Portfolio

Writing Samples

In my very first writing assignment of the Master of Arts in Professional and Technical writing, I explored the concept of right-to-language and the inclusion of African American voices in Composition by examining the works of Keith Gilyard, professor of English, rhetoric, and literacy studies at Syracuse New York. Gilyard approached the precriptivist era of composition as having been responsible for eradicating African American vernacular from literature in an attempt to teach students "correct" modes of speaking.

In my first theory-based paper for the program, I examined the movement to declare English as the official language of the U.S. and its possible impacts on the unique educational needs of English as a Second Language students.

Mid-way through the Program, I wrote this narrative, reflective essay as a way to explain my experiences with Online Writing Instruction and its impact on my personal teaching philosophy and style.

This paper discusses the movement in higher education toward Open Education Resource materials, particularly the benefits to students and new instructors. The open movement is rooted in the open source movement in software coding. With many educators developing their materials and posting them for little to no cost online, OERs become increasing popular and relevant in higher education. I discuss my own experiences with paying for textbooks as a first-time freshman, the burden that textbooks placed on me as both a student and a teacher, and techniques that I've used to make my own resources, e.g., this website, available to others.