Experience Summary
I taught for ten semesters at Purdue University while working on my Ph.D. I was responsible for all aspects of the classes that I taught, including class preparation and syllabus design. My experience there also gave me excellent training in English pedagogy. I have also taught as an adjunct instructor in the English department of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Currently I am an assistant professor of English at the University of South Carolina-Aiken. My teaching responsibilities include first-year composition, English grammar, rhetorical grammar, introduction to human language, the history of English, and classes in medieval English literature.
Teaching Style
I tend towards a style of teaching that is animated yet personable; I firmly believe that quality instruction should be interesting and invigorating while providing a student with comprehensive knowledge of the curriculum. Jokes are not out of place, but the primary focus is on the subject matter, of course. I am particularly concerned in my classes not only with helping students to learn the material itself, but also with helping them develop strategies for learning the information. To this end I keep myself as available as possible to speak with students individually; my experience is that the most effective teaching, especially with students who may be struggling, is in a one-on-one situation in which I can focus on a particular student's strengths and weaknesses as a pedagogical tool rather than hoping that he or she is able to process the general information presented in class.