Description of the Program

The WGS Interdisciplinary TA program trains doctoral students who are working toward Graduate Certificates in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies to teach select introductory-level Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies courses and offers them the opportunity to develop and teach select general Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies introductory-level courses. Two such courses exist in the program now: Introduction to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Introduction to Women's Texts. The students spend an apprentice-semester as an RA (or in some cases TA), observing experienced WGS instructors, preparing a syllabus, interacting with other intro-level instructors, and reading in preparation for their own teaching. They spend the second and subsequent semesters (if re-appointed) teaching such courses in the program.

Precedent

The joint TA program with English and with German and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies was established to provide English and German doctoral students the opportunity to gain some experience teaching Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies courses in their field. They were specifically assigned to the course Introduction to Women's Texts. A number of these PhDs received job offers based at least in part on the fact that they had participated in the program.

Requirements of Participation for all Interdisciplinary TAs

To participate in the program the doctoral student must be either ABD or close to it. S/he must be recommended to WGS by someone on the faculty in the department, preferably the chair, the director of graduate studies, and a Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies-affiliated faculty member (through the chair). The student initially receives a two-semester TAship from the department, or a one-semester RAship followed by a one-semester TAship. The department commits a faculty member in the department, with the director or associate director of WGS, to oversee the student's training and preparation for teaching. In the first or apprenticeship semester, the German and English students attend weekly an Introduction to Women's Texts, others may be assigned instead to Introduction to Women's Studies class to learn about pedagogical approaches to WGS material, and to gain an understanding of how to construct a syllabus, develop course materials, and use these in a class. The student creates the syllabus for his/her course during this first semester, has it reviewed by the department faculty mentor and the director or associate director in WGS, and orders course books for the following semester. Some departments have other requirements for this first semester (see appendices). The second and subsequent semesters (if re-appointed to this TAship), the student teaches the course, obtains feedback from both faculty supervisors, and continues to attend the Intro meetings throughout the semester of teaching.

As the WGS program is broadening its introductory level courses, we may eventually allow TAs in training to spend part of their apprenticeship semester in other intro-level courses, but for the present we prefer that they sit in on Introduction to Women's Texts if they are from the English, German, or Romance Language departments, or Introduction to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies if they are from other departments. They may also occasionally sit in on an additional 100- or 200-level course: Introduction to Woman and Gender Studies, Introduction to Women's Texts, Introduction to Sexuality Studies, Introduction to Gay and Lesbian Theory, and so on.

We now hold discussions among all faculty teaching introductory courses 2-3 times a semester to explore issues faculty encounter in the courses, to share pedagogical approaches, to talk about readings, to work through questions about interactions with students, and so on. We require all TAs in training to attend these sessions and continue to do so as they teach their own courses in subsequent semesters.

Who May Participate?

We are opening participation to any doctoral student in the Graduate Certificate Program who is also nominated by a member of the WGS Executive Committee, the core faculty of the program, and the chair and graduate studies director of the student's participating home department. They are made through formal contact between the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies director and the chair, a faculty mentor in the cooperating department, and the director of graduate studies in the cooperating department. Any recommendations must be approved by the head of graduate studies and TA assignments in the appropriate department. In addition, wherever possible, a mentor from the department must be assigned the student to oversee the experience from the department's end. This mentor could be the student's thesis advisor, a faculty member with experience in scholarship relevant to the study of women and gender, or the director of graduate studies.

Funding the TAships

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies has limited funding for this program. Some departments are willing to use their own TA funding to encourage students to gain this interdisciplinary teaching experience. A few departments have funding from the Graduate School specifically to support students with Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies TAships. The funding for particular students must be discussed and confirmed by the appropriate department and the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program Director.

Appendix: Romance Languages and Literatures Requirements

The arrangement with the Romance Languages and Literatures Department generally follows the procedures outlined in the main document. The chair and graduate director in Romance Languages and Literatures, in consultation with jointly appointed WGS and Romance Languages and Literatures faculty, recommend Graduate Certificate students to the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies director. Typically these students will have finished course work and be preparing for exams and dissertation work. Students should apply for the Dissertation Fellowship following the usual schedule for Romance Languages and Literatures Graduate Certificate students. However, if awarded the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Interdisciplinary TAship, these students will request to have their Dissertation Fellowship deferred for one year. The dissertation writing schedule, as specified in the graduate program requirements for Romance Languages and Literatures, will be adjusted accordingly in consultation with the dissertation advisor and Spanish Director of Graduate Studies, in order to secure the timely completion and the defense of the thesis. They apprentice during the fall semester, and will spend their apprenticeship semester sitting in on WGS 100 Intro to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies classes, a minimum of one class a week. They may also be TAing a course in Romance Languages and Literatures at the same time. They will have a mentor in Romance Languages and Literatures, a faculty member who supports their work and can advise them on pedagogy and feminist and gender content issues, make recommendations for the syllabus, and maintain a liaison relationship with the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program. This mentor could be the student's graduate advisor.

First semester:

The student will likely be TAing in a Romance Languages and Literatures course.

In addition:

• Weekly observation of WGS 100 Intro to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies classes, with assignment arranged by the WGS director and associate director and WGS 100 instructor
• Attending the Intro course meetings called by the associate director of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (2-3 per semester)
• Maintaining contact with Romance Languages and Literatures mentor to discuss
  pedagogy and content issues
• Developing syllabus for second semester teaching; to be approved by WGS director and associate director

(funding by the Romance Languages and Literatures Department)

Second semester:

• Teach a section of WGS 100 Intro to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
• Attend Intro course meetings (2-3 per semester)
• Maintain contact with WGS mentor
• Submit to peer observations of teaching and student evaluations

(funding by WGS)

Third semester:

In some cases a third semester might be permissible, pending approval by
the chair and the director of graduate studies in Romance Languages and
Literatures and by the Women, Gender , and Sexuality Studies director, and strong teaching
evaluations from peer observer and students. However, the staffing needs of
Romance Languages and Literatures will be a significant factor in making such an
appointment.

(funding by Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies or Romance Languages and Literatures
Department)