers for troublesome students.
All the best,
J, Eric, and T J
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posted Apr 27, 2009 10:39 AM by Rachael Shapiro
Dear incoming TA's:
Greetings from the past. Welcome to the teaching (the jungle) and to 670 (the safari guide). Teaching is a rewarding and fun way to supplement your graduate education and CV (for real, yo). Here are several words of wisdom that we wanted to hand down as you begin this exciting (we don't mean that ironically) adventure. We've tried to address each aspect we found all people struggle with when teaching a new curriculum.
The first aspect involves constructing a unit calendar. We found it most beneficial to leave breathing room throughout, but particularly in the second half of the unit. The first week or two of the semester does well to be concretely planned. The heuristics and shared readings provide a foundational introduction to the intellectually challenging work of the unit and gives time for students to become familiar with the topic of inquiry. Once the real work of drafting the paper begins, it's important to leave time to address the needs of students that couldn't have been anticipated that come up throughout the unit. However, it's important to maintain clarity and specificity throughout, to maintain the course's trajectory and meet goals.
Secondly, you will be addressing the topic of feedback regularly throughout 670; however, it is something that even experienced teachers find anxiety inducing. We have found that it's important to remember to give feedback throughout the unit, not just at the end of a paper. It helps students evaluate their performance and grow as writers. While commenting on student drafts, we found that quality is more important than quantity. Likewise, it is equally important to address the places where students succeed as well as where they need improvement. Lastly, it can be fruitful to change up the ways which you provide feedback to find a method that works well for you.
While certainly the exception rather than the rule, nearly every class has a student or two who seem to disrupt rather than conduce your goals and the class as a whole. This can be as minor as students who put their heads down on the desk whenever you talk for longer than 20 seconds, or as major as students who blatantly challenge your authority. Frequently, the issues behind this behavior are no way connected to you or the class. Our advice is to quickly recognize the problem and address the student privately. Often, you can prevent an escalation in this behavior and help the student work through his/her issue. Don't be afraid to reach out to collegues an 670 leaders. There is a glut of resources at your disposal.
Lastly, don't be afraid to trust the assignment tracks. They've been tried and trued. Though the workload might at first look seem confusing or ambitious, it has been our experience that students are more than capable of meeting high expectations. In fact, raised expectations tend to keep students interested and engaged.
You get what you give. You aren't in this alone. You will learn from your mistakes. Veteran teachers are more than happy to share materials and talk about problems. Don't be afraid to reach out.
Best Wishes. Peace out y'all!
Rachel, Jasmin and Aaron
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