When I teach content, I always try to make it relatable. Shakespeare is still here in large part because the plays have been re-invented by each succeeding generation. I try to help my students "claim their Shakespeare" while looking at the ways previous generations have done the same. I also have a bit of a soft spot for "lesser known" plays and texts. There are some real gems that never really made it into the literary canon, and I like to work them into my courses as much as possible (Marston's plays, Lyly's court plays, Tourneur's The Atheist's Tragedy, etc). It just seems like students take more chances and enjoy Renaissance drama a bit more when it doesn't have the cultural baggage of a Hamlet or a Romeo and Juliet, so I try to pair the biggies with the lesser knowns. I like using visual texts and technology when it makes sense to do so, but I also love working in theater history and archival work, including the study of prompt books, costume design sketches, and theatrical reviews. Tech is great, but sometimes there's just no substitute for holding history in your hands.
I've been fortunate to have a great deal of pedagogical autonomy in my composition teaching. I've tried to always pick course topics where my students can be the experts on the content side. Not only does it boost their confidence a bit, but it also opens opportunities for me to learn about the content from them as they learn about the writing/research from me. On the practical side of things, I like to use performance and technology to help students find their voices and ideas (to buzz-word it, I've been told my composition teaching is very "multi-modal"). I've had students use digital voice thread web pages to record vocal versions of early drafts and recently, I've been experimenting with the idea of having students give a presentation draft of their paper outlines so that they can work out the ideas of their argument before they start worrying about how to word it in "academic tone."
-I have full class sets of student evaluations available on request for potential hiring committees. Click HERE for a representative sampling from those evaluations.
-See below for courses that I have designed. For sample syllabi, click on the course number.
I've been fortunate to have a great deal of pedagogical autonomy in my composition teaching. I've tried to always pick course topics where my students can be the experts on the content side. Not only does it boost their confidence a bit, but it also opens opportunities for me to learn about the content from them as they learn about the writing/research from me. On the practical side of things, I like to use performance and technology to help students find their voices and ideas (to buzz-word it, I've been told my composition teaching is very "multi-modal"). I've had students use digital voice thread web pages to record vocal versions of early drafts and recently, I've been experimenting with the idea of having students give a presentation draft of their paper outlines so that they can work out the ideas of their argument before they start worrying about how to word it in "academic tone."
-I have full class sets of student evaluations available on request for potential hiring committees. Click HERE for a representative sampling from those evaluations.
-See below for courses that I have designed. For sample syllabi, click on the course number.
Arkansas Tech University
* ENGL 1013: Composition I (Fall 2020)
* ENGL 3413: British Literature to 1800 (Fall 2020)
* ENGL 2173: Introduction to Film (Spring 2021)
* ENGL 1023: Composition II (Spring 2021)
* ENGL 4733: Teaching English in the Secondary School (Spring 2021--Independent Study)
SUNY Brockport
* ENGL 323: Shakespeare Histories and Tragedies (Fall 2019)
* ENGL 376: British Novels II (Online, Fall 2019)
St. John Fisher College
* ENGL 295: Literary Revolutions (Spring 2020)
* ENGL 273: Film History (Spring 2020)
* ENGL 329: Film/TV Analysis (Spring 2020)
* ENGL 211: Young Adult Literature (Fall 2019)
* ENGL 220: African American Literature (Fall 2019)
* ENGL/WGST 199: Gender Stereotypes in the Medical Profession (Spring 2019 and 2020)
* ENGL 110: Learning Community Critical Writing: Sports & American Culture (Fall 2018 & 2019)
University of Rochester
* ENGL 209: Shakespeare and International Film (Spring 2020)
* DMS 200: Digital Portfolio (Spring 2019)
* ENGL 203: Medieval Drama (Fall 2018)
* ENGL 209: Cinematic Shakespeares (Summer 2017)
* ENGL 208: Dispelling the "Dark Ages": Themes in English Theatre (Summer 2016)
* WST 212: Queer Theory
* WRT 105E: Boss Mode: Fools, Vices, and Villains in Pop Culture (2016-17)
* WRT 105A: A Sense of Place (Summer Immersion Program -- 2016 & 2018)
* WRT 105: Truth/Justice/the American Way? Comic Books & the Rhet. of Nationalism (2015-16)
* WRT 105: Excavating the Family Tree: Family Titles and Cultural Representations (2014-15)
* WRT 105: Re-Making the Original: Adaptations and Authenticity (2013-14)
* WRT 105: Speaking the Speech: Writing as a Performative Act (2012-13)
Wilmington University
* ENGL 365: Academic Writing Skills (Online, 2014-15)
Saint Bonaventure University
* CLARE 110: Composition and Critical Thinking (2010-11)
* ENGL 1013: Composition I (Fall 2020)
* ENGL 3413: British Literature to 1800 (Fall 2020)
* ENGL 2173: Introduction to Film (Spring 2021)
* ENGL 1023: Composition II (Spring 2021)
* ENGL 4733: Teaching English in the Secondary School (Spring 2021--Independent Study)
SUNY Brockport
* ENGL 323: Shakespeare Histories and Tragedies (Fall 2019)
* ENGL 376: British Novels II (Online, Fall 2019)
St. John Fisher College
* ENGL 295: Literary Revolutions (Spring 2020)
* ENGL 273: Film History (Spring 2020)
* ENGL 329: Film/TV Analysis (Spring 2020)
* ENGL 211: Young Adult Literature (Fall 2019)
* ENGL 220: African American Literature (Fall 2019)
* ENGL/WGST 199: Gender Stereotypes in the Medical Profession (Spring 2019 and 2020)
* ENGL 110: Learning Community Critical Writing: Sports & American Culture (Fall 2018 & 2019)
University of Rochester
* ENGL 209: Shakespeare and International Film (Spring 2020)
* DMS 200: Digital Portfolio (Spring 2019)
* ENGL 203: Medieval Drama (Fall 2018)
* ENGL 209: Cinematic Shakespeares (Summer 2017)
* ENGL 208: Dispelling the "Dark Ages": Themes in English Theatre (Summer 2016)
* WST 212: Queer Theory
* WRT 105E: Boss Mode: Fools, Vices, and Villains in Pop Culture (2016-17)
* WRT 105A: A Sense of Place (Summer Immersion Program -- 2016 & 2018)
* WRT 105: Truth/Justice/the American Way? Comic Books & the Rhet. of Nationalism (2015-16)
* WRT 105: Excavating the Family Tree: Family Titles and Cultural Representations (2014-15)
* WRT 105: Re-Making the Original: Adaptations and Authenticity (2013-14)
* WRT 105: Speaking the Speech: Writing as a Performative Act (2012-13)
Wilmington University
* ENGL 365: Academic Writing Skills (Online, 2014-15)
Saint Bonaventure University
* CLARE 110: Composition and Critical Thinking (2010-11)
Harford County Public Schools
2005-2009
In the four years between being an undergraduate and being a graduate student, I worked as a high school teacher. My Maryland teaching license has since expired, but I am eligible for an Advanced Professional Certificate, the highest license that Maryland offers. I've worked with high school aged students during my time as a graduate student as well (see below). I believe that these experiences are valuable in that I have had feet in both worlds, which has equipped me to mentor students through the high school to college transition. In my four years at North Harford High School, I taught eight different class preps, teaching everything from 9th grade literary genres to 12th grade British Literature Survey. I was frequently involved in summer curriculum writing teams, helping to design the materials for the county's new reading program (developed as part of the Johns Hopkins Talent Development Program), and later as the leader of a team that designed a county-wide contemporary literature circles unit. I consider curriculum design to be one of my strongest pedagogical skills.
Aside from my teaching, I was involved in several service roles at NHHS. I was a frequent member of student IEP committees, helping to craft accommodations for students with special needs. I was also selected to represent 9th grade teachers on a county wide committee formed to address the county's potential ban of Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War. I was regularly selected to help organize and run the NHHS Peer Leadership Weekend (a three day leadership, team-building, and ropes course event organized by North Harford's amazing journalism teacher). Finally, I was actively involved in coaching at NHHS, serving as a head coach eight times (JV soccer x4 and JV tennis x4) and as an assistant coach once (wrestling).
Aside from my teaching, I was involved in several service roles at NHHS. I was a frequent member of student IEP committees, helping to craft accommodations for students with special needs. I was also selected to represent 9th grade teachers on a county wide committee formed to address the county's potential ban of Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War. I was regularly selected to help organize and run the NHHS Peer Leadership Weekend (a three day leadership, team-building, and ropes course event organized by North Harford's amazing journalism teacher). Finally, I was actively involved in coaching at NHHS, serving as a head coach eight times (JV soccer x4 and JV tennis x4) and as an assistant coach once (wrestling).
University of Rochester Pre-College Program
Summer 2013
The University of Rochester Pre-College Program is a summer immersion institute designed to give high school-aged students from around the world a two week "college experience." They live in the dorms, do group activities, and sign up for several one or two week-long classes on any number of topics. In the summer of 2013, I taught a one-week course on "Shakespeare in Performance." We spent the week going over and preparing a detailed performance of a scene, right down to the blocking, scenery, costumes, and line delivery.
Open Shakespeare
Summer 2015
In the summer of 2015, the Rochester Community Players--one of the oldest continuous community theater companies in the country--decided that they wanted to offer a series of Rochester-based camps for younger Rochesterians, as well as an internship program for high school aged students. I was selected to be the Assistant Education Director for the program, specifically working as the Internship Director. We created a program from scratch that incorporated a series of activities to provide our interns with valuable theater experience. They worked alongside the cast and crew of the RCP's summer Shakespeare in the Park program (1 and 2 Henry IV), learning not only to perform, but also to analyze the text like a dramaturge, construct sets, run sound and light, and more.
Click HERE for a write up of the 2015 Internship on the Folger Shakespeare Library's education Blog.
Selected Comments from the student Interns:
-"There are just so many opportunities to explore theater, either as a hobby or as a career interest. It’s an amazing experience no matter what you’re
interested in, be it backstage or on stage or offstage. I was very excited to do the Green Show and I thought it was actually a very good experience
for the audience as well, to kind of warm up to the actual performance. I loved the discussions that we had over monologues and scenes, prior to
rehearsal, where we dissected the language and delved into the history. In rehearsal, I loved discovering the differences between the two
characters I played, Prince Hal and Hotspur. Performance was just a blast."
Click HERE for a write up of the 2015 Internship on the Folger Shakespeare Library's education Blog.
Selected Comments from the student Interns:
-"There are just so many opportunities to explore theater, either as a hobby or as a career interest. It’s an amazing experience no matter what you’re
interested in, be it backstage or on stage or offstage. I was very excited to do the Green Show and I thought it was actually a very good experience
for the audience as well, to kind of warm up to the actual performance. I loved the discussions that we had over monologues and scenes, prior to
rehearsal, where we dissected the language and delved into the history. In rehearsal, I loved discovering the differences between the two
characters I played, Prince Hal and Hotspur. Performance was just a blast."