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EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts - 2000
English and Computer Applications
University
of Notre Dame
Master of Arts - 2004
English Literature
Eastern Michigan University
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
My goal is not to turn students into literature majors, but rather to
demonstrate how reading and writing skills are empowering and essential for
success no matter what their endeavors may be. I stress that these skills will not only
prepare them to be better students, but also to be more critical thinkers
and socially aware citizens. In this
spirit of intellectual diversity, I like to incorporate into my classes material from a wide range of disciplines and
subjects including philosophy, ethics, psychology, government, and pop
culture.
I firmly believe in the importance of employing different kinds of
activities to engage students and reinforce course material through
multiple channels. Whenever
possible, I try to incorporate visual materials, hands-on activities, and
group work, and I like to use Socratic discussion to allow students to
grapple with their thoughts on course texts. I also like to draw upon varied teaching
strategies to maintain student interest and enthusiasm. I make it a point to keep lectures brief,
preferring several shorter assignments to one protracted activity, and I
find that the use of humor, personal anecdotes, and examples taken from
current events helps students connect to the course material.
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PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
I worked as a graduate instructor at Eastern
Michigan University,
where I taught composition courses, assisted students in the Literature Center, and served as the Editorial
Assistant of the English department's academic publication, JNT: Journal
of Narrative Theory.
I first joined Henry Ford as an adjunct in the fall of 2003 and was
hired in a full-time capacity the following year. I teach developmental
courses (ENG 088 and ENG 093), basic composition (ENG 131), research
writing (ENG 132), and business and technical writing (ENG 135). I am also currently serving as the
instructor of the Honors Program’s Great Works course, HON 251.
PERSONAL
I don't care much for the grey Michigan
winters, so I make it a point to get out as much as I can during the warm
months. I enjoy camping and backcountry hiking, and I am a recovering
distance runner, having completed five marathons.
Though somewhat of a dilettante, I enjoy dabbling in gardening and
cooking, especially where the products of the former may find their way
into the dishes of the latter. My home is a bit of a
"fixer-upper," so I spend a good deal of time working on home
improvement projects. I'm not much of a handyman, so I usually end up
breaking something for every couple of things I fix, but it keeps me busy.
My reading interests include philosophy, religion, technology, culture,
and the areas of overlap between the four. I'm also engaged by the 1980s
cyberpunk movement and am an unabashed fan of the Wachowski
brothers' Matrix trilogy.
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