To:         GTA Program participants

From:   Ilene Crawford, GTA Program Coordinator

Date:     August 26, 2004

Re:          Welcome to and Description of 2004-2005 GTA Program

 

2004-2005 English Department Graduate Teaching Assistant Program

 

The English Department Graduate Teaching Assistant Program provides graduate students with valuable professional development experiences that help prepare them to become successful teachers and scholars at the secondary and post-secondary levels. 

 

Our program is distinguished from teacher-training programs across the University and across the country by the thoroughness of the scholarly and practical preparation its students receive, the close one-on-one contact students have with several faculty mentors representing different approaches to the teaching of writing, and the support graduate students receive for designing their own courses within English Department guidelines.

 

This document names the Departmentıs 2004-05 GTAs, their faculty mentors, outlines the responsibilities of each group, and provides a recommended schedule/procedure. I look forward to an energizing and productive semester and thank everyone in advance for their hard work.

 

 

Our 2003-2004 Graduate Teaching Assistants are

 

Marcel Burch, working with Dr. Kelly Ritter

 

Jesse Choronzy, working with Dr. Kris Fury

 

David DiSarro, working with Dr. Chris Dean

 

Jenny Jerolman, working with Dr. Will Hochman

 

 

Description of GTA Responsibilities:

Fall 2003

  1. Enroll in English 497 (Writing Internship) with a full-time faculty member teaching a section of first-year composition. GTAs will
    1. Discuss the philosophy of writing used in the course with the instructor and/or read philosophies of writing used by the instructor.
    2. Attend all classes, unless assigned other class-related projects.
    3. Write some assignments with the class.
    4. Act as reader, advisor, and group discussion leader in the class.
    5. Comment on an agreed-upon amount of student writing.
    6. Meet regularly with instructor to evaluate progress.
    7. Participate in an agreed-upon amount of class instruction.
    8. Prepare a 10-15pp. practicum paper or an evaluative paper with an annotated bibliography (number of sources agreed upon with instructor).
  2. Enroll in English 585: Teaching College Writing, taught by Kelly Ritter.
  3. Participate in the English 100 portfolio assessment group and norming sessions.

 

These activities will require an average of 10-15 hours of work per week over the course of the semester.

 

 

Spring 2004

  1. Teach one section of FYC (determined by the course in which they did your writing internship‹098, 100, or 101).
  2. Participate in a FYC portfolio assessment group and norming sessions.
  3. Be observed at least once by your mentor.
  4. Be evaluated by members of the Peer Evaluation Committee. This will entail a classroom observation, a follow-up conversation, and a review of a small portfolio of your teaching materials.

 

Please contact Kelly Ritter as soon as possible to schedule your spring 2005 course. Dr. Ritter can be reached at ritterk1@southernct.edu and/or (203) 392-7048.

 

These activities will require an average of 10-15 hours of work per week over the course of the semester.

 

 

Recommended Schedule/Procedure for fall 2004

  1. File your completed English 497 enrollment form with Dean DonnaJean Fredeen in A112 if you have not already done so. (Note that the add/drop deadline is Sept. 7th).
  2. Attend your FYC portfolio assessment groupıs pre-semester meeting August 25th.
  3. Begin attending sessions of your mentorıs FYC course the week of August 30th.
  4. Begin attending English 585: Teaching College English the week of August 30th.
  5. Attend your FYC portfolio assessment groupıs mid-term norming session the week of October 18th or October 25th.
  6. Participate in your portfolio assessment groupıs final portfolio assessment December 10th.
  7. Complete your English 497 responsibilities as negotiated with your mentor.
  8. Complete your English 585 responsibilities as outlined in your syllabus.

 

 

You will be well prepared to teach your own FYC course in Spring 2005‹we promise! Take full advantage of the resources the GTA program provides you‹do not hesitate to come to me, your mentor, Dr. Ritter, members of your portfolio assessment group, and/or past GTAs for advice, to get your questions answered, and to share ideas.

 

Looking forward to a great semester!