New and Improved Teaching Philosophy

Teaching Philosophy as Directed to 1301 Students

“Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding other that they know it as well as you do. We are all learners, doers, and teachers.” ---Richard David Bach

Gone are the days when students come to class, sit down at a desk with pen and notebook in hand, and render themselves silent vessels to be filled by the omniscient fluid knowledge of the instructor, at least in my class. I expect to learn as much from you, my student, as you expect to learn from me throughout this course. You will be expected to contribute to the learning environment and be engaged in the discussion or activity at hand. In turn, as your teacher, I intend to listen and observe as well as guide you on the path to becoming better writers.

My goal is to inspire your quest for knowledge, specifically that which pertains to writing. English 1301 is a freshman-level required course. By the end of the semester, you should have the skills to perform basic writing endeavors such as summarizing, paraphrasing, drafting, and proofreading. You will be able to conduct thorough research and analyze that material for incorporation into an explanatory synthesis, the final paper of the term. (see syllabus attachment)

And then what?

It seems the failure of many students and instructors, perhaps especially instructors, is the inability to see beyond the course. It is my goal that this class does not end with the last class meeting or even with the final draft. This class should continue to foster inspiration, encouragement, and knowledge throughout your life as a writer, which is who you have become since the moment you entered the classroom and committed yourself to this transformational process.

Regardless of whether you are writing an academic paper or a creative piece, writing is about expressing the self. This obviously requires introspection, and some (dare I say “all?”) of you will further develop your identity through writing as a transforming process. Less obviously, expressivity allows individuals to discover the ways in which they can relate to one another. (see PowerPoint presentation of “Expressive Writing” in attachment)

This two-fold concept of expressive writing is reflected in the teaching strategies that will be employed in this course. I will require you to keep a daily journal. This is the time for self-reflection. I will not be grading the grammatical construction of these journal entries. I want your mind to be free and the pen to follow. Also, I will occasionally divide you into groups to discuss various assignments. This is your opportunity for collaboration and identification with your peers. These group activities will be highly sequenced to increase quality and productivity. (see group activity attachment)

In addition to expressivism, dialogue is an important part of this course and all learning. As such, I encourage you to contact me during office hours or via email with any questions, concerns, or comments about the course or writing in general.

Just as I have established the course objectives and some of the strategies used to achieve those objectives, I want you to think about your aspirations for the class and the ways in which you plan to accomplish those goals. Let the reciprocal relationship begin.