I believe the world needs GREAT writers.
But more than that, I believe the world needs GREAT people.
As a result, my teaching philosophy/classroom is centered around the study of the individual in society as an writer/communicator/agent/actor for GOOD (our responsibility to the "polis," the definition of "good," our own moral development, and our contribution to society, etc.)
The university is an incredible microcosm of society (I love learning with my students here!). But ultimately, I believe our goal and responsibility as writers should be to develop skills, tools, and talents that enable us to make the world a better place.
(And yes, I think that last line may be a soft-drink commercial. That's going to require some psychoanalysis. Ha!)
