This page provides descriptions of courses that I have taught as well as relevant pedagogical materials such as syllabi, assignment descriptions, unit plans, and course evaluations. I hope this material demonstrates how my teaching philosophy can be put into action in the classroom.

ENC 1101

ENC 1101, the first of FIU’s two-course writing sequence, introduces students to the writing, reading, and critical thinking skills required for college writing. Course materials and writing projects introduce rhetorical concepts and invite students to consider themselves as writers inside and outside the classroom. Students will read and analyze professional nonfiction texts to understand how experienced writers develop and present ideas through writing. They will complete four major writing projects for a variety of audiences and purposes.

Three of these projects (800 – 1,800 words in length) will be written in a multi-draft writing process, while a fourth project will offer students practice in timed writing contexts.

Course Materials
Fall 2014 Syllabus
Fall 2014 Tentative Schedule
Fall 2014 Daily Plans
Analyzing and Synthesizing Ideas Assignment Sheet
Textual Rhetorical Analysis Assignment Sheet
Visual Rhetorical Analysis Assignment Sheet

ENC 1102

ENC 1102 expands upon the writing and rhetorical skills learned in ENC 1101 by placing additional emphasis on argument and researched writing. Through a deeper focus on research, writers will hone their abilities to locate, evaluate, and document sources, and to incorporate them smoothly and responsibly into their own writing. Students will learn about primary and secondary research, employing the research methods that best fit their chosen rhetorical purpose and audience.

The course reviews rhetorical concepts covered in ENC 1101 to ensure that students leave first-year writing with a rhetorical understanding and vocabulary that will assist them in other writing contexts. It then takes students through an extended research process.

Through structured invention activities, students generate ideas for their final project early in the term. Ideally students will thoroughly research their primary topic throughout the term, producing thoughtful and engaging researched arguments that respond to research questions that engage students and their chosen audiences.

Course work consists of four major projects (1,000 – 2,000 words in length).

Course Materials
Spring 2015 Syllabus
Spring 2015 Tentative Schedule
Spring 2015 Daily Plans
Exploratory Research Narrative with Field Research and Annotated Bibliography Assignment Sheet
Proposing a Solution Assignment Sheet
Proposal for Final Paper Assignment Sheet