Allyn & Bacon Teaching Assistant's Handbook, The: A Guide for Graduate Instructors of Writing and Literature

by Wilhoit, Stephen

• ISBN13: 9780205336777
• ISBN10: 0205336779
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-01-01
• Publisher: Longman

Summary

The Allyn & Bacon Teaching Assistant's Handbook: A Guide for Graduate Instructors of Writing and Literature is designed to help new and experienced graduate teaching assistants become more effective teachers, scholars, and members of the profession. The Allyn & Bacon Teaching Assistant's Handbook recognizes the unique needs of graduate teaching assistants working in English departments and writing programs. As both graduate students and teachers, many TAs lead a divided life: learning how to balance the demands they face and fill the various roles they play can be difficult if not overwhelming. First-time TAs face the particularly difficult task of learning how to teach while at the same time learning how to succeed as graduate students. Experienced TAs often face the problem of learning how to identify and assume their roles in the profession. The Allyn & Bacon Teaching Assistant's Handbook is written with both new and experienced TAs in mind. It addresses the concerns new TAs face and offers advice and guidance on the basics of teaching for the first time, while other advice including the material on professional development, gaining administrative experience and preparing for the job market will help more experienced TAs. The Handbook offers practical, time-tested advice that TAs can apply directly to their own classes and lives.

Table of Contents

Preface	xix
Defining a Job, Defining a Role	1	(23)
Introduction	1	(1)
How English Departments and Writing Programs Staff Their Introductory Classes	2	(1)
TA Roles: An Overview	3	(3)
TA as Instructor	3	(1)
TA as Graduate Student	3	(1)
TA as Scholar	4	(1)
TA as Colleague	5	(1)
Typical Responsibilities of TAs	6	(4)
Pedagogical Responsibilities	6	(1)
Designing a Course Syllabus	6	(1)
Choosing a Textbook	7	(1)
Creating Assignments	7	(1)
Grading Assignments	7	(1)
Developing Effective Teaching Strategies	7	(1)
Meeting with Students Outside of Class	8	(1)
Addressing Students' Questions	8	(1)
Administrative Responsibilities	8	(1)
Addressing Placement Questions	8	(1)
Addressing Drop and Add Questions	9	(1)
Giving Midterm Grades, Final Grades, and Academic Progress Reports	9	(1)
Identifying and Working with Special Needs Students	9	(1)
Assessing Program Outcomes	9	(1)
Designing Web Pages	10	(1)
TA Education Programs	10	(4)
Pre- and In-Service Workshops	10	(1)
Practica	11	(1)
Courses	11	(1)
Peer Mentors	12	(1)
Faculty Mentors	12	(1)
Academic Advisors	12	(1)
Directors of TA Education	12	(1)
Department Libraries	13	(1)
Collections of Course Material	13	(1)
Web Resources	13	(1)
Campus Writing Centers	13	(1)
Employment Concerns	14	(4)
Stipends and Teaching Load	14	(1)
Tuition Remission	14	(1)
Insurance	15	(1)
Office Space	15	(1)
Telephones	15	(1)
Mailboxes	16	(1)
Computers	16	(1)
Research Grants	16	(1)
Travel Funds	17	(1)
Library Privileges	17	(1)
Parking	18	(1)
Keys	18	(1)
Balancing Demands: Life as a TA	18	(5)
Get Organized	18	(1)
Set Priorities	19	(1)
Set Goals	19	(2)
Use ``Down Time'' Wisely	21	(1)
Combine Tasks	21	(1)
Get Exercise	21	(1)
Set Aside Time for Your Family	22	(1)
Set Aside Time for Yourself	22	(1)
Conclusion	23	(1)
Works Cited	23	(1)
Additional Readings	23	(1)
Getting Ready to Teach Before Classes Begin	24	(25)
Introduction	24	(1)
Learning about Your Graduate Program, Department, and University	25	(1)
Getting Ready to Teach Your Classes	26	(9)
Learning More about the Courses You Will Teach	26	(2)
Philosophies of Composition: An Introduction	28	(3)
Selecting Course Textbooks	31	(1)
Selecting a Rhetoric	31	(2)
Selecting a Reader	33	(1)
Selecting a Handbook	34	(1)
Designing a Course Syllabus	35	(4)
Step 1: List, in Order, the Writing Assignments You Will Cover in Your Class	35	(1)
Step 2: Make a List of all the Days the Class Will Meet	36	(1)
Step 3: Fill in all the Days that Class Will Not Meet	36	(1)
Step 4: Fill in the Due Dates for Your Major Papers	37	(1)
Step 5: From Day to Day, Fill in any Class Activities and Readings You Will Use to Help Students Complete each Assignment and Improve as Readers and Writers	37	(2)
Preparing a Class Policy Sheet	39	(3)
Course Information	39	(1)
Teacher Information	39	(1)
Required Work for the Course and Grade Information	39	(1)
Late Paper Policy	39	(1)
Plagiarism Policy	40	(1)
Essay Format	40	(1)
Daily Procedures	40	(1)
Missing Class	41	(1)
Tardiness	41	(1)
Returning Work	41	(1)
Conferences	41	(1)
Other	42	(1)
Seeing Yourself as a Teacher	42	(2)
The Preservice Workshop	44	(1)
Works Cited	45	(1)
Additional Readings	45	(4)
Teaching that First Class	49	(8)
Introduction	49	(1)
Before the Term Starts: A Few Tips	49	(1)
The First Day of Class	50	(4)
Getting Down to Business: The Rest of the Week	54	(1)
Common Concerns	54	(1)
Conclusion	55	(2)
Designing Writing Assignments	57	(18)
Introduction	57	(1)
Purposeful Writing Assignments	57	(2)
Goal 1: To Help Students Understand Material Covered in Class	58	(1)
Goal 2: To Help Students Learn about Themselves	58	(1)
Goal 3: To Help Students Learn More about the World Outside their Own Experience	58	(1)
Goal 4: To Help Students Develop Particular Skills	59	(1)
Choosing which Writing Assignments to Include in Your Course: A Heuristic	59	(2)
Putting It in Writing: How to Design Effective Assignment Sheets	61	(6)
Sequencing Writing Assignments	67	(3)
Redesigning Writing Assignments: Learning from Experience	70	(1)
Works Cited	71	(1)
Additional Readings	71	(4)
Responding to Student Writing	75	(25)
Responding vs. Grading: Different Goals, Different Purposes	75	(1)
Purposes of Response	76	(3)
To Point Out Strengths and Weaknesses in Your Student's Writing or Thinking	76	(1)
To Respond to Your Students' Writing	76	(1)
To Encourage Students to Reflect on Their Writing or Thinking	77	(1)
To Guide Your Students' Revision Process	78	(1)
To Help Your Students Look Toward Future Papers	78	(1)
Guidelines for Writing Effective Responses	79	(4)
Make Your Comments Specific and Clear	79	(1)
Minimize Your Comments	79	(2)
Do Not Take over the Student's Text	81	(1)
Leave Some Work for the Student To Do	82	(1)
Balance Criticism with Praise	82	(1)
What to Respond to in Student Papers: A Heuristic	83	(3)
Types of Responses to Student Work: A Taxonomy	86	(2)
Assuming an Attitude: Roles to Play When You Respond to Student Work	88	(2)
Editor	88	(1)
Average Reader	89	(1)
Academic Reader	89	(1)
Coach	89	(1)
Who Responds to Your Students' Writing and When	90	(2)
No Response	90	(1)
Peer Response	90	(2)
Different Mediums of Response	92	(2)
Writing Responses on Student Papers	93	(1)
Response Sheets	93	(1)
Oral Responses	93	(1)
Taped Responses	94	(1)
Final Tips	94	(1)
Works Cited	95	(1)
Additional Readings	95	(5)
Grading Student Writing	100	(12)
Purposes of Grading	100	(1)
Grading Standards	101	(2)
Approaches to Grading: Holistic, Atomistic, and Portfolio Evaluation	103	(2)
Grading Individual Papers: Suggested Procedures	105	(2)
Review the Assignment Before You Grade any Papers	105	(1)
Read a Few Papers before You Start Assigning Grades	105	(1)
Grade in Pencil	105	(1)
Grade in Batches	105	(1)
When in Doubt, Set the Paper Aside and Get Help	106	(1)
Review the Grades before You Return the Papers	106	(1)
Do Not Delay	106	(1)
Explain Your Grading Procedures to Your Students	106	(1)
Rewrites of Graded Work	107	(1)
An Argument Against Grading	107	(1)
Works Cited	108	(1)
Additional Readings	108	(4)
Presenting Material in Class	112	(24)
Variety: A Key to Effective Teaching	112	(1)
Lecturing	113	(3)
When to Lecture	113	(1)
How to Lecture Effectively	113	(1)
Be Brief	113	(1)
Plan and Organize	114	(1)
Speak Clearly, Maintain Good Eye Contact, and Pace Yourself	115	(1)
Use Examples	115	(1)
Draw Connections	115	(1)
Link Lectures and Exercises	116	(1)
Class Discussions	116	(4)
The Roles Discussions Can Play in a Course	116	(2)
Types of Discussions	118	(1)
The Teacher's Role in Class Discussions	118	(1)
Teacher as Prompter	118	(1)
Teacher as Organizer	119	(1)
Teacher as Recorder	119	(1)
Teacher as Synthesizer	119	(1)
Strengths and Weaknesses of Class Discussions	119	(1)
Oral Reports	120	(2)
Types of Oral Reports	120	(1)
Oral Report Guidelines	121	(1)
Oral Reports in a Writing Class?	122	(1)
Group Work and Collaborative Learning	122	(3)
Organizing Student Groups---Some Options	123	(1)
Using Group Work in Class	123	(1)
Guidelines for Effective Group Work	124	(1)
In-Class Writing	125	(4)
Different Uses for In-Class Writing	125	(2)
Guidelines for Ungraded In-Class Writing Assignments	127	(1)
Guidelines for Graded In-Class Writing Assignments	127	(1)
Limitations of In-Class Writing	128	(1)
Multimedia Resources	129	(1)
Choosing among Teaching Techniques	130	(1)
The Teacher as Performing Rhetorician	130	(3)
Conclusion	133	(1)
Additional Readings	133	(3)
Technology, Teaching, and Learning	136	(19)
Introduction	136	(1)
E-Mail	136	(2)
Threaded Discussions	138	(2)
Web Sites	140	(10)
Course Web Sites	140	(1)
Why Build a Course Web Site?	140	(1)
What Does a Course Web Site Contain?	141	(2)
What Are the Qualities of an Effective Web Page?	143	(1)
Student Web Sites	143	(1)
The Internet	144	(1)
On-Line Writing Labs	144	(1)
Reference Sites	144	(3)
Style Manuals	147	(1)
Paper Mills and Plagiarism Detection Sites	148	(1)
Primary Text Sites	148	(1)
Text-, Author-, Genre-, and Period-Specific Sites	148	(1)
Course Material	148	(1)
Faculty Development Sites	149	(1)
Graduate Program Descriptions	150	(1)
On-Line Journals	150	(1)
Computer Classrooms	150	(3)
Conclusion	153	(1)
Additional Readings	153	(2)
Troubleshooting in the Classroom	155	(16)
Introduction	155	(1)
Students Who Disrupt Class	156	(1)
Students Who Are Silent in Class	156	(3)
Students Who Challenge You in Class	159	(1)
Students Who Dispute Grades	160	(2)
Students Who Make Inappropriate Comments in Class	162	(1)
Students Who Plagiarize Work	163	(3)
Forms of Plagiarism	163	(2)
Helping Students Avoid Plagiarism	165	(1)
Dealing with Plagiarism	166	(1)
College Students: A Developmental Perspective	166	(3)
Dualism	167	(1)
Multiplism	167	(1)
Relativism	168	(1)
Commitment	168	(1)
Conclusion	169	(1)
Works Cited	169	(1)
Additional Readings	170	(1)
Holding Conferences with Students	171	(8)
Why Conferences Are Important	171	(1)
Reasons to Hold Conferences with Students	172	(1)
Getting Acquainted	172	(1)
Discussing Papers	172	(1)
Discussing Personal Matters	172	(1)
Arranging Conferences	173	(1)
Where to Meet with Students	173	(3)
Meeting with Students in Class	174	(1)
Meeting with Students in Your Office	174	(1)
Meeting with Students Outside Your Office	175	(1)
Meeting with Groups of Students	176	(1)
Holding Conferences with Students: A Survival Guide	176	(2)
Work Cited	178	(1)
Additional Readings	178	(1)
Teaching Literature	179	(16)
Introduction	179	(1)
Opportunities for Teaching Literature	180	(1)
Teaching a Literature Course of Your Own	180	(1)
Assisting a Professor in a Literature Course	180	(1)
Incorporating Literature into a Writing Course	181	(1)
Presenting Material in a Literature Course: A Range of Options	181	(2)
Lectures	181	(1)
Close Readings	182	(1)
Class Discussions	182	(1)
Student Oral Presentations	182	(1)
Group Projects	183	(1)
Multimedia Presentations	183	(1)
Informal Writing Exercises	184	(2)
Response Essays	184	(1)
Predictions	185	(1)
Questions	185	(1)
Dialogues	185	(1)
Formal Paper Assignments in a Literature Course	186	(2)
Response Essays	186	(1)
Analytical Essays	187	(1)
Critiques	187	(1)
Synthesis Essays	188	(1)
Common Problems Students Encounter When Writing about Literature	188	(2)
Summarizing the Plot	189	(1)
Employing the Proper Tense	189	(1)
Quoting Material	189	(1)
Supporting Assertions	190	(1)
Misreading Texts	190	(1)
Problems to Avoid When Teaching Literature	190	(2)
Monopolizing Discussions	190	(1)
Mishandling Discussions	191	(1)
Designing Poor Writing Assignments	192	(1)
Getting in a Pedagogical Rut	192	(1)
Qualities of Effective Literature Teachers	192	(2)
Preparedness	192	(1)
Organization	193	(1)
Flexiblity	193	(1)
Openness	193	(1)
Curiosity	193	(1)
Work Cited	194	(1)
Additional Readings	194	(1)
Growing and Learning as a Teacher	195	(19)
Introduction	195	(1)
Stages of TA Development	196	(1)
What You Can Do Immediately to Improve Your Teaching	197	(3)
Changing How You Prepare for Class	197	(1)
Engage in Research	197	(1)
Prepare Effective Lesson Plans	198	(1)
Rehearse	198	(1)
Anticipate Questions or Problems	198	(1)
Changing How Your Present Material in Class	198	(1)
Changing How You Interact with Students	199	(1)
Professional Development Resources	200	(3)
Books and Journal Articles	201	(1)
The Internet	202	(1)
Colleagues	202	(1)
Your Own Experience and Knowledge	203	(1)
Taking Risks as a Teacher	203	(1)
Experimenting with Classroom Pedagogy	203	(1)
Experimenting with the Way You Interact with Your Students	203	(1)
Experimenting with the Way You Evaluate Your Students' Work	204	(1)
Teaching and Administrative Opportunities Outside the Classroom	204	(1)
Tutoring	204	(1)
Service Learning	205	(1)
Administration	205	(1)
Reflective Teaching	205	(6)
Aspects of Teaching Open to Reflection	206	(2)
Activities that Promote Reflection	208	(1)
Assembling and Maintaining a Teaching Portfolio	208	(1)
Keeping a Teaching Log	209	(1)
Observing Others Teach and Being Observed	210	(1)
Meditating	211	(1)
Conclusion	211	(1)
Works Cited	212	(1)
Additional Readings	212	(2)
Preparing for the Academic Job Market	214	(15)
Introduction	214	(1)
How Professors Get Jobs: An Overview	215	(1)
Writing a Job Application Letter	216	(2)
The Letter	217	(1)
Preparing a Vita	218	(2)
The Vita	218	(2)
Preparing a Dossier	220	(1)
The Dossier	220	(1)
The job Interview	221	(5)
The MLA Interviews	221	(2)
Campus Interviews	223	(3)
Finding Help	226	(1)
Conclusion	226	(1)
Works Cited	227	(1)
Additional Readings	227	(2)
Index	229