My philosophy of teaching is to create an environment that allows for supervised exploration. I believe that learner-oriented teaching promotes learning that is both purposeful and enduring. However, to really transition from a teacher-centered learning environment to a more learner-centered environment, students must identify learning needs in themselves, and assess their own progress. As an adjunct instructor, I encourage my students to participate in active conversation about literature as well as their own composition process. In my opinion, first year students will benefit more from an instructor who will listen in addition to guide them towards a more cohesive writing style that will last throughout their collegiate and professional careers.

In a first session with a student, there would be some ice breaking in order for the student to feel comfortable with me. Also, I'd have to assess the student to see what their writing needs are, so that I may best serve them.

In this age driven by state assessments, students are encouraged to find what’s considered to be the correct answer quickly with little room for exploration or a deeper level of critical thinking. Students are often encouraged to get from point A to point B in a quick and efficient manner without stopping to discover along the way. These efforts make both of us not only better students, but help to ensure that we can increase of knowledge in all areas of our lives, no matter what path they may take. I believe that teachers who demonstrate curiosity and passion about a subject area motivate students to learn independently.

Often, students become disenchanted with the writing process because of a lack of feedback or negative feedback. In order to keep my students motivated, I encourage open lines of communication. Also, I always give personalized feedback that seeks to point out strengths and weaknesses as well as what the student and I can work on collectively.

Quite simply, I find a way to get the student to learn the difficult skill or concept by finding a different approach. While students need to have a similar knowledge base, all students learn differently; therefore, it is crucial to find ways to reach the students where they are in order to get them where they need to be.

Much like when I had to help my own daughter, it takes patience and exercises that will help improve reading comprehension, and that also improve writing.

The most successful strategy that I've employed involves listening and understanding what the student already knows and building from there. Again, all students learn differently, so it's important to get to know the student in order to get the best result.

Most students, especially when it comes to reading/writing/English, would prefer not to be engaged at all. However, my lessons usually involve relating lessons to current events/entertainment/pop culture, which helps them to relate and become more engaged/excited with the subject.

Sometimes, I give quizzes. However, when giving the quizzes, they are not normally the traditional kind. I find that talking things out with students ensures that they comprehend the material without the added pressure of an exam/quiz. Also, I will give a writing exercise that will help to reinforce the concepts needed.

Constructive, positive feedback is the best way to build a student's confidence in a subject, especially one such as English. I've heard students say that they didn't believe that professors/teachers actually read their paper, so when they see my feedback, it helps them to feel more confident that someone is reading/listening and paying attention.

I give a writing assessment by asking a question, and giving students time to write a brief essay in order to assess their writing needs. Sometimes, these questions are similar to college application questions such as "What is your greatest accomplishment?" These questions are designed to learn more about the student and to assess their needs, which gives me valuable information that helps me to help them.

Again, I need to assess the student's needs, and only then can I decide the best course of action. There isn't always a one size fits all solution for students.

During classes, I use anything available that I believe will reach students. That could mean using clips from MSNBC Learn and YouTube, or using outside reading materials. Anything that will help the student to succeed in the short and long run.