I believe my purpose as a teacher of the humanities is trifold: to expand my students’ worldview and mindset, to develop their methods of communicating, and to help foster their growth into the people they want to become. The best feedback I have received from a student is that my class “has helped [her] grow as a student, person and young adult”. In my two years as the Wilgis Teaching Fellow at Bryn Mawr School, I have been able to refine my methods of instruction, ensuring that students leave my classroom with a surer sense of themselves as a learner, a writer, and an individual. This experience has led me to develop a two-part philosophy of teaching that can be applied to any course in the humanities, as it focuses first on students and their individual voices and then on making those voices effectively expressed to others.
The definition of voice is inherently ephemeral, yet in the context of writing, it can be understood as how a student expresses their beliefs. Perhaps the best way to unleash a student’s voice is by helping them discover their passion. This certainly was the case in my own educational journey: I never relished the prospect of writing until 11th grade, when my teacher assigned a director’s notebook in lieu of a traditional essay to complete our study of Hamlet. I chose to envision Ophelia through a feminist lens, a revolutionary idea to 16-year-old me. Linking theatre and feminism transformed writing from an assignment into a joy.
I have similarly found my students produce their best work when they feel strongly about what they are writing, thus, it is my duty as a teacher to help them discover and develop their passions. Teaching should be centered on the individual; as bell hooks writes, the most inspiring teachers “approach students with the will and desire to respond to our unique beings”. My goal is to excite my students, so the writing process becomes a natural expression of their thoughts that incorporates their own experiences and beliefs. This focus on the individual ensures each paper is unique, rather than a regurgitation of their classmates’ or teacher’s thoughts.
But, as a teacher, how do I get students to transfer their “voice” from their mind to the page? The most effective method I employ, called “free writing”, is outlined by Professor Peter Elbow in his book, Writing Without Teachers. This technique requires students to write for a set amount of time, without erasing or pausing to think, with the goal of unlocking their voice. Aside from some complaints about sore hands, I have received nearly universally positive feedback about this method, with many students identifying it as their favorite exercise in my classes.
Although I have implemented a variety of hands-on activities, particularly in my first year of teaching, I have found the most effective exercises for my students are based on sharing their work and engaging in discussion. Hearing others’ opinions helps students expand their own thinking and learn to engage in productive dialogue. Furthermore, having even the most reluctant students share just a single sentence of their writing helps to grow their confidence immensely.
As a young teacher, I am uniquely equipped to engage students through topics that appeal and are relevant to them. Some of my most effective lessons incorporate pop culture, including teaching rhetorical devices through Hamilton and intersectionality through Beyoncé’s Lemonade. Students leave these lessons with a better understanding of the topic being discussed, but also with the knowledge that they can view the world around them with a critical eye.
Perhaps my favorite of these lessons addressed the concept of privilege through the lens of blood purity in Harry Potter. Because of its fantastical context, students naturally engaged with the concept of privilege with a more open mind, before applying the concept to our real world. As one student wrote, “privilege can be a touchy subject, especially in today’s society. In this assignment, we embraced talking about it and listening”. Incorporating diversity work into my lessons goes hand in hand with my focus on engaging students’ interests and passions. A concept that arises both in my work with the Black Student Union, as well as my master’s research into feminist theory, is that one must see themself reflected in literature in order to produce great work of one’s own. Featuring diverse voices in my classroom empowers my students of color, while also benefiting the whole by introducing new perspectives.
Although empowering and unleashing my students’ voices is my paramount concern as an English teacher, it is also my duty to prepare them to leverage their voices in the wider world. While I do not believe writing instruction should include the concept of right and wrong, I do believe students need help shaping what they want to convey to their intended audience. During my first year of teaching, I received a letter from one of my students that has guided my philosophy on writing and grammar instruction ever since. After turning in a narrative that broke the traditional rules of grammar, she included an addendum outlining why grammar was a tool that oppresses marginalized voices. I responded with a lengthy letter in which I agreed with her in part, while also emphasising grammar’s power as a tool of transgression. I later used this letter and my response as a teaching tool for my students, as it distills my philosophy on grammar and rhetoric instruction into three main points: One, grammar and rhetoric are not inherently restrictive; instead students should view them as tools they can play and experiment with. Two, our society, for better or worse, listens to people who write and talk in a certain way and it is the duty of my students to utilize the privilege they have as recipients of a world-class education to sometimes subscribe to those rules in order to create change. Three, our system of grammar is currently our best way of clearly and effectively communicating to a wide audience.
Any style, form, or method of writing has its time and place, but when editing, students must always consider their audience. This is true when writing a speech, a formal analytical paper, or a college admissions essay. Some students will take to these different forms of writing more naturally than others. It is my job as a teacher to identify those who need extra instruction and those who simply need space while processing and developing their ideas. As one student writes, “Ms. O’Keefe can tell when someone is struggling and when they are okay and so she gives each person the amount of attention they need”. Regardless, my students have expressed that they know I am always invested in their editing and writing process. I want them to see me as their ally, rather than a judge, working with them to produce their best possible work.
At its core, my relationship with my students is centered around our shared humanity. Even as a student, I rejected the dialectic model of master and slave between teacher and pupil. I respected teachers for what they could teach me, rather than due to their position as an authority figure. I carry this belief into my classroom, where I aim to gain my students’ respect by holding their attention, earning their trust, and motivating them to produce their best work, rather than through acting as a disciplinarian. I do this by challenging them, displaying my own infectious enthusiasm for my subject, and respecting their voices and opinions in turn.
As a teacher, I believe I owe it to my students to listen to and learn from them, while they listen to and learn from me. I have been incredibly fortunate to have had amazing students who are bright, capable, and eager, yet I truly believe all students have the potential to be amazing in their own ways. Although some may be less motivated, more reticent, or less willing to learn, it is my job as a teacher to figure out how to excite and engage them. My goal as a teacher is to have all of my students perceive my passion, genuinely enjoy their work, and develop a personal connection to whatever subject I am teaching.