Though the following documents capture only a small portion of my work as an educator, I hope they suggest a commitment to engaging in meaningful interactions with my peers and my students about the topics that matter most to all of us. These topics, of course, vary from setting to setting; what matters most to students in an introductory composition course often differs greatly from what matters most to participants on an avant-garde poetry panel at a regional MLA conference. But my core philosophy in each setting remains the same — to listen, to consider, and to extend the conversation so that others may add their voice in reply.

To borrow from Kenneth Burke’s parlor metaphor, this is my attempt at “putting in my oar.”

teaching philosophy

Updated March 2014 // PDF

course syllabus: major american writers

“Breaking All the Rules”: American Innovation and Experimentation // PDF

course syllabus: composing college

Introductory Composition: Writing as Inquiry // PDF

course syllabus: the #epicfail as argument

Sophomore Seminar: Intermediate Composition // PDF

course syllabus: introduction to literature

“Literature as Equipment for Living”: Contemporary American Lit // PDF

course syllabus: introduction to poetry

“My Vocabulary Did This To Me”: Poets of the Modern Experience // PDF

course syllabus: intermediate composition

“The Politics of the Everyday” // PDF