Teaching Beyond the Gates: A Practicum o

The Writing Program has in place several programs that involve more than 70 students a term going beyond the Columbia gates to teach writing in community groups and schools. These programs include Columbia Artist/Teachers (CA/T), Our Word, The Incarcerated Artists Project (IAP), The Incarcerated Writers Initiative (IWI), as well as public programs on and off campus (including Lenfest) that are produced collaboratively.

The diverse array of partner organizations (see attached)—curated to provide a multiplicity of teaching experiences as well as service to the community—require various modalities of pedagogy and administration. About  14 students (see attached) are in leadership positions, with dual responsibilities of working with the partner programs in structuring and troubleshooting programs while also supervising the MFA participants and providing pedagogical guidance. In effect, these leaders are acting as arts administrators, an experience that may be useful for them in pursuing post-MFA employment.

The Writing Program’s Director of Community Outreach oversees these programs and student leaders on an ad hoc basis. The purpose of this no-credit, no-tuition course is to formalize faculty supervision and support for the Writing Program’s outreach component.

The shape of this course will be mutable, tailored to the ongoing needs of the students, their partner organizations, and the Writing Program. Contact hours will comprise in-person meetings as well as emails and phone calls, focusing on: setting up and running programs and events, working collaboratively, implementing pedagogy, and troubleshooting.

Student leaders will meet as a group with the instructor three times a term.

Individuals leaders will meet with the instructor an additional minimum of twice a term.

The CA/T Director and the instructor will meet about eight times a term.