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FAQs

Page history last edited by Chris Werry 2 years, 4 months ago

 

 


 

How do I register for the Teaching Internship Course (RWS796A Issues in Teaching Composition)

TAs will need to register for RWS796A (unless you wish to defer the credits - see below). The schedule number will be given out before the semester starts. 
If you can't find it, Claudia Gracio  may be able to help locate your schedule number 2-3 weeks before the semester starts (cgracio@sdsu.edu)
(There are no longer add codes
)
 

When will I be told when I will teach?

Jamie Madden (jmadden@mail.sdsu.edu) or Claudia Gracio ((cgracio@sdsu.ed) will inform you of your teaching time 3-4 weeks before the semester starts
New TAs usually take a while to show up on the schedule as they are not yet listed in the faculty database.

 

The Semester will Begin Soon. Why Isn't My Name on the Schedule of Classes?

Don't worry if you can't see your name listed in the schedule of classes. Most new TAs don't show up on the schedule as they are not yet listed in the faculty database.
To get listed in the faculty database you must 1) get paper work from your department office staff (English or RWS, depending on your home department), and
2) sign up at HR (4th floor od Extended Studies building). Note that once you've signed up
with HR, it may still take several weeks for this to show up on the SDSU

class schedule, so don't be concerned if your name doesn't appear for a while.


What are the weekly internship meetings, why are they a course, and can I defer the units?

We will meet once a week on Wednesdays from 1.00 - 1.50 to prepare for the next week(s), discuss pedagogy, engage in professional development activities, etc. There will usually be light homework that focuses on preparing teaching material for your class. Your teaching internship will count as a 3 unit course (RWS796A,). You can defer the units - some students who already have a lot of units choose not to sign up for the class for credit, and, they sign up for the class in a later semester in order to get the units at that time.


The meetings themselves are required during that first semester because they really are in helping a new teacher, even an experienced one, adjust to the specific goals and processes of our department.  However, some students choose to defer the units one semester. This typically happens when the student is already taking many units, but may have less later (for example, when doing their thesis).

 

 

 

Bookstore Contacts & Getting Desk Copies of Texts

Our SDSU bookstore contact person is Laura White, Laura.White@darth.sdsu.edu. The publishers for Norton (They Say/I Say) and Cengage (Keys for Writers) will send desk copies if requested. You can get a "loaner" from the bookstore until they arrive.

Norton rep = Natasha Zabohonski, nzabohonski@wwnorton.com

Cengage rep is Lauren Merrill, Lauren.Merrill@cengage.com

 

I Need a Parking Permit

You are entitled to a faculty/staff parking permit. Sadly, you have to pay for this, and the cost for faculty/staff and student is exactly the same. To get 
a permit you will need the paperwork from your department office staff. 

 

 

The TA Office & Phone Number, Plus Meeting Students

The TA office is AH3178. You can list this on your syllabus. 


The office staff will open it each day (you can't get a key, but if the dept. office is open, and for some reason the TA office isn't, you can use the "soccer ball" master key to open the TA office).

 

The phone number for the TA office is (619) 594 2015. You can list this on the syllabus, or give students your cell phone if you wish - but only if you are comfortable. You can meet with students in the TA office, and arrange conferences there. Sometimes it can be a bit busy and noisy. You may want to coordinate with other TAs who share office hours with you. Karen Keene will set up a schedule to try to help with this.

 

You can arrange to meet at Starbucks, the library, or some other campus location if you'd prefer. There are sometimes empty offices in AH you can  use - for ex. the multimedia room. But this tends to be hit or miss.  

 

 

USING THE TA OFFICE, PRINTER, PHOTOCOPYING, PAYROLL INFO, etc.

These are Karen' Keene's tips for new TAs.

 

TA office
  Lock it up; I have found it unlocked at 6:30 am
  Clean it up? Custodians will empty trash/recycling only

Computers/printer
  Shutdown when not in use; turn monitor off
  Flash drives can be plugged into several ports; ask me?
  Notify the office or me if something is not working
  Pay attention to messages about printer ink and ask for it
    (you will need the empty cartridge to get a new one)

Copies
  Use BlackBoard when appropriate; no cost to RWS
  Rule is <25 copies, use the copier (we pay per page copied)
  25 or more copies, request Riso copies via office form
    (no charge per copy; give them notice)

Payroll
  Direct deposit almost always skips your first check --
    some of you still have checks from 10/1 in the office
  Each pay period you receive either a check or a stub!
    Please pick it up from the front desk or your mail folder
  Reminder - fall pay will be issued on six checks total!

I am also here to help! Ask me about your pay and paychecks, computer, printer, phone, office supplies needed, whatever. If it not my responsibility, I will direct you or your request to the proper person.
Thanks.  Karen Keene
RWS (accounting and technology)
x45477
kkeene@mail.sdsu.edu

 

 

Where You Will Teach, SMART Classroom Workshops, & Getting a Key

The person with the most up to date info on where you are teaching is Jamie Madden, jmadden@mail.sdsu.edu. As a rule, new Teaching Associates do not get their schedules until the week before classes, because there are frequent changes to the schedule by the university. Once you do get assigned a class time, note that this time is subject to change based on enrollments and budget considerations.  We will definitely have a class for you, but cannot guarantee the time/place.

 

The classroom you will (most likely) teach in is listed here: https://sunspot.sdsu.edu/schedule/?dept=rws

 

Most of you are will probably teach in the CSQ building, and these classes are "Smart" classrooms, meaning you'll have access to a computer, projector, and vcr/dvd player. If you are teaching elsewhere, the link above will tell you what the facilities are in your classroom. In order to get a key to the smart class facilities in your classroom, you need to attend a short training session. Here's the info on how to attend a training session: http://its.sdsu.edu/spaces/smartWorkshops/

In the past, I've heard some TAs say you can bluff the people who provide keys by saying you've done the training, even if you haven't. But this only works if a) you're good at bluffing, and b) are tech-savvy enough that you can figure out the equipment by yourself.  Not a recommendation, merely additional info.

 

Keys for the Smart Podium in your Class: How to Get, Renew and Return Keys 

You will need a smart class key in order to teach. The key lets you open the podium in your classroom, which in turn lets you control the computer, projector, dvd/video, etc.  ITS provides a list of the types of smart podium in each class - see https://its.sdsu.edu/learning-spaces/drop-in-trainings/ . On this page you can enter your classsroom number and it will tell you what kind of set up you have.

If you are a new TA you will likely have to attend a training workshop in order to be issued a smart podium key (the training workshop is part of new TA orientation). These training workshops are provided by ITS. This link lists times and locations for training workshops: https://its.sdsu.edu/learning-spaces/drop-in-trainings/


At the end of each semester you have to return the key to the Key Issue office, which is next to the Police window (University Police Department, outside windows  5350 55th Street). Even if you plan to teach again the following semester, you need to return the key. You must return the key at the end of the semester. If you are teaching again next semester, then just before the semester starts, visit Claudia in the RWS Office (SH 144) and ask for a renewal form, fill this out and take it to the Key Issue Office to get a new key. 


Note that it is important you return keys. The department is fined for lost keys, and university will also fine TAs and put a hold on their registration until these fines are paid.

 

How to print your roster

To get your roster go to web portal - https://sunspot.sdsu.edu/portal/  There will be a side menu with "course roster" listed as an option. Click this, and print the page.

 

 

How to Generate Add Codes to Give to Students

  1. Go to web portal,   https://sunspot.sdsu.edu/portal/
  2. Click on web roster, then select your class.
  3. Near the top right of the page there's a link that says "To view and print add codes for this course section, Click Here"
    NOTE - it's a little hard to find, and is just under links on downloading an excel spreadsheet.

 

 

Final exam schedule for RWS100 Classes

You can find the final exam schedule for your classes here. http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/registrar/finalexams/

 

 

Your Blackboard Site - you must make it 'visible' to students

Your students won't be able to see your Blackboard site until you go into settings and make it visible. If you put materials on your site and don't make it visible, your students will tell you it doesn't show up for them. Here's what you do: http://suffolk.screenstepslive.com/s/1050/m/bb9/l/14407-how-do-i-make-my-course-available-to-students

 

  1. In  Blackboard go to the "Course Management" menu and click on "Customization." 
  2. Then click on "Properties".
  3. Scroll down to "Set Availability."
  4. Change the "Make Course Available" from No to Yes.
  5. Click Submit

 

 

OTHER BLACKBOARD RESOURCES

 

 

 

Getting a Librarian to Give your Students a Talk on Research and using Online Resources

At orientation I talked to some of you about scheduling a visit from a research librarian to talk to your students about locating material and using the library's online resources. In the past we've done this for unit 2, the sources assignment. If you decide to do this, you should arrange it soon, as librarians get booked up. The library contact person is Carolyn Baber, cbaber@rohan.sdsu.edu. She's the research librarian.

 

To arrange a library session, you can also request a specific date/time using this link:  http://library.sdsu.edu/infotutor/instruction/request-library-instruction

Someone will contact you by email and you can go from there. Using the form helps the library's scheduling efforts.

 

 

 

Plagiarism Detection - We've Moved from Blackboard's SafeAssign to Turnitin

In Spring 2011, SDSU is transitioning from SafeAssign to Turnitin for plagiarism prevention. While SafeAssign will be available until the end of Spring 2011, ITS highly recommends that interested instructors switch to Turnitin now. Turnitin is integrated within Blackboard and has a more robust search engine (Originality Check). Turnitin also offers companion tools, PeerMark and GradeMark, that can streamline grading and meaningful feedback on student writing.

For more information on Turnitin, please visit: http://its.sdsu.edu/tech/plagiarism and http://universe.sdsu.edu/sdsuniverse/news.aspx?s=72703
Please contact Carol Tohsaku at ITS if you would like training on Turnitin. Contact info: ctohsaku@mail.sdsu.edu or 619 594-2203

 

Make Sure You Submit Copy of Syllabus at start of semester - or Staff Will get Annoyed

At the start of every semester, we request that all instructors send us their syllabi electronically to the front desk (rwsoffice@mail.sdsu.edu).  It is now the end of the semester and we still have many TAs who have not submitted their syllabi.  This is university mandated and I've sent numerous e-mail requests and also put messages in mailboxes. In the future, I'd like to request that you please mention this at the TA orientation at the start of the semester, and also mention it at TA meetings. Could you please notify the following TAs and ask that they please submit copies of their syllabi to the front desk asap.  Thanks Chris,  Jo

 

Student Athletes

Within the first two weeks of the new semester, student athletes are required to provide you with relevant paperwork concerning their travel schedules and particular arrangements they may require. In addition to working with these students to make sure that their accommodations are handled in a fair and pedagogically sound fashion, I would like to encourage you to contact Athletics promptly if you notice that any of your student athletes are struggling. Whether student athletes lack the skills necessary to complete assignments successfully or simply aren't putting forth the necessary effort, Athletics would like to receive reports so that they can intervene as quickly as possible. Our immediate contact in Athletics is Maria Moreno-Pardo (mmoreno@MAIL.SDSU.EDU). She has been working closely with RWS in the last few semesters to help athletes succeed in our courses, and she would like to hear from you.
Contact Chris if you have questions.

 

 

Course Forgiveness

The university policy on course forgiveness/repeating a course is here: http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/advising/courseforgive.html.

The key info is as follows: 

Course Repeat

Repeat a course and have the old and new grades calculated into your grade point average.

  • Students can only register for the same course if they previously earned a grade of “C-” or lower.
  • Undergraduate students can repeat up to a total of 28 units.
  • The old and new grades will both be calculated into the student's overall grade-point average.

 

Course Forgiveness

Repeat a course and have only the new grade calculated into your grade point average. The old grade stays on your record but is not factored into your GPA.

  • Students can only register for the same course if they previously earned a grade of “C-” or lower.
  • Students may request a maximum of 16 units for course forgiveness as part of the 28-unit course repeat limit.
  • Students can repeat the same course only once for course forgiveness.
  • No more than one course used for course forgiveness may be an upper division course.
  • You can apply by completing the Course Forgiveness Request form in the Office of the Registrar.

 

LING 100 & LING 200

Quick reminder that if you encounter students who have significant ESL issues, you can suggest they transfer from RWS100 to LING 100. This will fulfill all the same requirements, and the class runs parallel to RWS100, with focused attention on ESL issues (you may want to suggest the student confirm the equivalence part with an adviser). Debbie Poole and Julie Williams run this course.

At the start of the semester linguistics will often open a second or third section of Ling 100 if it fills. However, last semester they filled pretty quickly and by the time some of us discovered we had students with limited English, it was too late. So best tell students at start of semester.

 

 

Is D- a Passing Grade? (Yes)

So a D- is actually a passing grade, albeit minimally so.

 

 

"Final Exam" Date

The SDSU web site lists a final "exam" date. You don't have to be present for this final date, but you can (if you wish) schedule a final piece of work due at this date. The dates for  each class are listed here: http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/registrar/finalexams/index.html

 

Incompletes, Withdrawals, and Unauthorized Withdrawals

See info provided by registrar's web pages or web portal grading pages for complete, "official" story. However, a few pointers: incompletes are typically given when a student has completed most of the work, but suffers some setback that makes it impossible to complete the work in time. It's not for students who've done one assignment and missed most of your classes. Sometimes a student will experience serious problems that make it impossible to complete much of the work. In t his case, you should suggest the student talk to the registrar about receiving a "W," which essentially means withdrawal without penalty, wiping the slate clean. If a student stops coming to class and turning work in, you will enter "UW" at the end of the semester, which stands for 'unauthorized withdrawal.' You will be asked to estimate the date the student stopped coming to class. It is better to enter "UW" than "F," as sometimes a UW can be changed to a W once the student talks to the registrar. It's more difficult to do this if you enter "F."

 

 

Next Semester & teaching 100/200: Do I need to reapply

You don't need to resubmit an application to teach again. As long as a TA is in good standing, is doing well, teaching 100 or 200 the next semester
is usually automatic (in times of budget problems nothing is ever guaranteed - but TA labor is cheap, so "the suits" have an incentive to
retain this tradition.)  We used to make 200 available only to TAs who really excelled (200 is a difficult class to teach), but for various reasons
more sections of 200 have been needed, while fewer 100s have been available, so more TAs have been invited to teach 200.  It's another reason
for ITC.  It's often better if new 200 teachers try to collaborate, teach some of the same texts or share the load when doing 200, as not much support
is available. 

 

Where do I enter final grades?

Go to the SDSU web portal and enter final grades there - https://sunspot.sdsu.edu/pls/webapp/web_menu.login/

 

 

How Long Do I Need to Keep Student Papers?

The SDSU Senate passed new policy in April 2011. Bottom line appears to be that you should get rid of student papers no later than the last day of the next semester (i.e. one semester after the one you have papers for) . I believe you can dispose of them before this, but you should notify students first, and give them a chance to pick them up.  If you plan on using the papers as samples in future classes, you should get permission.

Here's the actual language, which is rather confusing:


3.3 Examinations and Course Papers: Examination papers, reports, and other course papers may be retained by the instructor only if the instructor communicates to the student at the time of assigning such materials the instructor’s intention to retain them.

3.31 Instructors who retain examinations or graded work hard copy or electronic, shall provide reasonable access to them.

3.32 Instructors shall dispose of examinations, reports, and other graded work no later than the day after the last day of the semester (excluding summer session) after the semester during which the student was enrolled provided that no grievance has been filed with the Student Grievance Committee.

3.33 Examinations, reports, and course papers shall be returned to the students in accord with each student’s right to confidentiality, which, however, shall not apply to dissertations or comprehensive examinations at the master’s or doctoral level.

 

 

TA Portfolio Information

For your end of year portfolio, please hand in the following:

 

1. Copies of three student papers (from one assignment, not 3 different assignments) representing a range of grades (A, B, C). The papers should include your comments. If you responded digitally, please provide a printout.

 

2. Copies of any handouts/worksheets/teaching resources you created/adapted that you think worked well.

 

3. Reflection on your experience teaching. This can include discussion of course goals, assignments, criteria, or elements of the course you feel you delivered well/less well (either 

because they are not clearly described or because of other challenges.) 

 

4. Reflection/suggestions for improving the course, ITC, support for new TAs, etc.

 

NOTE: Parts 3 and 4 are fairly open. You can focus on the elements of each question you are most interested in talking about. You don't need to cover every part of each question. We expect questions 3 and 4 will take roughly 3-4 double spaced pages. But there is no upper limit and if you find yourself writing more we're keen to hear what you have  to say.

 

Please hand this in to my mail box by the end of exam week.

 

 

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