March 24 , 2009 issue
I've always wanted to teach at a university that's focused on educating
teachers and has a history of working with people who are planning to
teach. Many of the students at EMU are our future teachers.
Being involved in figuring out what type of literacy opportunities our
children should have access to is something I find exciting and challenging.
In this time of change and uncertainty, the need for education is even
greater.
I teach English education courses, particularly writing and methods of
teaching English. At the graduate level, I teach courses in research methods,
assessment and literacy. This is my eighth year at EMU.
I was a working-class student, so I understand the complexity of the
students' lives. I think they work very hard. It's one of the aspects
I like about this institution. The students have important and diverse
perspectives, and they are willing to continue developing those. They
know about work and it's going to help them. It helped me.
I enjoy the diversity of the jobs I have. I am the co-director of the
Eastern Michigan Writing Project (EMWP). Through EMWP,
I will be coordinating a summer institute, a four-week intensive program
for teachers. One of the principles of the EMWP is teachers teaching teachers.
They respect each other because they have all been in the classroom. It's
a chance for them to write, collaborate, and think and plan for the next
year.
I like the colleagues that I work with. They are enthusiastic about what
they do and they also welcome the work I do. I really like
the Student Center and the hope of renewing Pray-Harrold.
They've already started Mark Jefferson. Our leadership
seems focused on making this a better place and working
with faculty and students in order to strengthen a foundation
for "Education
First". — Contributed by Heather Hamilton
