Writing a Rhetorical Analysis (Part 1): Reading with Purpose to Analyze Rhetoric

✨AVAILABILITY UPDATE:
After teaching as an English adjunct and lecturer from August 2023 - May 2024, I have officially taken on a full-time teaching/Development English Program Director position at a local community college as of May 2024. I will have to pause teaching here indefinitely, but I am leaving my profile open to eventually offer some self-paced/subscription courses. I also want to be available for my former students who may want to reach out with life updates.


✨PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND:
I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Studies Education from North Greenville University and a Master of Arts degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. I am a certified teacher and worked in a private school setting in South Carolina from 2015 to 2020. I taught college prep and honors-level English classes, as well as AP English Literature and Composition and AP US History. I have had students pass both AP Exams and receive college credit for those courses. Since November 2020, I have been teaching from home through Outschool, and I love it! I also homeschool my daughter. 

✨TYPES OF CLASSES I TEACH:
I teach a variety of English classes. These include my weekly, ongoing Creative Writing Club; various essay writing courses; AP Literature; and American Literature courses. 

✨PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION:
As an educator, my main focus is building relationships with my students. Students are more willing to listen to you when you are willing to listen to them, so I always try to make them feel like they have a voice in my class and that their presence is valued. Maya Angelou said it best: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." I work very hard to create a warm, welcoming environment for all learners. I also allow students to communicate however they feel most comfortable, whether verbally or in the chat. My virtual classroom is a cozy, safe space.

On top of that, I believe that every student is capable of learning, and I love to take a facilitator or "tour guide" approach to teaching: guiding students and giving them the opportunity to learn through self-discovery. I think it is important for students to learn through their own thinking and reasoning skills so they can take responsibility for their own learning. These are important skills that they need to take into their everyday lives, so I strive to help students develop them in an academic setting. 

Lastly, I am a big proponent of creativity. I want my learners to have the freedom to explore their curiosities and inspirations. In my creative writing classes, that means I allow learners to write whatever their heart desires, and in my academic classes, learners can take notes however they like and complete creative projects.

✨ON A PERSONAL NOTE:
I am married to my best friend and am a mom of three: a 10-year-old daughter, a 6-year-old son, and a 2-year-old daughter. 

My favorite TV shows are The Office and Parks and Recreation, and I think that shows in my personality. I also love Marvel, Stranger Things, and The Great British Baking Show, so I guess you can say my likes are all over the place. Ultimately, I love to be goofy and have fun in the classroom, and I hope your learners have fun too!