Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Department

English Language and Literatures

First Advisor

Hannah J. Rule

Abstract

As composition studies turns its attention toward graduate pedagogy, scholars like Macauley and Jankens suggest that teacher-development programs, that is teacher- support courses for graduate students just beginning as university instructors, might be one place to start. Many GTA instructors enrolled in the teacher-development course demonstrate an ironic ambivalence that mirrors that of their First-Year Composition (FYC) students. The following case study style research draws upon the lived experiences of four scholars in English departments across the United States, as well as my own experience from the researcher positionality of a current GTA. Synthesizing these lived experiences is an attempt to address Macauley and Jankens’ need for narrative contributions from GTAs themselves in scholarship about instructor training courses. Mainly, the qualitative data demonstrates GTA anxiety, crucial roles of choice and mentorship, and uncertain aims of the teacher-development course. Examining explicit and implicit aims might allow for further development of the graduate teacher- development course.

Rights

© 2026, Gracie Rose Warda

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