teaching philosophy
As an academic, I believe it is important to continue honing my craft in research, administration, teaching, and service. Thus, I actively seek synergies among these different aspects of my professional life that blend my interdisciplinary knowledge with my personal values. My teaching philosophy is one extension of such synergies.
Students have an amazing ability to rise to even the highest level of expectation, and they are keenly intuitive about what that level is. I expect a great deal from my students and help them to meet my expectations by scaffolding classroom activities, discussions, and writing based on the rich knowledge and experiences they bring to the classroom.
I value what students have to offer and show them how to build upon that knowledge and experience, which often manifests through multiliteracies — different styles, genres, and modes of communication informed by honoring our differences and allowing creative expression. This level of engagement helps foster critical thinking by which I mean reflection, analysis, synthesis, and application of knowledge acquired from a variety of senses and sources.
Critical thinking is both depth and breadth, and it helps students recognize how adaptable rhetorical strategies and tactics are across modes, genres, and technologies in today's semiotic and digital landscape. Adaptable rhetorical strategies and tactics play out in my teaching through the emphasis on writing as a method of learning, not just an end product.
All of this takes place in a collaborative environment — not one in which students run the class, but in which we co-construct knowledge through carefully designed activities, processes, discussions, and writing practices. This is also reflected in the emphasis placed on peer reviews and group activities in the classroom, and the value I place on collaboration is reinforced through my syllabus and grading system.
