The WIP workshops, readings, and classes have given me tools to think about pedagogy in new ways. Putting theory to practice is, unsurprisingly, the challenge. While my practice of WIP theory is not seamless, my inquiry into how to better guide students is active.
I can tell that I am interacting with students and student writing differently than I have in previous TAships. I also know that I am not yet interacting with students and student writing as well as I hope to in the future. My work as a WIP TA has gone well but has also on occasion been uncomfortable or taken more hours than I would have liked. I have struggled to recall bits of wisdom and translate them into assignments, activities, and feedback. Like all virtuous things in this world, becoming a better WIP TA requires practice and the formation of new habits that help to transform my foggy recollections into natural responses. And good habits are always the hardest to cultivate.
In my research, I focus on change and resistance to change in cultures and institutions. Change is often difficult and messy, and there are many forces that push us back toward the norm. Policies, networks, and the wiring in our brains all play roles in stabilizing what is routine. It is easy in the midst of hectic days or uncertainty to slip back into the familiar and what has worked before. Of course, in many cases what “worked” before didn’t work that well, and I am happy to be drawing more on education research rather than imitating the teaching I’ve experienced in the past. I’ve been repeatedly amazed to learn about teaching norms that can be ineffective or counterproductive. I previously assumed that more feedback on papers is always better and that assigning drafts of papers only supports revisions. It turns out that less (but focused) feedback can be more powerful and that a draft assignment can hinder student revision and creativity if not well designed.
My inquiry into how to better guide students is active.
I am slowly rewiring my habits of mind and practice. This is occurring through WIP materials and as I give feedback and design short lessons. It is also occurring in new conversations. I am discussing course design with the instructor, which I would not have before. I also find myself instigating conversations about pedagogy with other TAs and friends. I recently presented on WIP ideas to my lab group and the conversation that followed was animated. We spoke about diverse experiences, challenges, and potential solutions. This was not a conversation I’d previously had with my lab mates or advisor but it may now be recurring as we practice and think about guiding student learning.
The students in my course recently turned in outlines for their final paper and will soon be working on drafts. The key challenge in this stage is to figure out how to structure and frame an argument in anthropology. Many students have much of the information they need to write a paper, but the task of presenting this information as an argument remains a challenge. This is a critical time for students to dive back into their ideas and to practice engaging with evidence and theories creatively within the genre of the discipline. This is a challenge to teach, but with each piece of feedback I give and each conference and conversation, I am learning to be more effective.