My Philosophy...
I understand teaching as a goal central to the study of rhetoric and composition and prioritize the following in my practice:
Process Over Product
To write is to critically engage with ideas—a difficult task for students in introductory composition. As such, I ensure students are given the flexibility to practice and experiment with their writing. By assisting students throughout the writing process, starting in the early stages of idea development (invention), we can work together to develop an enduring practice for the process of writing, rather than merely polishing the product.
Genre Awareness
Writing is adaptable: it changes to meet the needs of its readers. By giving insight into how different genres are constructed and their reasons for incorporating specific features, I believe students will be better prepared to engage diverse writing endeavors.
Writing Across Contexts
Writing lives in business proposals, in community newsletters, LinkedIn profiles, news, speeches, data dashboards, literature, and beyond. As a required course for students in all majors, composition should make explicit connections between assignments and writing required in future classes and workplaces.
Read my full teaching statement below.