As a Teacher

Before I came to NC State in 2008, I taught public speaking and first-year composition courses at Iowa State. That university was in a radically different climate, both meteorologically and academically. Coming to Raleigh took some serious adjustment as I went from the cold and an argument-based curriculum to a never-snowing, writing across the curriculum (WAC) approach. Both take a lot of getting used to, but I was most worried about getting a colder response from my students; I had no experience with WAC--no selected readings, no assignment prompts, no sense of orientation--so I was understandably unsure of how the semester would turn out.

I quickly learned that my uncertainty was tied most clearly to a lack of lessons, activities, and assignments; in short, I had no materials and little sense of semester logistics. After my first two sections picked up their natural pace, I caught myself scrambling to pull together ad hoc readings to support my major projects while at the same time enjoying highly engaging and productive class time. I found my students to be interesting and I found a way to get my students interested in the materials (except for the Natural Sciences unit--honestly, I've never seen such disinterest in my teaching career!). I'd characterize the first six weeks of the first semester here like a theater production: while chaos reigns backstage and assistants scatter to find the right prop for the right scene, the audience remains unaware, seeing only what appears to be a highly orchestrated and seamless production.

I've wrestled with this backstage/frontstage teaching dichotomy before. My first semester may have marked my first time with a WAC approach, but it was by no means my first or only rodeo with the unknown; I've taught five different classes in seven semesters. By now, I'm quite familiar with the unfamiliar, and I think this experience has served me well during my adjustment. By remaining flexible, adaptive, and responsive to the individual needs of my students, I discovered what aspects of my existing teaching philosophy could transcend classes, curricula, and colleges.

Teaching Experience


NC State

English 331: Writing for Engineering and Technology (F 2010 online)

"Written communication in industrial and technical organizations, emphasizing internal communication with managers and technical personnel and including external communication with regulators, vendors, and clients. Intensive practice in writing; relationship of writing to oral and visual communication. For students in engineering and other primarily technological curricula."

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English 101: Academic Writing and Research (F 2011, F 2010, S 2009, F 2008)

"Intensive instruction in academic writing and research. Basic principles of rhetoric and strategies for academic inquiry and argument. Instruction and practice in critical reading, including the generative and responsible use of print and electronic sources for academic research. Exploration of literate practices across a range of academic domains, laying the foundation for further writing development in college. Continued attention to grammar and conventions of standard written English. Most sections meet in computer classrooms. Successful completion of ENG 101 requires a grade of C- or better. This course satisfies the First-Year composition and rhetoric component of the General Education Requirements in Writing and Speaking."

--- NCSU Department of English


English 216: Technologies for Texts (F 2009)

"Among the many effects of computer technology are dramatic changes in the ways we produce and disseminate written texts. These changes affect everyday uses of writing—in the classroom and the workplace, in entertainment and commerce—as well as the professions that focus on written language, such as journalism, technical writing, and other areas of publishing and the media. New technologies affect the ways we read and permit new ways of manipulating and linking the written word.

This course has both discussion and lab components. In the discussion component, we will study the history of technologies for text—from the Babylonian clay tablet to the medieval manuscript to the printing press—in order to understand how computer technology is different from these older technologies and how it creates continuities with them. In the labs, we will learn how computers can be used for creating, designing, analyzing, and disseminating texts, both on desktops and on the Internet. Weekly exercises will introduce a variety of software for creating traditional print texts and web texts, as well as for manipulating texts for a variety of purposes, including linking, searching, collaborating, evaluating, revising, publishing, and negotiating the social nature of Web 2.0.

The final grade comprises weekly lab exercises, three tests from the discussion and reading material, and occasional reading responses. No prior computer knowledge is required except for basic email and word processing, but because you should plan to learn a few new software applications, you should also plan to ask any questions that arise from these programs along the way. Silent confusion will not be a part of this class, but active learning will."

--- Course sampler (self-authored)


Iowa State

English 250: Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Communication (S 2008)

"In-depth analysis, composition, and reflection on written, oral, visual, and electronic (WOVE) discourse within academic, civic, and cultural contexts. Emphasis on argumentation: developing claims, generating reasons, providing evidence. Individual sections organized by special topics. Development of student portfolio.

The goal of English 250 is for you to develop skills in written, oral, visual, and electronic communication. As a result, you should become not only a more perceptive consumer of information, but also a communicator better able to make effective decisions in your own work. Throughout the course, you'll learn to summarize, analyze, and evaluate various types of communication and then use those skills in four kinds of assignments: summaries, rhetorical analyses, argumentative and persuasive texts, and documented research. Individual instructors incorporate both the course goals and specific types of writing assignments listed below into the syllabi they design."

--- ISU English Department


English 150: Critical Thinking and Communication (F 2007)

"Application of critical reading and thinking abilities to topics of civic and cultural importance. Introduction of basic oral, visual, and electronic communication principles to support writing development. Initiation of communication portfolio.

The purpose of English 150 is to begin preparing you for your academic courses, as well as providing you with communication skills for your future career. While most of the course will be devoted to writing, you will also work in small groups, interview others, analyze and create visual communication, and learn how to compose professional email correspondence. Instructors design their courses to address the following goals in a variety of ways."

--- ISU English Department


Speech Communication 212: Introduction to Public Speaking (Su 2007, S 2007, F 2006)

"Theory and practice of basic speech communication principles applied to public speaking. Practice in the preparation and delivery of extemporaneous speeches."

--- ISU SpCm Program