Teaching

In each of my workshops students study short stories, poems, essays, and hybrid texts from diverse backgrounds. Sharing one’s writing can be difficult, obviously. I cultivate workshops where that difficulty is part of the fun: we acknowledge dicey moments, make jokes, and prize honesty over shame.

The study of literature may begin with one’s gut reaction to a text, but it doesn’t end there. One must move beyond that reaction to explore alternative interpretations. Literature in my courses, whether general or specialized, is examined under theoretical frameworks that bring to light such interpretations.

Much like the study of literature, the study of film requires us to move beyond whether we “like” or “don’t like” a work of art. We find ourselves asking questions like, “What makes an adaptation successful?” or “What makes a text worth adapting?”

I introduce the film concepts of mise en scène, tone, diegetic and non-diegetic elements, and more as we work to illuminate the what, why, and how of filmmaking. Texts include short and feature films, music videos, and YouTube series.

Academic writing requires critical thinking, as does all writing, and for that reason I ask my students to examine the rhetorical effectiveness of readings, visuals, and hybrid texts. I also encourage students to assume the role of the skeptic: everything from advertisements to news programs to memes can and should be evaluated for credibility. I value effort, candor, and kindness, and hope students leave these classes knowing that I’m invested in what they’re writing.