A hybrid method of thinking and teaching that incorporates a combination of cognitive phenomenology, embodiment theory, and feminist theory, this teaching philosophy requires an interdisciplinary approach and facilitates a combination of human interaction, research, and writing. Informed by The Visible and the Invisible, by philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty; The Body in the Mind, by phenomenologist Mark Johnson; and Volatile Bodies, by feminist Elizabeth Grosz, this method reflects malleability, alongside a desire for exploration, as instructors and students interact with each other and texts.
As a companion escorting students into often unfamiliar but exciting territory, I apply a variety of techniques to facilitate close relationships with thoughts and ideas, as students grapple and play with language. Of primary importance is the belief that humans learn better when they embody the materials and concepts they are asked to study. Embodiment, in this case, refers to a process in which learning occurs through the attachment of personal significance to course materials. To facilitate such a process, I empower students to discover personal relationships with texts, authors, and concepts to become better readers, critics, editors, and writers. These relationships can be developed through research, close readings, active modes of interpretation, and engagement with the mechanics of writing.
As a facilitator, I invite students to exercise their imaginations to personalize literature and writing. Classroom activities are hands-on and include a combination of listening, watching, moving, speaking, and writing. For example, students may be asked to perform a pantomime of a particular scene constructed through collaborative writing, while onlookers rewrite the story that unfolds before them. Through this interdisciplinary approach, students learn early on that they are in charge of their own creativity, which can affect the quality and interpretation of their work in a multitude of ways. Once students become invested in their writing assignments, revision becomes less painful and more self-propelled. Written work, from literary analysis to creative writing, improves considerably.
Paramount to this philosophy is my flexibility as the instructor, who must play multiple roles, from mentor to learner, as students work toward specific learning outcomes. For example, if a student has chosen to write a short story about cyberbullying for an assignment that requires the implementation of defamiliarization, I, who possess considerable familiarity with defamiliarization but little with cyberbullying, negotiate between teaching and learning. By asking questions about the topic, I not only learn about cyberbullying but also encourage the student to assert her knowledge and interest in this topic. By instituting an ongoing dialogue with the student, I act as mentor, helping a writer realize her potential, without squelching creativity and inspiration.
This philosophy works well in creative writing workshops, composition, and literature classes, as the instructor and students engage in a dialectic process. Comments from the instructor designed as questions encourage writers and readers to explore their ideas, beliefs, and choices. With encouragement, students take greater risks, for they have gained the trust of their instructor and colleagues.