Programs: Writing Workshop

Faculty: Administrative Information

Information for Teachers || Expectations for Administration || Office Policies and Procedures

Information for Teachers

Your obligations as a teacher in the Writing Workshop include the following:

Syllabus
Prepare for your students a syllabus that includes all major assignments and due dates, your office hours, class policies (regarding attendance, papers and such), and a brief introductory statement about the nature of your class (for example, purpose, goals, attitude toward writing, student's role in class). Although you may further clarify and revise your syllabus during the quarter, you should begin by giving students one that covers major reading and writing assignments. Please also include course materials so that the office files can continue to serve as a useful resource for other teachers. An electronic copy of your syllabus should be given to the writing workshop administrative assistant. (No later than first day of quarter.)
In addition to the statements and explanations about your own class assignments and policies, you should also include statements addressing use of CCL classrooms and information about ADA guidelines. L. Scott Lissner, ADA Coordinator, Academic Affairs, offers this sample:
If you need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability, you should contact me to arrange an appointment as soon as possible. At the appointment we can discuss the course format, anticipate your needs and explore potential accommodations. I rely on the Office For Disability Services for assistance in verifying the need for accommodations and developing accommodation strategies. If you have not previously contacted the Office for Disability Services, I encourage you to do so.
Grading
Work out a grading system that you can live with and that you can defend to students if you need to. Your grading system needs to work out of a consistent basis for assigning credit to students' work, one that can be documented and explained. Consult your colleagues for advice about how to read and comment on difficult papers. You may want to consult with the Writing Program Ombud if you have questions about grading or about special circumstances such as plagiarism or grades of "Incomplete." Do not assign Incompletes, bring charges of academic misconduct, or dismiss students from your class before discussing the matter with Mindy and thinking it through together.
Canceling Class
If you must miss class because of an emergency-or any other reason, please let the office staff know the date, time, and your plans to accommodate your absence. We cannot, however, cancel classes for you, so please learn who teaches by so that he or she can, with a phone call from you, dismiss your students or give them whatever instructions they need to carry on in your absence.
Substitutes
When you miss class and you want someone to take your place, you are responsible for finding a substitute-but please ask for help if you need it.
Staff Meetings
Basic writers present particular challenges to their teachers; consequently you should expect to attend staff meetings during the year. At those, we discuss procedural and pedagogical matters and try to build within the group a cohesive approach to writing instruction. Your regular attendance and engagement is part of your commitment to teach here. Engagement can appear in different ways. It may include talking or simply listening, And although we are always working toward consensus, along the way it may also include spirited discussions or disagreements. But it is always a time when you will be expected to engage with your colleagues. As part of your participation in staff meetings, it is expected that you will (either individually or in a group) facilitate one staff meeting per quarter.
Class Visits
You should expect to have someone visit your class to observe and discuss your teaching with you. At other times, we may all visit one another's classes.
Student Evaluations
Ask your students to complete the standard Writing Workshop discursive evaluations at the end of the quarter (newly revised as of Spring 2002). For your own documentation of your teaching, you may also want to ask students to fill out the SEIs. As is the procedure in the rest of the English Department, please ask a student from your class to turn your evaluations in to the Writing Workshop (or its mailbox). Delwill hold all discursive evaluations at his desk until grades are turned in. He will also keep a running list of the evaluation packets he receives. Then he will distribute the evaluations to teachers through their mailboxes in the Stadium. If you have questions about whether your evaluations are turned in the Workshop, please see Del.
Although you should submit all of your evaluations to the Writing Workshop through the process described above, please make copies of one set, per year and submit those with a brief discursive summary to Mindy Wright. That one set is due no later than one week after grades are due of Spring Quarter. (If you do not teach all three quarters, Autumn-Spring, you should turn this summary set in one week after grades are due of the last quarter in which you are teaching.)

Additional Duties and Obligations

Determination of policy for Workshop courses, curriculum, and procedures. Writing Workshop policy is of course a product of input from a variety of sources, research and scholarship done by teachers in our program as well as elsewhere, discussions that happen in staff meetings, practices of teachers in the classroom that is then tested and evaluated by interested members of the Workshop, work done by specific Workshop committees, as well as policies and practices that are required by other units of the University and state and local government. However, as the administrator for the program, Mindy has the final responsibility for decisions about policy. In addition to consulting with Workshop members, she consults with the Writing Program Directors committee which she heads.
In a collaborative program such as ours, teachers and administrators work together in a variety of ways. We work together informally on chosen research or committee projects. We also work together formally through the ways that courses are structured. For instance the relationship between 110.03/193.03 and 467 requires teachers and students of both classes as well as the CPWC to work together. The fact that the 109 series is a two-quarter sequence requires that teachers of 109.01 develop syllabi that have strong similarities of theme if not texts so that students can take any 109.02 without being put at a disadvantage. And the teachers of the service learning versions of 110.03 work together to provide consistency in the public schools who are our partners. Therefore, we do in many ways create any year's Writing Workshop program together.
Course assignments. Mindy will make tentative course assignments as early as possible in the preceding quarter followed by an actual time/section assignment one week after most first-year students have been able to register. Unfortunately, the date registration windows open for first-year students is usually late in the preceding quarter. For instance, for Winter 2005, first-year students' windows open November 24-26, the end of the 9th week of the quarter. Since the times and numbers of sections in multi-section programs like the Workshop are entirely dependent on students' registration, actual class assignments cannot be made before students are finished registering.
Course assignments reflect as much as possible teachers' preferences, but again because our teaching schedule is the product of a number of factors (your other teaching and/or course enrollment schedules; the times students choose to take classes; requirements of other programs we work with, such as OMA Bridge or elementary schools in the literacy partnerships) as well as room availability, preferences may not always be perfect matches.
One class observation per year. For GAs and part-time lecturers, this observation may be done by Mindy or by Sara. If you require a recommendation written by the Coordinator of the Workshop (for a reference letter, for instance), please request that at the beginning of the quarter. For senior lecturers, Mindy will observe classes as part of the yearly review process. In addition, any teacher may request that a colleague visit his or her class for a formal or informal observation.
An annual review for senior lecturers and for GAs. For senior lecturers, this review occurs in a written review document by Mindy and through a scheduled meeting with the Department Chair. (The schedule for these reviews is set by Department policy.) For GAs, this review is part of the annual interview process for re-appointment and is done by the GA Interview Cte, which includes the Workshop Coordinator, at least one senior lecturer and if possible, an experienced GA representative. If part-time lecturers would like to be reviewed, at their request, a review can be part of a class observation meeting.
Consultation on issues that you request. Mindy consults with teachers on issues that include (but are not limited to) consultation on syllabi design, questions or concerns about course or classroom issues. Mindy also mediates issues that occur among staff. Sara as CPWC is available to address issues with PWC students. The Department Writing Program Ombud, Matt Cariello, addresses issues between students and teachers in WW classes. The Vice Chair of Rhetoric and Composition, Kitty Locker, should be consulted for issues that are not resolved through any of the above methods.
Mindy's hours: The specific times I am available are, of course, dependent on my teaching schedule and other commitments that are previously scheduled. In general, though, hours of availability are by appointment during regular University business hours (MTWRF SU 7:30-4:30, AU-SP 8:00-5:00). For specifics about my calendar, please see http://english.osu.edu/people/wright.7/I may at times be available during break weeks, but since the bulk of placement reading now happens during quarters rather than between quarters, I may not always be on duty during breaks or I may use that time to prepare for other projects.
Facilitation of meeting times. From time to time, WW administrators will make requests and/or reminders about your duties as a teacher in the Writing Workshop. These may include requests of you for available times for meetings. In many cases, these are meetings times that need to be facilitated with other members of the Workshop, such as weekly staff meeting times or times for the second scheduled PWC/WW meetings (which traditionally happens during the 6th or 7th week of the quarter. ) In other cases, requests could be about more specific meetings, such as meetings before and/or after a class observation.
Office Space, etc. The Writing Workshop also provides all staff teaching or supporting Workshop classes (senior lecturers, graduate students, part-time lecturers) office space with a desk and at least half of a file cabinet, a telephone and access to computers during quarters of their appointments in the Workshop. Department of English has determined policy for voice mail and computer access for teachers in the Writing Workshop. As per that policy, each senior lecturer has voice mail, an active data line, and a computer in his or her office. GAs and part-time lecturers do not have voice mail; staff in 218 can take phone messages for GAs and part-time lecturers. GAs and part-time lecturers have access to active data lines and computers only in the Workshop computer pool, 219 Ohio Stadium East.
If teachers are off duty for a specific quarter and space is available, teachers may be able to keep offices during those off quarters. Policies for office space will be announced during those quarters rather than determined on an ad hoc basis. In general, if teachers are off duty in the Workshop and have office space elsewhere on campus, they will be expected to occupy those offices during those quarters.

Expectations of Administration

Determination of policy for Workshop courses, curriculum, and procedures. Writing Workshop policy is of course a product of input from a variety of sources, research and scholarship done by teachers in our program as well as elsewhere, discussions that happen in staff meetings, practices of teachers in the classroom that is then tested and evaluated by interested members of the Workshop, work done by specific Workshop committees, as well as policies and practices that are required by other units of the University and state and local government. However, as the administrator for the program, Mindy has the final responsibility for decisions about policy. In addition to consulting with Workshop members, she consults with the Writing Program Directors committee which
In a collaborative program such as ours, teachers and administrators work together in a variety of ways. We work together informally on chosen research or committee projects. We also work together formally through the ways that courses are structured. For instance the relationship between 110.03/193.03 and 467 requires teachers and students of both classes as well as the CPWC to work together. The fact that the 109 series is a two-quarter sequence requires that teachers of 109.01 develop syllabi that have strong similarities of theme if not texts so that students can take any 109.02 without being put at a disadvantage. And the teachers of the service learning versions of 110.03 work together to provide consistency in the public schools who are our partners.
Therefore, we do in many ways create any year's Writing Workshop program together.
Course assignments. Mindy will make tentative course assignments as early as possible in the preceding quarter followed by an actual time/section assignment one week after most first-year students have been able to register. Unfortunately, the date registration windows open for first-year students is usually late in the preceding quarter. For instance, for Winter 2004, first-year students' windows opened November 24-26, the end of the 9th week of the quarter. Since the times and numbers of sections in multi-section programs like the Workshop are entirely dependent on students' registration, actual class assignments cannot be made before students are finished registering.
Course assignments reflect as much as possible teachers' preferences, but again because our teaching schedule is the product of a number of factors (your other teaching and/or course enrollment schedules; the times students choose to take classes; requirements of other programs we work with, such as OMA Bridge or elementary schools in the literacy partnerships) as well as room availability, preferences may not always be perfect matches.
One class observation per year. For GAs and part-time lecturers, this observation may be done by Mindy or by Sara. If you require a recommendation written by the Coordinator of the Workshop (for a reference letter, for instance), please request that at the beginning of the quarter. For senior lecturers, Mindy will observe classes as part of the yearly review process. In addition, any teacher may request that a colleague visit his or her class for a formal or informal observation.
An annual review for senior lecturers and for GAs. For senior lecturers, this review occurs in a written review document by Mindy and through a scheduled meeting with the Department Chair. (The schedule for these reviews is set by Department policy.) For GAs, this review is part of the annual interview process for re-appointment and is done by the GA Interview Cte, which includes the Workshop Coordinator, at least one senior lecturer and if possible, an experienced GA representative. If part-time lecturers would like to be reviewed, at their request, a review can be part of a class observation meeting.
Consultation on issues that you request. Mindy consults with teachers on a number of issues, including (but not limited to) consultation on syllabi design, questions or concerns about course or classroom issues. Mindy also mediates issues that occur among staff. Sara as CPWC is available to address issues with PWC students. The Department Writing Program Ombud, Matt Cariello, addresses issues between students and teachers in WW classes. The Vice Chair of Rhetoric and Composition, Kitty Locker, should be consulted for issues that are not resolved through any of the above methods.
Mindy's hours: The specific times I am available are, of course, dependent on my teaching schedule and other commitments that are previously scheduled. In general, though, hours of availability are by appointment during regular University business hours (MTWRF SU 7:30-4:30, AU-SP 8:00-5:00). you may check my calendar at my web site: http://english.osu.edu/people/wright.7.html I may at times be available during break weeks, but since the bulk of placement reading now happens during quarters rather than between quarters, I may not always be on duty during breaks or I may use that time to prepare for other projects.
Facilitation of meeting times. From time to time, WW administrators will make requests and/or reminders about your duties as a teacher in the Writing Workshop. These may include requests of you for available times for meetings. In many cases, these are meetings times that need to be facilitated with other members of the Workshop, such as weekly staff meeting times or times for the second scheduled PWC/WW meetings (which traditionally happens during the 6th or 7th week of the quarter. ) In other cases, requests could be about more specific meetings, such as meetings before and/or after a class observation.
Office Space, etc. The Writing Workshop also provides all staff teaching or supporting Workshop classes (senior lecturers, graduate students, part-time lecturers) office space with a desk and at least half of a file cabinet, a telephone and access to computers during quarters of their appointments in the Workshop. Department of English has determined policy for voice mail and computer access for teachers in the Writing Workshop. As per that policy, each senior lecturer has voice mail, an active data line, and a computer in his or her office. GAs and part-time lecturers do not have voice mail; staff in 218 can take phone messages for GAs and part-time lecturers. GAs and part-time lecturers have access to active data lines and computers only in the Workshop computer pool, 219 Ohio Stadium East.
If teachers are off duty for a specific quarter and space is available, teachers may be able to keep offices during those off quarters. Policies for office space will be announced during those quarters rather than determined on an ad hoc basis. In general, if teachers are off duty in the Workshop and have office space elsewhere on campus, they will be expected to occupy those offices during those quarters.

Office Policies and Procedures

KITCHEN AREA POLICY
There is a refrigerator and microwave oven available to use in the main office.

Because the refrigerator, microwave, and coffeepot are located in the main office, messes that are left affect everyone. A main office littered with dirty cups and dishes makes the space unpleasant for Del and the work-study students to work in. It gives students and office visitors a negative impression of the entire Workshop. To show respect for the office and for your colleagues, please clean up the area after you use it.

COMPUTERS
In Room 218D, we have a typewriter, a laser printer, several MAcintosh computers available for staff to use. All of the computers have access to software offered by Humanities Information Systems (HIS): Microsoft Office (Word, Power Point, Excel), Mozilla, Safari (through which you can access your OSU WEbmail account. If you do not already have an activated HIS account, contact that office at 2-8662 to obtain one.

We strongly encourage you to make arrangements to have regular access to e-mail because like elsewhere in the Department, most announcements in the Writing Workshop come out over our listserv (Wworkshop@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu), rather than on paper. Because a number of teachers share the computers, we also advise that you keep your own files on folders in your HIS account. Saving your work on a computer hard drive limits you to using only one computer and opens up the possibility that another user could accidentally destroy your files.

SUPPLIES
Please request supplies needed for Writing Workshop business from Del. Although the Department doesn't have a budget to provide teachers with a wide range of supplies, we are usually able to offer basic office supplies such as paper, folders, and pens.

DUPLICATING
Copying on the copier in the Workshop and printing on Workshop printers will follow the guidelines of the Department of English. Below are copied excerpts Cheryl Frasch's e-mail messages about Departmental copying and printing.

To Faculty (2/19/03): Your allocation for this academic year is 3800 copies.

To Grad Students and Lecturers: (3/3/03): Allocations for graduate students and lecturers are 600 copies per course taught and 250 copies per quarter for research if you are pursuing a degree.

Please note several inserted reminders specific to the Workshop:

Your total copying use on the Stadium copier is added to the total number of copies you make in Denney 421.
If you are teaching a literacy partnership course, please see Mindy Wright for the outreach copying code. (Because the grant proposals we've received for these projects provide the additional copying to serve elementary school students, they have their own copy code.)
To find out your current copy use on the Stadium copier, please see Del.
No printing of personal material on office printers.
No copying of personal material on department copy machines. For personal printing, area copying stores are willing and eager to set up accounts for individual faculty, often at professional discounts.
No multiple copies on printers (use your copy account in 421 DE or in 218 Ohio Stadium East).
Conserve paper: use back side of drafts whenever possible,; make double-sided copies, etc.
Limit your copying and printing for classes in the following ways:
1. Have students purchase course packets. Note to faculty: most graduate students report that they would much prefer purchasing packets to making their own copies of reading material being left on a shelf in Denney 421.
2. Use library reserves (electronic or paper)
3. Use overheads or PowerPoint presentations
4. Replace handouts with web postings: syllabi, assignments, and other materials can be posted electronically.
Keeping Track of Your Use
Each user is responsible for monitoring his/her own account balance, and, because the copiers are not networked or connected to each other in any way, doing so involves keeping a total of copies made on all copiers. The Xerox copiers, the one by the mailboxes and the two in the workroom, are more user-friendly in that regard than the Lanier copier, which is the one in Del's area. On each Xerox copier, the total of copies made against an account on that machine only is displayed on the screen after each copying session, while the Lanier displays only the number made in that one session. In order to know where you stand in relation to your balance, you have to maintain a running total of copies made on the Lanier and then add that total to those displayed on each Xerox machine you have used.
There are a number of strategies that you can use to simplify the process: (a) do all your copying on one or two machines; (b) at regular intervals tally your usage on all the machines you have been using. The excuse that "I didn't realize my usage was that high" will not work.

LONG DISTANCE PHONE CALLS
If University business requires you to make a long distance call, you need to use your own plau number assigned by the Department. Please contact Cheryl Frasch for that information. Please do not call the telephone information number unless absolutely necessary. We are charged 30 to 60 cents for each information request. Phone books are available in the main office for your use.