After accepting the graduate assistantship, I worked with the Director of Composition over the summer before that fall semester. This was spent reviewing example assignments, past sylibi and course schedules, and figuring out how I was going to guide students to meeting the learning expectations of the learning outcome statement. Fresh from my Composition Theory course, I felt motivated to put my education to work.
Though it was a requirement by the department, centering the class around the portfolio was crucial to my success in creating a student-centered learning environment. The reflective work portfolios rely on students to share their interpretation of the requirements and what expectations/goals they had for themselves. The work I will reference demonstrates how students were successful in the class and how they challenged themselves.
After planning the course, selecting the assignments, and finalizing the syllabus, all I had to do now was show up prepared on the first day. Right? not really. Be it the technical writer inside of me or angst. I turned my attention towards creating/finding supplemental materials for students to reference or guide through a few important processes (e.g., creating a Google Site for the portfolio assignment, navigating Blackboard, etc.).
Here is the Course Syllabus for this class. With this document, I did my best to outline campus resources and the expectations for this course. A discussion that requires reflecting on the WPA learning outcomes and contextuallizng them with the work in this class. For additional context, consider reviewing some of the major assignment sheets used in this course:
I think teaching a class is one of the hardest things I've ever done. I learned so much from teaching this course that Composition Theory couldn't prepare me for because the students taught me. Based on theory alone, I framed most of my decisions around theorists such as Peter Elbow, Ed White, and Kathrine Yancy. I intended to create a safe space that helped students feel enabled to learn about writing. I do feel I still met that goal; however, it wasn't by utilizing the theory as an "instructor's guide." It was by thinking about how my decisions align with the theory.
For example, after grading a major assignment and sending feedback, some or most students may notice patterns of error. It is worth the investment to move lessons/discussions around to explore more with these subjects.
I believe students were still hesitant to engage in the classroom. I needed everyone to feel as comfortable as possible with each other to focus on incorporating their own interests/passions. It may not be the Food Memoir or the Rhetorical Analysis assignment. Still, by students approaching these assignments with topics they were passionate about, I could continue to create contact zones in other sections or future feedback for their portfolios.
Despite an iffy start (my nervousness included), I do feel I met my goals in this class towards the end of the semester. My only assurance of such was the portfolios students turned in. Limiting that platform they could publish their portfolios on (Google Sites for ease-of-access and security purposes), students still found ways to express their individuality by modifying templates to create their brand or style guide. The portfolio site no longer feels like a frame to house artifacts, reflections, etc., but rather an artifact itself.