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The Teaching Assistant program, recently awarded a SACS commendation, is designed to prepare a select group of English MA students for future careers in academia while they simultaneously complete individual course work for the MA degree. Through the TA program, students gain theory-based preparation for teaching college writing courses through the teaching practicum course led by Dr. Kerri Jordan, head of the TA program and assistant professor of writing and rhetoric. Furthermore, TAs also gain practical teaching experience in the classroom and in the Writing Center to help them prepare for taking over their own freshman composition classes during the second year of the program.

MORE INFO:

Mentoring Program

For each semester of the first year, TAs work in conjunction with a different professor of merit to gain practical teaching experience in Comp 101 and 102 classes. Mentoring professors assist the TAs in negotiating important classroom issues, such as writing processes, writing assignments, evaluation, classroom dynamics, classroom management, social and ethical concerns related to the classroom and the college, and individual student interaction. Practical experience gained through the mentoring process prepares TAs to be comfortable and confident teachers in the classroom. TAs are not simply thrown into the classroom with little or no preparation but are given continued support and training by their mentoring professors throughout the program.

Practicum

TAs take this course during the first year of study, and it works as an introduction to the theories and major topics associated with teaching and writing pedagogy. The class includes discussion, collaborative activities, reflection, observation, lecture, reading, student presentations, and lots of writing. Much of the class discussion involves actual incidents or questions regarding the mentoring classes. It provides a practical forum for planning and discussing the teaching of first-year writing. The assignments related to this course are designed to be used for independent teaching the second year of the program.

Second-Year Teaching Assignments

Each TA individually teaches both Comp 101 and 102 courses in second-year fall and spring semesters, respectively. Generally, TAs teach three courses per year, usually excluding summer semesters.

Writing Center

The MC Writing Center provides free service to all MC students and is located on the third floor of Jennings Hall with the English Department. TAs and upper-level English majors staff the center and provide one-on-one help with all the steps of the writing process. First-year TAs work four hours a week, and second-year TAs work two hours a week.

TA Financial Awards

Each TA receives a $2,400 stipend per year, plus ½ tuition remission for each semester.

Current TAs: Jill Stubblefield, Laura Keigan, Katie Woods Rogers, Maegan Mitchell, Bethany Jones,Mike Lofton, Holly Magee

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE PROGRAM:

"The TA Program at MC provided me with the vital 'hands-on' training and the one-on-one Professor-to-student mentoring that I needed to build confidence in myself as a college instructor. MC English professors are not only remarkable intellectuals in their fields of literary study, but also they are very accessible and more than willing to accommodate the TAs for any and every need. The professors here never made me feel inferior; instead, they provided a working environment of equality that fostered my intellectualism and eagerness to learn the art of teaching composition and literature."- Mike Lofton

"After an arduous search for a Christian grad school with a strong program in English, I was delighted to discover Mississippi College. I was particularly intrigued by MC's award-winning graduate assistantship, a key feature the other schools I had been considering lacked. Being a TA has been one of my most rewarding experiences at MC. The small class sizes have allowed me to get to know all my students very well. The professors have challenged me to excel as both a TA and a grad student, and my fellow TAs are helpful and encouraging. When I was accepted into MC's graduate assistantship program, I knew I had received an honor and a sterling opportunity to prepare myself for a future career in English. I have not been disappointed. I can say with certainty that I'd rather be a TA at MC than at any other university nationwide." - Jill Stubblefield

"I am inspired and encouraged by the intellectual community that the TA program provides. The graduate English classes have expanded and deepened my interests, and my mentoring professors have helped me realize and develop my own teaching style." - Holly Magee

"The writing center experience puts the impact that I have as a teacher into prospective. Seeing the students struggle with assignments and worry over papers makes the teaching experience much more profound. I realized that the assignments I give aren't just assignments because I was able to see how much they impact the students' lives. My experiences in the writing center remind me of my responsibility to give assignments and activities that foster a fun but challenging learning environment.- Maegan Mitchell

"I earned my undergraduate degree from a large English department at a public university, and when I made the move to MC, I felt unsure about my transition to a smaller department. After nearly two years here, though, I'm continually impressed with the professionalism and scholarly aptitude of the MC English faculty. Because the department is small, I get the individual attention and encouragement that are sometimes lacking in larger programs. This support, both academically and professionally, has been a saving grace this second year as I made the transition from student to student/ instructor. As I begin applying to PhD programs around the country, I have nothing but confidence in the training I've received at MC as a scholar and as an instructor." - Laura Keigan

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions concerning this website or the TA program.

Contacts:

Laura Keigan: keigan@mc.edu

Maegan Mitchell: mmitchel@mc.edu

If you are interested and would like to see more information on the Graduate Program itself, please visit our English Graduate page.