top of page

L

e

A

D

E

R​

I believe one of the most important qualities a teacher can posses is being a leader. To me, a leader is not an all-powerful, dictating force. A leader is someone who works alongside those she is leading, serving as a listener, motivator, and challenger. The leader sets the environment and atmosphere of the classroom, and I feel that it should be one that invites thoughtful comments, creativity, and constructive criticism. As a teacher, it is both my job and duty to lead my students in a way that encourages them to step out of their comfort zones. On this page, I have included my teaching philosophy, my role as a program assistant for Auburn's ePortfolio Project, and my work as a writing center tutor. I believe that these artifacts exemplify diverse aspects of my leadership skills, including my ability to facilitate presentations, create helpful materials for students, lead workshops, and collaborate with those around me. My teaching philosophy is centered on my passion to build not only better readers and writers, but also better students that will continue to grow beyond their time with me. I believe that leaders are willing to take on whatever role is necessary of them in order to best benefit the greater structure, and I hope to model this understanding for my students.

My Philosophy

          No matter where we go in life, we will always have to communicate with the people we encounter. Growing up in the United States, the ability to converse through words, whether written or spoken, was never a difficulty for me. Throughout my ePortfolio, I reference the time I spent as an intern in Livingston, Zambia, and, while there, I experienced the challenges that result from ineffective communication. Even a simple “hello” was difficult, so I found myself simply smiling and waving – an act that is not bound by language. Though it is likely that my students will not experience this type of language barrier in my class, they will have to learn how to communicate with those around them. I believe it is incredibly important that students leave my classroom with the ability to interact with people who are both alike and different from them, understanding how to be effective communicators. Whether it is through writing, speaking, or non-verbal actions, I want my students to be confident in their ability to converse actively and clearly with those around them. The primary way I plan to work at this is through reflective writings and class discussions.    

Photo Credit: Amber Berry-Moore

               English, as a subject, tends to scare students because they think of one thing: research papers. I want to give my students ample opportunities to write honest and freely, so that when the time comes to write a formal paper, they feel more prepared and less intimidated. Writing does not come naturally to anyone; it takes practice. I want my students to recognize writing as a process and understand the importance of revision. Furthermore, authentic conversations will drive my classroom. English Language Arts presents a unique opportunity to discuss controversial themes, difficult topics, and issues that students need to understand in order to be active members of the world around them. Through daily writing activities and class discussions, I hope to equip my students with the necessary tools to communicate both in the classroom and

beyond. . .

 

Click Here to access the rest of my teaching philosophy.

ePortfolio Project

Photo Credit: Megan Haskins

          I was given the incredible opportunity to serve as a program assistant for Auburn's ePortfolio Project while I completed my masters degree. This role gave me the opportunity to assist in all aspects the ePortfolio Project, primarily through delivering presentations, creating materials that support students and faculty, and collaborating with others in Auburn's Office of University Writing to create new projects, as well as continue existing ones. My biggest accomplishment and task during this experience was restructuring and facilitating the Student Workshop Series. The workshop series is a 6-week series that assists students in the creation of their personalized ePortfolios for an audience that goes beyond their immediate professor. I absolutely loved this experience because I was able to work alongside students by both directly instructing them, as well as creating materials for them to use once the series ended. By leading the workshops, I was able to apply my personal ideas and techniques for teaching, more deeply-developing my philosophy and classroom approaches. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to create and revise student resources, including one on Reflective Writing and another on Artifacts.

           My work with the Student Workshop Series also allowed me to work with various faculty members, assisting them as they brainstormed ways in which to incorporate ePortfolios into their curriculum. These workshops and conversations with faculty let me work with many different disciplines, expanding my ability to think about cross-curricular activities that I hope to bring with me into my future classroom. My role as the ePortfolio Project's program assistant challenged me in the greatest way, giving me opportunities to interact with diverse groups of people, develop my collaborative abilities, and expand my understanding of students learning. I have gained an immense amount of both indirect and direct teaching experience that will better prepare me for my role as a secondary instructor. Furthermore, I developed relationships with various people across Auburn's campus, both students and faculty, who will continue to encourage and support me as I move forward in my teaching career.

The Miller Writing Center

        Even though my focused audience is ESL students at Auburn University, its content is useful for any high school or college student looking to better their writing. These handouts, which you can download by clicking on the link below, cover four concepts that I feel are essential when constructing arguments across disciplines, but they are commonly misused and understood. I have been able to use them frequently in my sessions, both as a resource and tool to best explain the concepts to students.

Click Here to download my Writing Center Handouts

Click here to download my Writing Center Philosophy

Photo Credit: Sara Klucking

          I began working at Auburn's Miller Writing center as a consultant during the fall semester of my junior year, and my role was to assist clients in any way they needed. My skills ranged from brainstorming ideas, creating theses, making final revisions, building personal ePortfolios, and more. One semester, I had 67 appointments, 48 of which were for ESL students. My work with non-native speakers has been incredibly helpful in developing my patience and explanatory abilities as a teacher, and I am confident that it has grown me immensely, both as a writer and instructor. My experience there was incredibly rewarding, and it helped me immensely as a teacher. I have discovered the overlap that exists between being a teacher and being a consultant, and I plan to continue growing in my abilities to assist my students and peers. Students often come in overwhelmed, seeking both a listening ear, as well as a consultant; it is important that I have the ability to do both.  As a consultant, I was also asked to create handouts that can be used to assist a tutor when teaching and learning about writing. They combine writing center theory and practice, and I created them specifically for student writers.      

 

 

bottom of page