CynthiaR
An interview with Cynthia Reed, by Hilandmum
First a basic question, what does a facilitator do? How much do they bring to the class?
There is a detailed list of things that a facilitator does, or might do, and it’s covered really well in MFA2000, the ‘orientation’ course for facilitators and moderators. When I add it all up and think about it, what the facilitator brings to the class is information, cohesion and a willingness to make sure that everything is posted/provided so that a student successfully completes the class, learns the expected material and receives credit for it. There’s also the side of managing things if something goes wrong--but that is very rare at WVU, in my experience, and it’s covered in the orientation, too.
While it might look like a lot of items, most are based on common sense and the materials and information for creating the posts, tracking
When did you start facilitating classes at WVU? Do you only facilitate MFA classes? Give us an estimate of the number of classes you’ve facilitated.
I facilitated a few classes before the MFA programme began but, mostly, it’s been in conjunction with the MFA courses, so about three years ago. For a few classes, I’ve facilitated multiple times because I love the classes and enjoy re-taking them. I’ve completed sixty-two courses (plus multiples) at WVU, and I estimate I’ve facilitated twenty-five to thirty.
Do you prefer to facilitate Literature or Core classes?
I like both. I never read enough, so facilitating the Literature courses forces me to read things I’ve never got around to, and to enjoy them, share my experience of them, and learn from others who are reading the same work. It’s like a book club without finding a spare evening every month and driving across town. I love the ‘Core’ courses for the depth of knowledge, for the intensity, for the skills I come away with. I’ve taken, facilitated and co-facilitated one or two core classes because I never tire of the material, I always learn from it, and find that the material brings out the writer in me in positive ways.
What have you learned from facilitating? A training class for facilitators is being offered.
Would you recommend that others facilitate classes?
I recommend that everyone give it a try! I’ve just finished the first pass of the Facilitators and Moderators Class, MFA2000. If you’re not sure, why not offer to facilitate a class you just loved but have already finished? That way, you already know what’s what and your confidence will be high. Or offer to co-facilitate a class with someone who’s been at it longer and share the responsibility, with someone to ask questions of.
For me, there is something new to learn each time I take or facilitate a class. I always enjoy ‘meeting’ new students reading different material, and especially seeing different perspectives.
How much time do you generally spend on each class, including preparation time and research? What kinds of things do you search for to add to the class?
Because all the course materials are available for copying, pasting and personalizing, once you know how to do some of the basic things (like making a post a ‘sticky’, which takes seconds) it goes really fast. Time depends on how complex the material is, I suppose. Some classes might take fifteen minutes to post a week’s lesson, and others I might tinker with because there’s something I want to add or personalize.
I am a research hound by nature so I like to find ‘add-ons’ for the basic material. It prepares me for the class, too, so that part of it is selfish. I might look for and post as optional material: biographical information on the author, author photographs, links to videos on the subject, quotes by the author, other short stories by the author or that relate to the craft element we’re studying, photos of the first time a play was produced in 1926, a link to get the video of the novel on Amazon or watch it on YouTube, reviews or interviews from (e.g.) The New Yorker or The Guardian…I like to dive into Google, capture a few things I think might be interesting, and share them.
How do you keep track of which students complete their assignment AND give sufficient feedback? What do you expect the feedback to include?
There is a provided form, in Excel format, for tracking. It verifies someone showed up, did all the lessons and gave the required feedback each week. I usually fill it in with names, etc, and print it--so it’s always folded in my planner and I can’t forget.
Feedback is tracked in the same form. Sometimes I track it as I see it, but mostly I use the system Search function and check for number of feedback posts by
I believe feedback is important, even critical, to the peer-to-peer learning process, for both the reader/critiquer and the author. I like to see, and offer, depending on the post (is it an essay on the topic or is it creative writing?): what works, what the reader likes, doesn’t understand, any suggestions for improvement, comments on, things learned or newly appreciated. It’s good to share any and all craft comments to the degree the person writing the feedback is comfortable and in keeping with the instructions.
You are also a mentor. Similar first question about that, what does a mentor do at WVU?
How much do you keep in touch with the students you’ve mentored?
The mentor’s role is to welcome the student to WVU via an ‘intake’ process--a simple Q&A--and to answer any questions they might have to help them get started. If they want help choosing classes, I offer my ideas based on what they want to focus on.
I offer my email address and (usually it’s Skype) contact information and welcome any follow-up. I usually go and check to see what someone’s signed up for, class-wise, and perhaps drop them a note to see if they need anything else or have any questions. There is a new system coming for doing this with more structure, and I welcome that. Sometimes I get busy with my own work and don’t do as much as I’d like.
For me, every one of these conversations has been special. I love learning about how we are all so different--and yet how, essentially, we’re all just ‘writers’ with the same basic challenges, insecurities, time issues and so on. Beyond that, I’m convinced this intake call must be something other online courses don’t do because, often, I hear something like: “Wow, thanks, I never thought when I signed up I’d get to actually speak to someone!”
It’s a really good feeling, all of it, from the intake call to a bunch of people finishing a class successfully and going off to write with new skills and ideas.
Cynthia Reed
