Heather Jordan

Qualifications: Ph.D. Michigan Technological University, Rhetoric and Technical Communication

Teaching Experience: 10+ Years

Areas of interest: writing studies, composition, literacy, rhetoric, scientific and technical communication, and technology studies.

Teaching Philosophy:

Teaching students how to successfully and ethically navigate the systems of which they are a part is a foundational focus of both my research and my pedagogy. This happens when students learn to think critically and communicate effectively. By teaching students to be aware of the larger contexts in which they compose, the varied audiences for each composition, and the basic appeals in creating persuasive documents, students are given an opportunity to learn skills that they can take with them from course to course and use later in life.

Using this rhetorical approach, I push students to challenge themselves, to reflect upon their current ways of composing, and to find ways to improve—all of which are student-centered. Reflection is a key component to my teaching, both for my students and for me as an instructor. Understanding takes reading and often re-reading a text. Teaching is the same way. One project may be highly engaging to one class, but in another course, it falls flat. When I’m done teaching a class, I often spend time reflecting on what went well and what could be improved. Being reflective allows me to adapt to the changing needs of a class and treat the students as individual members of a group rather than as a collective whole. I always invite student suggestions for improvement and recommendations for ways of approaching the different assignments that will still achieve the goals of the course—in this way, my students and I are in continual dialogue about the course goals and how best to meet them. As an instructor, I have a responsibility to the students in my courses to foster an encouraging and nurturing environment. Students need to feel brave enough to risk making mistakes in front of and with one another, for it is by challenging ourselves that we truly learn.