Teaching Philosophy
Throughout my four years as Special Lecturer, I have had the opportunity to teach WRT 150 & 160—both freshmen writing courses. I take my role very seriously, and consider my students a top priority. Freshmen are unique and produce a variety of instructional challenges; therefore, it is always my goal to ensure that my students feel comfortable and confident in my classroom. This is achieved beginning day one—by creating a sense of community in the classroom. Facilitating class-wide and small group discussions allow my students to find their academic voice and become active participants in their learning. In addition, students are assigned peer review groups that they work with throughout the semester, giving them the chance to fine-tune their constructive feedback and to foster trust within the groups. In my experience, a student’s level of comfort directly correlates with their academic achievement and willingness to learn new information. In order to feel comfortable enough to ask questions, and to seek out assistance when needed, students must be able to trust in the classroom community.
My classroom communities are created with a balanced, instructional approach. I never liked sitting through hour-long lectures in college, and I don’t expect my students to enjoy that format, either. I recognize that WRT 150 & 160 are both required courses, and not everyone is a “born writer.” I appreciate the need to keep my students engaged with relevant information and an energetic classroom environment. During in-class meetings, students can expect to discuss readings, engage in mini-lectures, work in groups, workshop/write, or work on analytical or research-related activities. Assigned readings and discussion topics are chosen to appeal to my audience of students, maintain interest and generate motivation for students to participate in discussions and group work. For example, groups completing an in-class, rhetorical analysis may look at several advertisements for familiar brands (iPhone, Abercrombie & Fitch, Gatorade, etc.), and examine the audience, publication and appeals of each.
In addition to creating a comfortable community of writers, I also seek to engage students in ongoing reflection. One thing I have noticed during my years teaching is that students often come to college without the ability to think critically. Typically, they are taught to memorize facts and take tests—to make the grade so they can get into college. Reflection is a key part of my classes. Both personal and academic reflection are necessary components for student success and retention. Students must be able to understand why they make certain choices, and what works well for them in terms of their unique learning style(s). My students engage in reflective writing throughout the semester to take inventory for successes and areas for improvement.
Critical thinking can also be encouraged through a variety of other student work. The essays and assignments my students submit are accomplished through a process-driven approach. For each major assignment, students are asked to submit a proposal for their work—allowing them to take ownership of their topic and approach. I firmly believe that successful writing begins with a curiosity or interest in a topic. Students work though the writing process by subsequently using a variety of prewriting strategies, drafting, peer reviewing, and revising until the work is polished and ready to submit for a final grade.
In addition to engaging in traditional writing process activities, my students have the opportunity to conference with me one-on-one to address specific concerns or challenges they are facing with major assignments. This focused assistance allows students to take a critical look at their work in a comfortable and confidential setting. Conferences are a wonderful opportunity to enhance student productivity and engagement. In past class evaluations, and online surveys I’ve conducted, students have cited this experience as one of the most helpful offered during the semester. I typically try to engage in one-on-one conferencing a minimum of twice each semester.
The assignments and essays my students write are meant to offer them a chance to engage with a variety of contexts, purposes and audiences. I assign everything from traditional, research-based writing assignments and analyses, to multimedia projects and collaborative wiki essays—allowing exposure to a wide variety of rhetorical practices. The specific learning objectives for each assignment vary, but the goal is always the same: enhance critical thinking and communication skills. I seek to provide students with the confidence and ability to trust their own intelligence and voice, and to take what they have learned in my courses and apply it later in their other courses at Oakland University, and beyond in their future careers.
As previously mentioned, my commitment to Oakland University and the Department of Writing and Rhetoric is undeniable. In addition to my distinctive classroom practices and devotion to my students, I also seek to continue my own professional and intellectual development, so I may continue to improve both as an educator and learner. In the past, I have worked on several special projects and events to contribute to the campus community and enhance the ways I serve OU students.
Shortly after beginning my position as Special Lecturer, I sought out Linda Sisson, director of Disability Support Services, to begin a collaborative effort on how WRT instructors may better serve students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Writing is one of the more challenging courses for some of these students, and I wanted to provide some resources to make it a little more approachable and tangible for them. In addition, collaboration and giving/receiving feedback can also be difficult. My chapter on peer review in the first edition of our GrizzWrites handbook was my response. Producing resources for ASD students can be challenging, due to privacy and diagnostic restrictions. As a result, “Constructing a Solid Piece of Writing: Peer Review and Collaboration” was written, using a simple metaphor to explain the writing process, and plain language with many examples and prompts to ensure both constructive and respectful feedback on peers’ essays. Although my original intent was to serve the ASD students on campus, this chapter has proven to be extremely useful for all first-year writing students, being cited as one of the most frequently used chapters by WRT instructors.
In addition to my desire to assist the underserved populations at OU, I also seek to foster a sense of creativity and community on campus. As facilitator of the Fall and Spring Writing Marathons, I am able to bring together a variety of participants—from WRT freshmen—to faculty, staff and even alumni. This event has grown substantially since its inception in 2011, now seeing more than 50 attendees at each Marathon. Students engage with faculty and peers to explore the campus and write creatively, in a non-pressured environment. It never ceases to amaze me the positive feedback I get from this event. Students continue to have positive experiences—both exploring previously unfamiliar areas of campus (like the art gallery, the lower fields, and even Meadowbrook Hall)—and finding within themselves, a love of writing and personal reflection they may have previously lost.
Although I have a deep passion for the two aforementioned activities, I also realize the importance of concrete professional development regarding instructional practices. Since 2010, I have attended several non-required trainings on Elluminate, Moodle and classroom management. In 2011, I participated in the Summer Institute hosted by the Meadowbrook Writing Project: a four-week, graduate-level course focusing on teaching practices, personal reflection and various forms of writing. Currently, I am in the process of applying for a PhD in Educational Leadership here at OU. I am also enrolled in the Quality Online Teaching Certification Course, which will begin March 2015.