Department of EnglishFirst-Year Writing

Frequently Asked Questions for GPTIs and TAs

How many classes do I need to teach each semester as a GPTI or TA?
GPTIs in First-Year Writing (FYW) teach two sections of ENGL 1301 or 1302, amounting to 20 hours of work per week. Teaching one section of ENGL 1301 or 1302 counts as 0.25 full-time equivalent and constitutes approximately 10 hours of work per week.

How many hours of office hours do I need to hold?
All teachers must hold 3 office hours per week in their assigned English department offices that are regularly scheduled and posted on their syllabus and in RaiderCanvas.

How does the program support novice teachers? I have limited/no teaching experience.
The program will prepare new GPTIs and TAs for teaching through new teacher orientation, a mandatory graduate teaching-focused methods course, and mentorship during the first year. The First-Year Writing Program also has a common syllabus, assignment sequence, and textbooks.

In early August, you will attend a one-week semester orientation for new GPTIs and TAs. This extensive orientation will be your initial preparation for teaching in the Fall, introducing you to FYW philosophy, curriculum, pedagogy, and other important information. All teachers in the program are also required to attend a one-day semester orientation in early January.

GPTIs and TAs in FYW are required to take 1 credit of ENGL 5067 (a graduate teaching-focused methods course) concurrently with each of their first three semesters teaching in FYW.

Mentors and administrators in the FYW Program are here to provide you with support and guidance. We encourage you to contact your mentor or a program administrator as soon as problems arise or develop so that we can help you be a success.

What kind of mentorship can I receive as a new GPTI or TA?
For first-year MA students in English or Technical Communication and first-year MFA students in Creative Writing, you will teach discussion sections linked to a large-lecture section led by an experienced Instructor of Record of First-Year Writing. The lead instructor will be your mentor working closely with you. They will hold weekly meetings with mentees, have mentees observe each other, observe each mentee's teaching, provide feedback, promote graduate instructor's growth and professional development, and support assistant new teachers into becoming independent Instructors of Record.

For first-year PhD students in the fall, you will teach two sections of ENGL 1301 independently. You will be assigned a peer mentor who is a senior PhD student with successful teaching experience in the FYW Program. In your first year as a GPTI, your peer mentor will provide support, help solve problems, address concerns, and answer questions. They will hold bi-weekly meetings with their mentee team, organize observations, and provide feedback on responding to and grading students' writing.

What is the MA Initiative Program?
Our MA Initiative offers an unmatched opportunity to teach full-time at Texas Tech for one year beyond completion of a master's degree in the Department of English. Instructors in the program teach a 4/4 load in the First-Year Writing Program, enabling them to continue teaching and pursue research opportunities in their fields of study. This salaried instructorship provides additional support for graduates to plan entry into doctoral programs, or to pursue industry professions, with guidance for preparing academic applications and job market materials. Continued engagement as seasoned instructors in the First-Year Writing Program allows instructors to both strengthen their professional profiles and build upon the skills they have already learned as teachers.