Teaching Philosophy
My pedagogy values student voices while simultaneously working to impart ways in which history shapes us through lectures, readings, writings, discussions, and video. Students in my classes are encouraged to draw from their own experiences and make connections to writing which in turn help them to think in a more focused and engaged way. As a teacher, I am interested in helping to cultivate a student’s ability to heighten their historical, political, and racial consciousness.
Courses
TEACHING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
Undergraduate - 100/300 Level Courses
Introduction to Professional Writing (Spring 2016, Fall 2018, and Spring 2019) - In this course, students learn about what professional writers do on the job, and begin learning some of the core communication tools/proficiencies needed to be successful in your career path. The course balances core theories that drive and shape the discipline with hands-on practice and exercises.
Studies in Diversity: Formation -African American Women Writers (New Course) (Fall 2017) We explored African American women’s writing through fiction, non-fiction, drama, poetry, and song. We experienced the powerful works of Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Ntozake Shange. We also connected their texts with the artistry of Beyonce, Nina Simone, and Lauryn Hill as they all depict and interpret social, political, and cultural realities.
Rhetorics of Diversity: Toward Social Consciousness (New Course) (Spring 2017) In this course, we examined the rhetorical strategies that activists, companies, and laypeople use to advocate and to implement socially conscious practices. We looked to people like Colin Kaepernick, Amy Schumer, Ava Duvernay, and Stephen Colbert and companies like AT&T, Nike, and our on UD to think more critically about language and policy. Our readings not only introduced some foundational material about ethics and the function of diversity in workplaces, we also covered rhetorical theory.
Honors - Critical Reading and Writing – Race and Rhetoric (Fall 2016) This course is designed to develop students’ academic writing, critical thinking, rhetorical strategies, and library skills. In addition, students will learn about race studies and think more critically about diversity in the workplace.
Seminar in Composition (Fall 2013-Spring 2014, Fall 2016, and Fall 2017) This course is designed to develop students’ academic writing, critical thinking, rhetorical strategies, and library skills.
Undergraduate - 400/600 Level Courses
Internships in Writing Studies (Fall 2018- Spring 2019) This is a professional writing capstone where students work outside the classroom with a company or an organization to gain practical experience related to their English degree.
Rhetoric, Race, and Culture in Professional Contexts (Technical Writing) (New Course) (Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, and Spring 2019) In this course, students learn about race studies (or the study of systemic issues), rhetorical theory, and culture (visual, oral, and written). By the end of the semester, students will consider the function of diversity in professional spaces and will become more familiar with workplace structures/policies.
Grant Writing (New Course) (Spring 2018) - In this class, students learn the basics of grant writing including how to analyze funding opportunities, respond to a request for proposal, write the different sections of a grant proposal, construct the overall argument for the grant and persuade readers to fund ideas, and use effective document design to ensure that readers can follow main ideas. Students work in small groups for a non-profit client, write a major proposal, and give a final presentation. During the second half of the semester, students meet with their client as needed outside of class as well as conduct research and work independently with their group under the supervision of the professor.
Technical Writing for Non-Native Speakers of English (Fall 2018)
This course is a professional writing course in which students learn the rhetorical principles, strategies, and writing practices necessary for producing effective technical documents.
Technical Writing (Fall 2013 – Spring 2016, Summer 2016 (Online), Spring 2017, Summer 2017(Online) Spring 2018, Summer 2018 (Online)
This course is a professional writing course in which students learn the rhetorical principles, strategies, and writing practices necessary for producing effective technical documents.
Written Communication in Business (Spring 2015)
By examining the conventions of communication in workplace and organizational settings, students learn to analyze audience, purpose, and context in producing the following documents: job application materials, workplace correspondence, proposals, and reports.
Rhetoric of the Professions (Fall 2014)
This course applies rhetorical theory and research to writing produced within professional contexts. Students gain perspective on classical rhetorical theory as well as contemporary approaches, including but not limited to activity theory, visual rhetoric, discourse analysis, usability research, and electronic communication.
Graduate
Beyond Sight- Race and Rhetoric in Contemporary Times (New Course) (Spring 2017)
This course combined approaches to rhetorical theory, critical race theory, visual culture, and new media technologies to explore relationships between words and images for the Masters in Liberal Arts Program. We looked to images, magazine covers, pages and screens other people have designed, and figured out why (or why not) they succeed in doing what they set out to do.
TEACHING AT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
Undergraduate – 100/400 Level Courses
Introduction to Writing, Online (Fall 2012)
This class is designed to develop students’ academic writing, critical thinking, rhetorical strategies, and library skills in an online setting.
History of Rhetoric (Spring 2012)
This course is designed for advanced undergraduates and graduate students and it provides an overview of the history of rhetoric, from ancient to contemporary times. The course is offered to one Ph.D. candidate near the end of his or her program each year.
Technical and Professional Writing (Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Summer 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012)
This class is a professional writing course in which students learn the rhetorical principles and writing practices necessary for producing effective letters, memos, reports, job application materials, and collaborative projects.
Technical and Professional Writing for Second Language Learners (Summer 2011)
This class is a professional writing course for L2 learners in which students learn the rhetorical principles and writing practices necessary for producing effective letters, memos, reports, job application materials, and collaborative projects.
Introduction to Writing for Second Language Learners (Summer 2012, Fall 2010)
This class is designed to develop L2 learners’ academic writing, critical thinking, rhetorical strategies, and library skills.
Introduction to Writing (Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009)
This class is designed to develop students’ academic writing, critical thinking, rhetorical strategies, and library skills.
TEACHING ASSISTANT - WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
Introduction to English Studies (Fall 2011)
This class is a team-taught lecture course where new and prospective English majors are introduced to the different English majors—creative writing, literature, and rhetoric & professional writing. Two teaching assistants served as facilitators for this course and run two tutorials peer week to reiterate lectures.
FACILITATOR -- SMALL GROUP TUTORIALS - WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
University College Tutorial 302 (Fall 2012)
This one-credit writing tutorial is designed to provide writing support for students enrolled in any upper-division writing-intensive course.
Grammar Tutorial, 202 (Fall 2012)
This one-credit writing tutorial focuses specifically on the grammatical conventions.
Freshman Tutorial, 102 (Fall 2012, Fall 2007)
This one-credit writing tutorial helps students work on strategies to meet the challenges of academic writing required in English 101.
Undergraduate - 100/300 Level Courses
Introduction to Professional Writing (Spring 2016, Fall 2018, and Spring 2019) - In this course, students learn about what professional writers do on the job, and begin learning some of the core communication tools/proficiencies needed to be successful in your career path. The course balances core theories that drive and shape the discipline with hands-on practice and exercises.
Studies in Diversity: Formation -African American Women Writers (New Course) (Fall 2017) We explored African American women’s writing through fiction, non-fiction, drama, poetry, and song. We experienced the powerful works of Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Ntozake Shange. We also connected their texts with the artistry of Beyonce, Nina Simone, and Lauryn Hill as they all depict and interpret social, political, and cultural realities.
Rhetorics of Diversity: Toward Social Consciousness (New Course) (Spring 2017) In this course, we examined the rhetorical strategies that activists, companies, and laypeople use to advocate and to implement socially conscious practices. We looked to people like Colin Kaepernick, Amy Schumer, Ava Duvernay, and Stephen Colbert and companies like AT&T, Nike, and our on UD to think more critically about language and policy. Our readings not only introduced some foundational material about ethics and the function of diversity in workplaces, we also covered rhetorical theory.
Honors - Critical Reading and Writing – Race and Rhetoric (Fall 2016) This course is designed to develop students’ academic writing, critical thinking, rhetorical strategies, and library skills. In addition, students will learn about race studies and think more critically about diversity in the workplace.
Seminar in Composition (Fall 2013-Spring 2014, Fall 2016, and Fall 2017) This course is designed to develop students’ academic writing, critical thinking, rhetorical strategies, and library skills.
Undergraduate - 400/600 Level Courses
Internships in Writing Studies (Fall 2018- Spring 2019) This is a professional writing capstone where students work outside the classroom with a company or an organization to gain practical experience related to their English degree.
Rhetoric, Race, and Culture in Professional Contexts (Technical Writing) (New Course) (Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, and Spring 2019) In this course, students learn about race studies (or the study of systemic issues), rhetorical theory, and culture (visual, oral, and written). By the end of the semester, students will consider the function of diversity in professional spaces and will become more familiar with workplace structures/policies.
Grant Writing (New Course) (Spring 2018) - In this class, students learn the basics of grant writing including how to analyze funding opportunities, respond to a request for proposal, write the different sections of a grant proposal, construct the overall argument for the grant and persuade readers to fund ideas, and use effective document design to ensure that readers can follow main ideas. Students work in small groups for a non-profit client, write a major proposal, and give a final presentation. During the second half of the semester, students meet with their client as needed outside of class as well as conduct research and work independently with their group under the supervision of the professor.
Technical Writing for Non-Native Speakers of English (Fall 2018)
This course is a professional writing course in which students learn the rhetorical principles, strategies, and writing practices necessary for producing effective technical documents.
Technical Writing (Fall 2013 – Spring 2016, Summer 2016 (Online), Spring 2017, Summer 2017(Online) Spring 2018, Summer 2018 (Online)
This course is a professional writing course in which students learn the rhetorical principles, strategies, and writing practices necessary for producing effective technical documents.
Written Communication in Business (Spring 2015)
By examining the conventions of communication in workplace and organizational settings, students learn to analyze audience, purpose, and context in producing the following documents: job application materials, workplace correspondence, proposals, and reports.
Rhetoric of the Professions (Fall 2014)
This course applies rhetorical theory and research to writing produced within professional contexts. Students gain perspective on classical rhetorical theory as well as contemporary approaches, including but not limited to activity theory, visual rhetoric, discourse analysis, usability research, and electronic communication.
Graduate
Beyond Sight- Race and Rhetoric in Contemporary Times (New Course) (Spring 2017)
This course combined approaches to rhetorical theory, critical race theory, visual culture, and new media technologies to explore relationships between words and images for the Masters in Liberal Arts Program. We looked to images, magazine covers, pages and screens other people have designed, and figured out why (or why not) they succeed in doing what they set out to do.
TEACHING AT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
Undergraduate – 100/400 Level Courses
Introduction to Writing, Online (Fall 2012)
This class is designed to develop students’ academic writing, critical thinking, rhetorical strategies, and library skills in an online setting.
History of Rhetoric (Spring 2012)
This course is designed for advanced undergraduates and graduate students and it provides an overview of the history of rhetoric, from ancient to contemporary times. The course is offered to one Ph.D. candidate near the end of his or her program each year.
Technical and Professional Writing (Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Summer 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012)
This class is a professional writing course in which students learn the rhetorical principles and writing practices necessary for producing effective letters, memos, reports, job application materials, and collaborative projects.
Technical and Professional Writing for Second Language Learners (Summer 2011)
This class is a professional writing course for L2 learners in which students learn the rhetorical principles and writing practices necessary for producing effective letters, memos, reports, job application materials, and collaborative projects.
Introduction to Writing for Second Language Learners (Summer 2012, Fall 2010)
This class is designed to develop L2 learners’ academic writing, critical thinking, rhetorical strategies, and library skills.
Introduction to Writing (Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009)
This class is designed to develop students’ academic writing, critical thinking, rhetorical strategies, and library skills.
TEACHING ASSISTANT - WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
Introduction to English Studies (Fall 2011)
This class is a team-taught lecture course where new and prospective English majors are introduced to the different English majors—creative writing, literature, and rhetoric & professional writing. Two teaching assistants served as facilitators for this course and run two tutorials peer week to reiterate lectures.
FACILITATOR -- SMALL GROUP TUTORIALS - WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
University College Tutorial 302 (Fall 2012)
This one-credit writing tutorial is designed to provide writing support for students enrolled in any upper-division writing-intensive course.
Grammar Tutorial, 202 (Fall 2012)
This one-credit writing tutorial focuses specifically on the grammatical conventions.
Freshman Tutorial, 102 (Fall 2012, Fall 2007)
This one-credit writing tutorial helps students work on strategies to meet the challenges of academic writing required in English 101.
Student Comments about Teaching
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