If I am completely honest, I’m not sure exactly who I want to be as a teacher yet. It’s probably an unsatisfying answer, but it is the one that immediately rings true in my own mind. I feel as though I just haven’t had enough time in the classroom to get a grasp on the type of teacher I would like to consistently be. Moving around, in and of itself, has provided opportunities to test out new styles from week to week with different students. I have found failure and success in every style that I have tried, and I think that is sort of the point. While there may be some ideal “form” I envision being as a university instructor, the real nitty gritty, everyday work has shattered those illusions. I don’t mean to sound downtrodden though — this shattering has been extremely helpful and eye-opening. Instead, I have found new, winding avenues that I want to explore.

In that spirit, I suppose, the number one thing I would like to be as a teacher is adaptable. I have found the greatest joy and satisfaction in those moments when I have been able to dip and weave with the student, to argue, to take in their specific viewpoint, and to help them come to their own realizations about the questions or issues that they have in the curriculum (or, in general). Whether testing new curriculum, new texts, new mediums of writing, or, whatever else may present itself, I hope to stay open and dynamic with the changing times. In this way, I want to be able to connect with more students and learners. I have really enjoyed building a community amongst the graduate cohort, and I hope to continue to build that literary community outwards with as many classes and students as I can, opportunity providing. I look forward to the quarter ahead, and I hope that I will be able to keep questioning and changing in a productive way as a teacher moving forward.