Shifting Philosophy

As I mentioned in my discussion of the new TA orientation, the addition of a new Director is instigating a shift in departmental philosophy. It was rightly pointed out that our departmental philosophy has never been overtly articulated, but I think it's always been pretty implicit by the few things that all TAs are expected to do in their first semester here. Perhaps philosophy is too formal of a word, what I'm discussing is more like a departmental ethos.

As I sat through another two days of orientation with a group of lecturers, I listened to Dr. Midwest talk about one of the texts she asked them to read. She pointed out a chart in it that highlighted the difference between courses that use "writing to learn" (wtl) and courses that are about "learning to write" (ltw). As false as most dichotomies are, this one comes the closes to identifying the change happening in our department. This chart doesn't address the fact that wtl can facilitate ltw, but that is a different conversation.

During my time as a TA in this department, I would say that the focus has been on making our classrooms places where wtl happens. TAs are given the freedom to bring whatever focus they like to their classroom as long as their students leave with an understanding of the basics of rhetoric and writing process. (Well, after the first semester when they have to use the same text.) The idea being that whatever the topic covered in the class the application of rhetoric and the focus on revision and process would help students develop writing skills.

From what I can tell so far, Dr. Midwest is committed to the composition class being a course about ltw. Her first concern is that students leave the course having developed as writers. That goal is the same as before, it's just that she thinks about the path to that goal very differently. Her ltw approach is very practical, which is demonstrated by the texts the new TAs are using this semester.

Over the next couple of years I think the tension between these two approaches will play itself out in the amount of freedom TAs and lecturers have to design their 101 courses. I'm sure the day to day will stay in the TAs hands, but it would not surprise me if there was a move to a common 101 text. I could be wrong about this. Right now Dr. Midwest has only been here a few weeks. She hasn't had the opportunity to really experience the department. Maybe some of her own views will change over time.

Please remember, this is just the way I've seen our department working and the way I think it may go. I'm sure there are plenty of other TAs who would characterize our department differently. Also, change is not a bad thing. I just think there will be some pendulum swings before the department settles down into its new identity with Dr. Midwest.

Week Long Orientation

...is finally over.

Planning orientation is just one of the responsibilities of the AD position, but it's probably the biggest. It's been an interesting ride putting this all together. There have been a few bumps in the road, but overall it went pretty well.

No one who has been around me for the last week would believe I'm about to say this, but...I almost wish that this was a two-year appointment so I could do it again. But, the thing is, now that I've done it, I know what needs to be done. Sure I can pass on information to the next AD to help them next year, but until you've been through it, it's kind of inconceivable.

About the bumps.

The largest bump really had nothing to do with me; and, there is nothing left to do about it except suffer through it.

The smaller bump I wish I would have anticipated. As we worked through the week to discuss ways to use their assigned texts, we neglected an important aspect of orientation. We didn't really give them a clear statement about our departmental philosophy. In a way it was inevitable. With a new Director and changes in the works, our departmental philosophy is shifting. I did my best to re-iterate the things that I think are essential and will remain the same. the new TAs should understand the heart of our program. It's just the message could have been clearer and stronger. The Director and I already discussed some of this. I just wish there would have been time to figure out the changes before the new TAs began. There was just no way for the new Director to know all of that before this year.

I may have asked for all of this taking on the AD position in such a transitional period. All I can say is that I definitely deserver more money for this.

Back to School

School doesn't really start for three weeks, but summer is over for me. Tomorrow is my first, of many, many days on campus before the semester even begins.

Everything is in place for the new TA orientation...I think. Something will fall apart, someone will not show up, and, well, I'll cross those bridges when I come to them.

Last night, at what I consider the first party of the year, I realized this is the first semester that I'm not taking classes. Last fall I didn't have classes, but I did have directed readings, which made it feel like I had classes. Last spring I didn't have classes, but the looming pressure of comps made sure that I still felt like a student. This fall, although I have a dissertation to write, is the first time I'm more teacher than student. I'm not sure I can express how scary that is for me. Two weeks ago I was raving about how sick I am of this process. "Screw the dissertation. I'm ready for the job." Now, the reality that I no longer have a place on the other side of the classroom is sinking in.

Don't get me wrong, this is a good transition. And, really, I am ready for it. It's just that for so long my family, and probably everyone else, have thought of me as the "professional student" that it's weird to think that I am so close to never being a student again.

Yeah, yeah, I know...if I am doing my job well, I will always be a student at heart. It's just not the same as sitting at the back of the class.