Personal Information

Education:
Writing and Reading Courses from National Louis University
M.A. in English Literature, Penn State University
B.S. in English Education, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Teaching and Research Interests:
Service Learning; Social Entrepreneurs; Composition Studies; Chicago Literature

Teaching Statement:
I got involved in teaching writing because I saw the value of writing in my own life.  Not only did and does writing help me know what I think, but it helps me discover new ways of thinking, seeing, and even being.  I work with students to get them to see the value of writing in their own learning about academic subjects as well as themselves.  My ultimate goal is to get them to learn the skills necessary to be successful in college.  Reading is one of the biggest challenges for college students, so the first task is to learn to read critically, to learn how to actively engage in reading, to see how writers use various strategies to make their arguments.  Learning how to summarize, paraphrase , analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and reflect are necessary skills that I incorporate into the writing assignments, formal and informal.  Also, I believe it is important for students to work together to understand the value of audience and peer repsonese as well as becoming a community of writers.  I also emphasize that writing is a recursive process that requires invention and prewriting strategies, drafting, and revision.  In the last five years, I have been teaching a course on Chicago Literature because I believe the more students learn about the city they are living in, even if for a short time, the more engaged they will be in the community.