Teaching Philosophy

              My goal as a teacher is to promote my students’ growth not only as writers, but as human beings. I view my students as more than their future vocations and instead as the future friends, family members, and advocates they will become in their diverse communities. Writing education has the transformative power to shape student thinking and beliefs as they encounter the writing of others and consider rhetorical effectiveness. Rather than teaching my students how to rigidly apply rhetorical appeals and principles, I want my students to become rhetorical (Fleming). This rhetorical consciousness prepares them to be successful communicators both in the university setting and in their communities and homes.

             I emphasize the understanding of rhetoric as a vital aspect of effective communication. Students learn to analyze and discuss the purpose, context, and audience of every communication situation and adapt their voice to meet the needs of the rhetorical situation. I encourage students to evaluate a variety of communication genres for their rhetorical effectiveness including speeches, works of literature, advertisements, social media posts, and even coffee mugs. I want students to understand that rhetorical choices, even unconscious ones, pervade our everyday lives.

             Writing is thinking. By engaging students in the activity of writing, I am simultaneously encouraging them to consider new ways of thinking. Thinking creates more well-rounded people and gives students a desire to express their own opinions and perspectives rather than to impress their teachers. Their individual thoughts will develop their sense of purpose and empower students to become advocates for their communities. I want my students to constantly keep community writing in mind, even as they approach more theoretical discussions of the composing process. My students often consider applications to their own discourse communities during their writing projects.

             My human-forming pedagogy begins with common places that encourage students to see the value in writing beyond pragmatic, often economic purposes. Students learn that writing is powerful within their communities and homes. I design my pedagogy around threshold concepts which challenge students to question their misconceptions about writing and expand their understanding of its relevance beyond pragmatic reasons. I believe in the accessibility of writing education, which should do the following: (1) recognize writing as a life-long learning trade, (2) reject intellectual elitism and serve the whole of the community, and (3) individualize writing approaches for language learners or those with disabilities. Writing should build community rather than isolate students and equip students for lives of advocacy and creativity. I understand that I am also a life-long learner and have an equal opportunity for growth and development alongside my students. As a writer myself, I model writing and practice writing alongside my students by completing activities and projects alongside them. My classroom functions as a writing workshop, in which we participate in generative peer review processes and embody writing routines. Hopefully, these classroom experiences will cultivate rhetorical consciousness within my students and inspire them to transfer their writing knowledge into all other spheres of their lives. In this way, I hope to help them grow as a whole person and not just as a writer.