2014 New TA and Instructor Orientation Program
The Department of Writing Rhetoric and Digital Studies
University of Kentucky
Facilitators
Director: Jenny Rice
Assistant Director: Deborah Kirkman
Intern: Ashleigh Hardin
Mentors: Wes DeShano, Mary Clai Jones, Megan Pillow Davis, and Hannah Ruehl
Staff Support Associate: Diane Robertson
Monday August 11
Commonwealth House
6-8:30
Welcome! Meet-and-Greet for new TAs, PTIs, graduate students, and guests.
Drinks and light finger-foods provided.
Prepare for Tuesday: Read Catherine Savini’s “Looking for Trouble” (can be found on WRD
website)
Tuesday August 12
All orientation events are held in Ralph G. Anderson Building (RGAN) Rooms 202 and 207
unless otherwise noted.
9:00-9:30
9:30-10:00
10:00-10:30
10:30-11:30
11:30-11:45
11:45-12:15
12:15-12:45
12:45-2:00
2:00-3:30
3:30-3:45
3:45-4:30
Coffee and conversation: Have breakfast and chat with your colleagues. Coffee,
tea, fresh fruit, and breakfast items offered.
Icebreaker activity
Program philosophy. Speaker: Department Chair Dr. Jeff Rice
Overview of WRD 110/111. Guidelines, course arcs, texts, and technology.
Break
Discussion of TA labor with representative from the English Graduate Student
Organization; Introduction to the Rhetoric Society of America by RSA
representative
Administrative business
Lunch. Mellow Mushroom pizza. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
Teaching inquiry and research
Summing up and looking ahead
Meet your mentors
Prepare for Wednesday: Read Rebecca Solnit’s “Detroit Arcadia,” “Chapter Six” from
Everything’s an Argument (pdf), and check out the WRD gallery (WRD website)
Wednesday August 13
9:00-9:15
9:15-11:15
11:15-11:30
11:30-12:30
12:30-1:30
1:30-2:30
2:30-4:00
4:00-5:00
Coffee and conversation: Have breakfast and chat with your colleagues. Coffee,
tea, fresh fruit, and breakfast items offered.
Rhetorical and visual analysis
Break
Using readings in the WRD classroom
Audio and digital communication projects
Lunch. Athenian Grill. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
Creating in-class activities and projects
New TAs meet with mentors. First-year MAs meet with Deborah Kirkman
Prepare for Thursday: Read excerpt from Joanna Wolfe’s Team Writing (WRD website)
Thursday August 14
9:00-9:30
9:30-10:00
10:00-11:00
11:00-11:30
11:30-11:45
11:45-1:00
1:00-2:00
2:00-3:30
3:30-4:00
4:00-4:45
4:45-5:00
Coffee and conversation: Have breakfast and chat with your colleagues. Coffee,
tea, fresh fruit, and breakfast items offered.
Community of Concern
Communication component of WRD 110/111
Integrating presentations in WRD
Break
Effective use of small groups
Lunch. Gumbo Ya Ya. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
Technology and digital tools to use in the classroom.
Using the library and Special Collections
New TAs meet with mentors.
Summing up and looking ahead
Prepare for Friday: Read Donald Murray’s “Teach Writing as a Process, Not a Product” (WRD
website), chapters 36 and 37 in How to Write Anything (textbook in packet you received on the
first day), and student sample essays (Handouts in packet)
Friday August 15
9:00-9:20
9:20-9:45
9:45-10:45
10:45-11:30
11:30-11:45
11:45-12:30
12:30-1:00
1:00-2:00
2:00-5:00
Coffee and conversation: Have breakfast and chat with your colleagues. Coffee,
tea, fresh fruit, and breakfast items offered.
The Writing Center
Writing as a process
Portfolios
Break
Mechanics of writing in the WRD classroom
Conducting peer revision workshops
Lunch. Qdoba. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
Responding to student work
Prepare for Thursday: Send Megan a teaching persona picture by Wednesday 8/20; Read
“Dealing with Troublesome Behaviors in the Classroom” (WRD website)
Monday August 18 – Wednesday August 20 – University-wide New TA orientation
Thursday August 21
9:00-9:30
9:30-10:30
10:30-11:30
11:30-11:45
11:45-1:00
1:00-2:00
2:00-3:00
3:00-4:00
4:00-5:00
Coffee and conversation: Have breakfast and chat with your colleagues. Coffee,
tea, fresh fruit, and breakfast items offered.
Teaching style and teaching persona
Classroom management
Break
Creating a lesson plan
Lunch. Boxed lunches from Thai Orchid. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free
options.
Leading classroom discussion
Diversity in the writing classroom. Guest speaker Dr. Brenda Brueggemann
(University of Louisville)
Meet with mentor groups
Friday August 22
9:00-9:30
9:30-10:30
10:30-12:00
12:00-1:00
1:00-1:45
1:45-2:30
Coffee and conversation: Have breakfast and chat with your colleagues. Coffee,
tea, fresh fruit, and breakfast items offered.
Setting the tone on the first day
Meet with mentor groups
Lunch. Boxed lunches from Stella’s Deli. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free
options.
Resources for instructors
Q&A