I feel like I’m in a bit of a different position from a number of my peers because of how I came to be where I am now. When I started college, I just knew I liked writing and art and while I was good at it, I didn’t like math and hence wasn’t much of a hard science person. It was during my first semester of college, doing what I realize now was waaaaaaay too much work peer reviewing papers in workshop, that my instructor took note and asked me, over the summer, if I’d like to be her SI leader in a pilot program the next semester. So from there, while I did major in creative writing, I began to learn composition pedagogy and theory, and I really, really grew attached to the idea of teaching others to write, to read critically, and because I was working at a branch campus that was to some akin to a “community college,” we often ended up also teaching our students how to be in college, how to adapt to the differences from high school, etc. There was no residence life on that campus, no serious advising, no even orientation other than one day of walking around and seeing where things were.
I worked as an SI leader for several years, then before I even finished my degree I began teaching first year comp as part of a pilot program that I think has now evolved into a MA program on that campus. As a senior, I taught while finishing my coursework, then after graduating, while I figured out where to go/what to do next, I taught as an adjunct (with a 3/3 load, plus summer, contracted by the class). While I was in that position, I also had a chance to blend in what I did for fun/what I thought was under-considered and needed to be included in writing in general: the web. I ended up designing online courses, starting to do “hybrid style” work, etc. I didn’t realize what a valuable thing I was offering to the people on that campus until they started asking me to share and teach them my methods, and now that I’ve been gone from there for several years and I can see that people who once asked me how to configure their email programs are teaching successfully online, in part from my help but much more because I started them on the path, I sort of well up with pride.
The same thing was true of my time at Miami University, in a way. I wasn’t the driving force by any means, but Miami was moving toward turning their program more digital, following the awesome model of Scott DeWitt at Ohio State, and I was able to get in on the ground floor and help contribute to the formation of the DWC, and while I’m not going to say that I literally shaped anyone’s work, I was able to introduce a number of people to things they’d never seen or used to teach before, and to know that the program there is in full bloom makes me happy. It was a good time in my life, and to feel that I left some small legacy is heartwarming.
Since I’ve been at MSU, I’ve worked to develop new things, too. My most recent personal innovation was the move to use WordPress– just like this blog site– as my classroom CMS, finally moving away from the boring, spartan (no pun intended) and sadly often buggy world of ANGEL. I won an award for that CMS, which I am very proud of and am endlessly thankful to VUDAT at MSU and AT&T for (it means so much to be recognized– it humbles me). And in just about a week, I will be, along with Julie Platt, presenting a workshop on how to replicate and modify that CMS at Computers and Writing. Looks like we have a packed house, too.
So I know this might look like me patting myself on the back. That’s not really where I was going, though I realize it kind of reads that way now. What I wanted to illustrate is that I’ve done things– good things, sometimes innovative things– along my path to where I am now in relation to my teaching. But I’ve had a single motivating factor in doing all of these things: I love students, and I love the idea of spreading knowledge and empowering people to learn. I didn’t create any of the things I created, or help faculty to develop new things, just to do it. I did it because I have always felt that my pedagogy and my ideas are student centered– making things more transparent, making things more accessible, making things more friendly. I do this for the love, so to speak. I do it for my students, for the students of those who I help to make changes to their classes.
Today I got a letter from MSU’s Department of Residence Life. They conduct a survey about living and learning on campus, and one of the questions was for the student to name one person who inspired them to learn. Just one. And a few students named me– over their other professors, their parents, their friends, their high school teachers, etc. I am sure that many of my peers received letters like this, too, because we’re a good teaching department with some amazing people. I don’t think the honor makes me special among my peers.
But it feels special, because as much as I crave the recognition of my peers, of my mentors, of my department, of my university… it means so much more, in my heart, to hear that I did what I tried hardest to do: I got through to my students. I inspired them.
I love doing research. In fact I was up until 8 am today doing research with my dissertation study participants. I will always love learning new things. I hope to do research for the rest of my career.
I love presenting at conferences, and I love to hear others present.
But at the core of it… I am a teacher. And knowing that I’m doing that job well makes me feel… really, really good.
So thank you, MSU Residence Life folks, for the letter, and to the students who I’ve reached. You continue to humble me, and I hope that I have given you what you wanted and needed. You made me shed a tear of joy– and that’s no small feat.