Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program
Graduate & Post-Graduate Positions
JOB TITLE:
Writing Associates across the Disciplines
(for Experienced Instructors beyond department funding)
Please note: WRT 105 and WRT 105E were formerly CAS 105 and CAS 105E. WRT 571/ENG 571 and WRT 572 /ENG 572 were formerly CAS 571/ENG 571 and CAS 572/ENG 572.
Writing Associates across the Disciplines are a group of outstanding writing instructors from a variety of disciplines who have taught in the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program for at least four semesters. Writing Associates teach one WRT 105 course in the fall and the same course in the spring and serve as informal mentors to less experienced instructors.
Please complete and submit the application by Friday, January 29, to Deborah Rossen-Knill at the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program Main Office, Rush Rhees G-121. Please submit one original and two additional copies of your application materials. Do not staple. EMAIL SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
The application review committee for all teaching positions is made up of a subset of the College’s interdisciplinary writing committee. Standing members of the selection committee include the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program Director and the Instructor Training Coordinator.
The review committee for the coordinator positions consists of, at minimum, the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program Director and/or the Assistant Director and the current coordinator for the posted position.
The review process for teaching positions: Each committee member independently ranks each application on a 1-5 scale, with five being the best, based on the applicant’s teaching philosophy, writing sample, teaching evaluations, letter of recommendation and any other supporting material the applicant chooses to submit.
- Committee members assign a single ranking that accounts for the extent to which each candidate seems likely to
- use writing to explore and express ideas and balances process and product,
- teach argument as a means to analyze, formulate and test ideas,
- teach invention, revision and editing (and understands the difference,)
- seriously consider whether students learn principles of academic writing and how to make choices as a professional writer,
- use a student-centered approach,
- allow students to fully investigate student ideas,
- communicate a love of language and writing and teaching,
- create a positive learning environment for students, and
- offer a course that many undergraduates would find interesting.
Committee members then discuss their rankings and collectively determine who will be offered a teaching position, who will be waitlisted, and who will not be offered a position.
Special note for Writing Associates across the Disciplines Position (awards for those beyond department funding): in general, given an equal pool of applicants, preference is given to the candidates in their fifth or sixth year who have not previously received this Fellowship. This principle is, of course, balanced with how well each applicant meets above criteria. Preference may be given to those able to and interested in teaching WRT 105E (formerly CAS 105E).
APPLICATION FOR WRITING ASSOCIATES ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES
- Part A: Personal Information
- Name:
- Student ID number:
- Graduate Department or Program:
- Email:
- Local Address:
- Local Phone Number:
Part B: Supporting Materials
- C.V.
- A brief statement: please explain in one-to-two pages your teaching philosophy and what you believe you can contribute to the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program.
- A WRT 105 course description: please provide a potential course description for WRT 105.
Writing a WRT Course Description
Teaching WRT 105 is a unique experience because it allows you to pick a topic/theme/issue of your choice and use it to teach writing. However, make sure that your course description clearly communicates that writing is the primary focus. Before you begin writing your description, we highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the general description of WRT 105 at: http://writing.rochester.edu/courses/WRT105.html. As the general description might suggest, one of the goals of your course description should be to show your audience how writing will be used to explore your topic. Some of the pitfalls in choosing your topic are limiting it to your own research interests, using language that is highly technical to describe it, and making it seem as if your course has two topics, writing and your theme.
One way to approach the course description, and your course in general, is to come up with a few guiding questions that outline the broad focus of your class. You also want to give prospective students a sense of what kinds of texts they will be working with (Note: you don’t have to list the exact texts at this point. You can just say various films, works of fiction, or philosophical tracts, for example, or mention authors’ names).
Before you begin writing your course description, take a look at a variety of current course descriptions at: http://writing.rochester.edu/ (once there, click on “Writing Courses” and then “Course Description”). Take note of what’s similar across disciplines, find one that you like, and decide what it is you like about it.
In writing your course description you should imagine undergraduates as your primary audience, and their parents, College faculty, and administrators as your secondary audiences.
- For the sake of multi-section uniformity, your course description should:
- Emphasize the learning objectives outlined at: http://writing.rochester.edu/courses/WRT105.html.
- Involve a theme that allows students to make connections across course readings and develop a basic understanding of your theme.
- Model the kind of writing you’d like to receive from your students.
- Appeal to freshmen.
- Be about 150 words.
- Include peer feedback, self-assessment, revision, and an 8-10 page argumentative research paper.
- Teaching or Tutoring Evaluations: please submit at least one full set of evaluations from previous teaching experiences in the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program.
- Faculty recommendation from someone who has observed your teaching.
- A sample of your academic writing.
- At the end of your application, please include the following statement in quotation marks, along with a signature from your Graduate Department, or Program Chair: "(Name of your Graduate Department or Program) supports this application for teaching in the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program and is aware of the workload and compensation for this position."
