Writing courses are intensive for faculty, too

What’s it like to teach a W? The University Writing Center recently sent an informal survey to some W course instructors to get their impressions about teaching a writing-intensive class. Some, perhaps buried under the stacks of yet-to-be-graded student papers, never answered. But a few found time to share their insights. What follows is a sample of their responses. (To read more, click to www.writingcenter.tamu.edu/blog.)

What advice would you give to someone teaching a W course for the first time?

 

"Be sure to develop self-discipline with grading papers: get them back as early as possible, but try to spread out the grading so you don’t wear yourself out."
— Jim Aune, Communication

"Attend a UWC faculty workshop."
— Harvey Tucker, Political Science

"Many of the students have varying levels of trepidation about a W course, so allay their fears. Make expectations clear and let them know you don’t expect perfect grammar and organization on every assignment, that writing can have different purposes."
— Courtney Schumacher, Atmospheric Sciences

"Use the UWC: they can help! Also, try to demonstrate the relevancy of writing and/or writing assignments to students in their career preparation. If students can see how learning to write can help them in their careers, they tend to be more engaged in the assignment."
— Roel Lopez, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

Have you noticed changes in your students writing over the course of the semester? If so, what kind of changes?

"My students write much better at the end of the course than at the beginning. It even carries over into their problem working in that they write complete, proper sentences at the end instead of fragments. So grading their problems and proofs is easier at the end. Also, they read more critically, so they get more out of the textbook. I think they are amazed at the power of language, both written and oral, and become more precise in its usage."
— Sue Geller, Mathematics

"They get better. Not in all cases, but in enough to make it worthwhile. They are better organized, more conscious of writing in complete sentences, and more adept at transitions from idea to idea. They usually learn (re-learn?) about paragraphs, a concept many have forgotten and do not use in the beginning of the semester."
— Sarah Bednarz, Geography

Has more writing for the students meant more work for you? If so, how have you handled the increased demands on your time?

"Although the additional writing has its rewards . . . it has clearly meant more work for me in terms of assessment/grading. This semester our department has hired two graduate teaching assistants to assist
the [department’s] W instructors with the increased workload, and I believe this will be a tremendous help to all of us. In the past, I guess I just slept less."
— Pat Wiese, Teaching, Learning and Culture

"Converting my course into a W course did not mean more work. The course already was writing intensive due to the nature of the course material. Working with the UWC, I was able to develop grading rubrics and developed an on-line paper submission Web site that increased my efficiency in grading assignments in the course."
— Roel Lopez, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

"For too long, I graded papers on a schedule that seemed to be endless. I have learned to come up with assignments that are low-stakes enough that the students have to write a lot but I can just check quickly, more to see if they made an earnest attempt to learn the material than to nail them for grammar and style errors."
— Darla-Jean Weatherford, Petroleum Engineering

"Of course it means more work for me, but it is work I genuinely enjoy. I like reading the ways students express their ideas—it is a window into their lives and thought processes. Sometimes what I see is pretty appalling. There is no sense of logic or how to lay out an argument, or understanding of what it means to evaluate or synthesize. Understanding this has helped me to become better in my teaching of the thinking/research/writing process. I don’t know how I handle the increased demands on my time other than to think of it as contributing to my personal pedagogical development—the scholarship of teaching— and to realize it is all part of my job as a professor."
— Sarah Bednarz, Geography

How are you responding to your students’ writing? Do you use a rubric, hold conferences, or facilitate peer review?

"I provide detailed instructions for writing assignments and also a list of frequently seen problems and intolerable writing mistakes. I give detailed comments on each submission. Students who write multiple short papers improve their skills and grades quickly."
— Harvey Tucker, Political Science

"I use several tactics in providing feedback to students including grading rubrics, peer review, weekly class discussions, and use of Microsoft’s ‘track changes.’"
— Roel Lopez, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

"I go through seven stages: a) shock and disbelief, b) denial, c) bargaining, d) guilt, e) anger, f ) depression, g) acceptance and hope. Acceptance and hope usually come long after the semester is over, so I am generally in an earlier stage when the grades need to be given."
— Sam Cohn, Sociology

Has anything about teaching a W course surprised you?

"How much the students’ writing typically improves after the first assignment. I suspect many A&M students can actually write pretty well, but often they are just not challenged to write well. When they find out that good writing does matter in their grade, they respond and ‘kick it up a notch.’"
— Andrew Klein, Geography

"Our students are very, very poor writers. Students resent the extra work; hence student evaluations have dropped a little. The lack of meaningful support from the administration for instructors making the extra effort is discouraging. Just a quarter-time graduate assistantship to help with the grading for each W course would be reasonable. Instead, I use contracts and grants to subsidize my W course."
— T. H. Friend, Animal Science

"I was surprised at how much fun the students have with the term paper. Who’d have thought that a term paper in math would be fun?"
— Sue Geller, Mathematics

How has writing in the course affected student learning?

"Students are much more engaged and interested in the course. They easily see the relevancy of the writing assignments in their future careers. Working with real landowners really makes this connection."
— Roel Lopez, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences

"Since they read more critically, they learn more from the textbook. Since they are aware of the need for precision in their language, they produce better work."
— Sue Geller, Mathematics

What’s the best thing about teaching a W course?

"The knowledge that you are testing people on real intellectual skills and their ability to deal with ideas—rather than rote gurgitation on a spitback exam. The opportunity to have extended written dialogue with students on sociological themes, rather than check whether they have read pages 80-220."
— Sam Cohn, Sociology

"Feeling like you’re dealing with students as individuals (something that, alas, doesn’t happen often in such a large university with such large classes)."
— Jim Aune, Communication

"By far the best thing about teaching a W course is getting to better learn about students. I especially enjoyed reading student book reviews as it provides insight into their philosophies and interests. This is something I don’t normally experience in my other classes."
— Andrew Klein, Geography

What’s the worst thing about teaching a W course?

"Dealing with my own shortcomings in writing and in English. Like many in my area, I was drawn to engineering because I enjoyed science and math and didn’t care so much for English class. If I’d have known then that I’d need a better handle on this, I’d have paid more attention."
— Ronald Lacey, Agricultural Engineering

"Tell my wife I love her. I will be home after I finish this stack."
— Sam Cohn, Sociology