Experience Summary
I have just finished my first year in the MFA-Fiction program at The University of Montana where I also worked as a Teaching Assistant in the English department. As a Teaching Assistant, I taught Basic Composition to undergraduates. Teaching one section of composition each semester, I was responsible for lesson plans, running hour long class periods, grading student essays, holding student conferences, and attending various teaching workshops with my fellow TAs. In the Fall, I will teach another section of composition, and in the Spring of 2009, as a Fiction Fellow, I will have the opportunity to teach an introductory fiction writing workshop.
Teaching Style
In the past year I have realized how much I love teaching. I believe that as a teacher, I am also a constant learner, always adapting my teaching style to the specific needs of each classroom and each student. I am a strong advocate of creativity, and believe that each student is unique in his or her learning style. Patience and understanding is also something I strive for when I teach; I believe that each learner is capable of bettering themselves if they have patience and understanding of their own potential.