My Teaching Philosophy

I’ve had the pleasure of teaching in the classroom as well as the internet classroom; and both experiences have influenced my style of teaching today. In my composition classes, my aim is to choose real world materials and topics in conjunction with rhetoric, grammar, and logic to provide a modern, comprehensive trivium in which students develop critical thinking and writing skills. In my world literature and Shakespeare courses, my hope is to combine the required reading with my students’ interests by making the material relevant to their lives. My classes are interesting. My style is engaging. My students are my most important consideration.

I’ve always enjoyed scholarly inquiry and writing, but it would not be an exaggeration to say that teaching is my true passion. My philosophy might be best summed up in one word: Adaptability. I find out what my students read, what they don’t, what they like, and what they won’t. I learn where they’re from and what languages they speak. I encourage them to read newspapers not only for the editorials that might get their argumentative urges pulsing, but also to bring earlier literatures into modern events and perspectives. I use technology and the internet to my students’ advantage, not only connecting with them in a world they feel comfortable, but also to allow them to connect what they learn to the world around them.