Juliana Dunn
ENG 388V
UTA Second Semester Reflection
Each day of serving as UTA has been more enjoyable than the last, and I feel incredibly grateful that I was able to work with Professor Kerr for a second semester this fall. It has been a very interesting process working with a different class and a completely group of students- I had no idea how much groups of students can change the character and the progress of a class. My students this semester have been consistently involved, enthusiastic, and studious. They are eager to speak in class, and are not afraid to ask questions or reach out for help. Besides being able to teach and work with the class as a whole, I have been lucky enough to work with a few students consistently (helping them with almost every assignment throughout the semester)- this has been a completely fulfilling and really joyful experience for me. While I do love teaching and interacting with the entire class, this ability to get to know and work one-on-one with students has undoubtedly been one of the best parts of my semester- being able to see freshmen evolve as university students and writers has been a real privilege.
Being with an entirely new group of students, especially a class of students as driven and high-achieving as the ones I have worked with this past semester, was honestly quite intimidating at the beginning. While for my own sake I wish that my class last semester had been just as engaged this semester, I feel that desire is selfish and not really towards the benefit of the students. Although I was enthusiastic and ready to learn my first semester, I am not sure how much help I would have been to my students. The learning curve I experienced first semester was incredible, especially in figuring out how to critique and help students improve their writing.
Through the process of ENG 388V, especially in interacting with other UTAs, and the lessons specifically dedicated to learning how to conduct constructive peer review and provide useful feedback, I learned an incredible amount. However, because these lessons did not come until part way through the semester, when I had already had students come to me for help, I am afraid I did not give them the best advice that I could have (not that it was horrible, it just wasn’t great). One of the most useful texts read in class regarding review was Nancy Sommers’ Responding to Student Writing. I try to return to this essay a couple times a semester to remind myself what I should be doing when looking at student work- leaving productive comments specific to the text is something this essay really stresses, and something I make a conscious effort to do when looking at rough drafts or grading final pieces. I have also been able to discover the process that allows me to give students feedback most comprehensively and efficiently- after having reviewed their writing in a google doc leaving suggestions where there are grammatical/ structural errors in addition to comments amount the piece as a whole, I meet with students in person (when possible) to discuss the big picture of the piece and ask if they have any questions. So far, I believe this process has allowed to me help many students much more effectively than before I started looking and responding to their work in this way.
In addition to written responses to student writing, I feel my ability to meet in-person and give useful, accurate advice (that hasn’t been written out and checked multiple times before it is sent) has definitely improved. Because I rarely had a chance to do so last semester, having to so many times this fall has definitely made me better. Nelson’s Improving Peer Feedback, especially the lists of potential problems, questions about the text, different feedback items continue to be useful to review when I am stuck on how to respond to a students’ work. Despite the use of this resource and others similar, last semester I think I tended to be too easy out of fear of being harsh; but now I believe I have reached a happy medium between being so positive the student doesn’t think anything is wrong, and being so negative the student walks away with their heart crushed. That being said, I always try to keep Palmer’s Culture of Fear in mind when responding to student writing in-person. While I may not think of myself as an intimidating person, it is always good to keep in mind that I am still a TA and seen as somewhat of a figure of authority, whose advice or review of a student’s work can really make or break their perception of the piece or themselves as a writer. It is strange how easily my perception of the classroom and student work changes when I go from a student to a TA, and reading Palmer helps remind me how stressful even talking to a TA about something as personal as writing can be.
It is amazing to look back on how much my experience as a TA has changed the way I think about myself as a student, my writing, and higher education. After having worked closely with a professor for a year, and played a role in the classroom other than that of a student, I think I now have a better understand of what my professors may want from me. When thinking of how I would like my students to behave in class (in terms of participation, turning in work, and reaching out for help), I try to emulate that behavior in class myself. While it may be a coincidence, my grades have improved since I began TA-ing, and I believe this is due to a better understand of how a higher-education classroom and its students should function to learn and succeed to the best of their abilities. Learning how to review and think critically about writing, as I have had to for my students, has made me a better writer, which has no doubt impacted my performance in my classes. Learning how to think more critically and be more impartial when judging writing or academic performance has not only improved my writing ability, but my ability to judge my own progress and understanding in many classes of different topics. Chickering and Gamson’s Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education have helped me hone these skills not only as TA in order to help my students, but as a student myself.
I have said it before, but I am extremely lucky to have had an opportunity to TA for 2 consecutive semesters for a wonderful professor, and as part of a wonderful English program. I can only hope that the effect I have had on those I have worked with is even a fraction as positive and changing as the effect they have had on me.
ENG 388V
UTA Second Semester Reflection
Each day of serving as UTA has been more enjoyable than the last, and I feel incredibly grateful that I was able to work with Professor Kerr for a second semester this fall. It has been a very interesting process working with a different class and a completely group of students- I had no idea how much groups of students can change the character and the progress of a class. My students this semester have been consistently involved, enthusiastic, and studious. They are eager to speak in class, and are not afraid to ask questions or reach out for help. Besides being able to teach and work with the class as a whole, I have been lucky enough to work with a few students consistently (helping them with almost every assignment throughout the semester)- this has been a completely fulfilling and really joyful experience for me. While I do love teaching and interacting with the entire class, this ability to get to know and work one-on-one with students has undoubtedly been one of the best parts of my semester- being able to see freshmen evolve as university students and writers has been a real privilege.
Being with an entirely new group of students, especially a class of students as driven and high-achieving as the ones I have worked with this past semester, was honestly quite intimidating at the beginning. While for my own sake I wish that my class last semester had been just as engaged this semester, I feel that desire is selfish and not really towards the benefit of the students. Although I was enthusiastic and ready to learn my first semester, I am not sure how much help I would have been to my students. The learning curve I experienced first semester was incredible, especially in figuring out how to critique and help students improve their writing.
Through the process of ENG 388V, especially in interacting with other UTAs, and the lessons specifically dedicated to learning how to conduct constructive peer review and provide useful feedback, I learned an incredible amount. However, because these lessons did not come until part way through the semester, when I had already had students come to me for help, I am afraid I did not give them the best advice that I could have (not that it was horrible, it just wasn’t great). One of the most useful texts read in class regarding review was Nancy Sommers’ Responding to Student Writing. I try to return to this essay a couple times a semester to remind myself what I should be doing when looking at student work- leaving productive comments specific to the text is something this essay really stresses, and something I make a conscious effort to do when looking at rough drafts or grading final pieces. I have also been able to discover the process that allows me to give students feedback most comprehensively and efficiently- after having reviewed their writing in a google doc leaving suggestions where there are grammatical/ structural errors in addition to comments amount the piece as a whole, I meet with students in person (when possible) to discuss the big picture of the piece and ask if they have any questions. So far, I believe this process has allowed to me help many students much more effectively than before I started looking and responding to their work in this way.
In addition to written responses to student writing, I feel my ability to meet in-person and give useful, accurate advice (that hasn’t been written out and checked multiple times before it is sent) has definitely improved. Because I rarely had a chance to do so last semester, having to so many times this fall has definitely made me better. Nelson’s Improving Peer Feedback, especially the lists of potential problems, questions about the text, different feedback items continue to be useful to review when I am stuck on how to respond to a students’ work. Despite the use of this resource and others similar, last semester I think I tended to be too easy out of fear of being harsh; but now I believe I have reached a happy medium between being so positive the student doesn’t think anything is wrong, and being so negative the student walks away with their heart crushed. That being said, I always try to keep Palmer’s Culture of Fear in mind when responding to student writing in-person. While I may not think of myself as an intimidating person, it is always good to keep in mind that I am still a TA and seen as somewhat of a figure of authority, whose advice or review of a student’s work can really make or break their perception of the piece or themselves as a writer. It is strange how easily my perception of the classroom and student work changes when I go from a student to a TA, and reading Palmer helps remind me how stressful even talking to a TA about something as personal as writing can be.
It is amazing to look back on how much my experience as a TA has changed the way I think about myself as a student, my writing, and higher education. After having worked closely with a professor for a year, and played a role in the classroom other than that of a student, I think I now have a better understand of what my professors may want from me. When thinking of how I would like my students to behave in class (in terms of participation, turning in work, and reaching out for help), I try to emulate that behavior in class myself. While it may be a coincidence, my grades have improved since I began TA-ing, and I believe this is due to a better understand of how a higher-education classroom and its students should function to learn and succeed to the best of their abilities. Learning how to review and think critically about writing, as I have had to for my students, has made me a better writer, which has no doubt impacted my performance in my classes. Learning how to think more critically and be more impartial when judging writing or academic performance has not only improved my writing ability, but my ability to judge my own progress and understanding in many classes of different topics. Chickering and Gamson’s Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education have helped me hone these skills not only as TA in order to help my students, but as a student myself.
I have said it before, but I am extremely lucky to have had an opportunity to TA for 2 consecutive semesters for a wonderful professor, and as part of a wonderful English program. I can only hope that the effect I have had on those I have worked with is even a fraction as positive and changing as the effect they have had on me.