Working with WIP TAs

WIP teaching assistants are discipline-specific graduate students who help faculty provide the enhancements that a writing-intensive course offers.  The Writing Intensive Program selects teaching assistants who believe that writing is important, who demonstrate effective communication skills, who have a more sophisticated than usual understanding of the writing process, who show promise in working with others and leadership in problem-solving.

Extensive Training for WIP Assistants

WIP teaching assistants receive extensive training in writing in the disciplines skills.  Each August, those selected for the program attend a pre-seminar designed to introduce writing-intensive pedagogy and the logistics of supporting writing-intensive courses.  During Fall Semester, WIP TAs meet weekly for WIPP 7001, a graduate course in the pedagogy of writing in the disciplines.  During Spring Semester, the WIP TAs meet bi-weekly with the program director.

Different Ways of Working with WIP Assistants

WIP faculty incorporate teaching assistants into their courses in different ways.  Some give the teaching assistant class time to teach the writing process; others rely on their TAs for workshops, conferences, or written feedback to student work.  Some introduce their WIP TA as a “writing coach,” whose role is to provide extra help with writing assignments and feedback.  Some faculty give responsibility for a great percentage of grading to the WIP TA; some ask TAs to provide feedback and make grading suggestions, while making grade decisions themselves.  In any event, under no circumstance should the WIP TA be used merely as a “grader.”  The WIP TA should play an integral role in the course learning goals and in the students’ writing processes.

Talking Points

Prior to the beginning of the semester, the participating faculty member and his/her assigned WIP teaching assistant should address the following in order to be clear on the logistics of the course, the roles and responsibilities of both the faculty member and the WIP TA, and, most especially, to guarantee that the WIP TA will be utilized as the WIP principles and best practices prescribe.

• How will the Writing Intensive Program and the Writing Intensive Program TA be introduced to the class?  Will there be a statement on the syllabus that explains the program and explains the role and responsibility of the WIP teaching assistant?  What will these statements be?  Make sure students know the TA’s purpose and role, and how they are to work with the TA, for example, whether meeting with the TA is required to get back drafts or papers.
• What kind(s) of writing will be assigned?  Low-stakes (informal, writing-to-learn activities, such as journal entries) or high-stakes (formal essays, term papers, etc.)?  Who will compose each actual assignment (the document that specifies the writing task, purpose, requirements, and evaluative criteria)? Will the specifics of each assignment be included in the syllabus, or will the assignment document be a separate handout?  Will the faculty or the TA compose the assignment?
• How will the logistics of the course guarantee that the WIP TA is actively involved in the writing processes of the students and is not being used just as a grader?  The WIP prescribes two, key course components:  mandatory conferences and opportunities for revision.  How will the syllabus provide for at least one required (individual or group) student-TA conference?  How will the syllabus (and the writing assignments) provide opportunities for revision?  Will the TA have class time to discuss writing assignments or effective writing, in general?
• Related to above, if the faculty member will be assigning high-stakes writing assignments, how will the assignment be staged, so that the TA can intervene several times in the students’ writing processes?  How will the logistics of such be managed on the syllabus (e.g., establishing due dates for drafts)?  How will low-stakes writing assignments be configured to allow TA-student interaction?
• How will the written assignments be evaluated?  The Writing Intensive Program urges faculty to provide for students clear guidelines for effective writing and grading standards in your course.  Criteria may be spelled out in a rubric that can be adapted for reviewing drafts and grading final products.  Who will create these rubrics—the faculty member or the teaching assistant?
• Who will be responsible for an assignment’s final grade?  Or will both the faculty and the TA weigh in on the grade?  However this is decided, make sure the students understand, and make sure that the TA has some authority.  A brief, norming session may be helpful between the faculty member and the TA to help ensure that rubrics are used effectively and uniformly (in short:  to make sure that a paper that the faculty member considers to be an “A” paper is the same as what the TA considers to be an “A” paper).
• Talk about the time and logistics involved in getting work back to students promptly, as well as how feedback strategies will be communicated to students.
• Talk about how grade disputes and disgruntled students will be handled.
• Talk about how to best communicate with each other (e.g., e-mail, during office hours).  Establish whether the TA is expected to attend the class every class period.   Discuss any other expectations that you have for the course and each other.

Portions of this document originally composed by Parker Middleton
Revised by Michelle Ballif 07.06