CD Groups

Click here for the Fall 2007 CD Group roster.

Each first-year TO is a member of a pedagogy group that meets regularly throughout the semester. The meetings are led by a Course Director, who is a member of the Writing Program staff and/or English Department and who also teaches in the Writing Program. These meetings serve a dual purpose. First, Course Director groups work at maintaining the consistent application of Writing Program principles and techniques in all of our classes. Second, they work to build a teaching community among all instructors within the program. As in any community, members share their experiences and views in order to learn from one another. These meetings provide the opportunity for TOs to come together as colleagues to reflect on various aspects of their teaching and to focus on a variety of issues that arise in the classroom. Likely meeting topics include conducting Response and Reflection and student conferences, setting appropriate goals and objectives, designing writing activities and assignments, responding and evaluating student writing, and grading.

Each semester, your Course Director will arrange a time to visit your class and will provide you with feedback about your teaching. The feedback you receive from the classroom visit is between you and your Course Director. Classroom observations are useful tools in your development as a teacher; they enable your Course Director to get to know your teaching -- to see you interact with your students. Observations not only provide your Course Director with valuable information to help mentor you, but will also enable your Course Director to speak very specifically about your teaching in future letters of recommendations.

Attending Course Director meetings and participating in their activities are contractual requirements for all Writing Program instructors. These meetings are generally held every other week. The first Course Director group meeting is held during registration day of each semester. At that time, the group will determine the specific meeting dates and times for the semester. Because it is difficult to arrange a convenient meeting time for nine to ten people, it is very important to remember that all members must be flexible. Since your Teaching Associateship is your primary funding source for your degree, Course Directors will need to establish a meeting time that does not conflict with any member's teaching or personal course schedule. Other time constraints due to jobs outside of the Writing Program, commuting distance, etc. will be considered secondary.