Mike Schulz

As a teacher of writing, I want my students to learn how to improve their writing skills and to be proactive in gaining the knowledge to do so.  I want them to care about writing as a form of communication and expression.  And if they feel that they don’t have the ability to become a better writer, then they need to know that they can improve and that I am there to guide them. With higher education becoming more of a means for employment and less of a way for students to explore learning, it is important for students to understand that learning how to create, learning how to read and write critically, and learning how to express themselves with written ideas are skills that transcend disciplines.  When taking one of my courses, I hope students understand that being able to write well is a reflection of their ability to think and communicate clearly.

Ultimately, it is my responsibility to provide students with as much information and assistance as I can to help them become more successful students and writers.  In composition courses, this approach requires significant individual attention to the writing that each student produces and an understanding about how each student’s attitude and skill set may differ.  As I learn these characteristics of students I expect them to understand these characteristics about themselves as well and to take the initiative to improve where needed.  The most successful students in my courses seem to be those who want to learn, who want their writing to get better, and those who take responsibility for their decisions.