TEACHING CONTEXT
I have been a sessional teacher for the past eight years. As such, my context has been highly variable. I have been contracted to teach in creative writing, literature, core communications, and media courses at all coursework levels across eight Sydney institutions. I have also taught in a range of roles. I have tutored in numerous large teaching teams (University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, Western Sydney University). I have been sole curriculum designer, coordinator, and lecturer in the same subject over seven semesters (Navitas). And I have served as acting coordinator and lecturer supervising a team of tutors (University of Technology Sydney, University of Sydney). As a result, I have gained valuable experience facilitating the learning of a spectrum of students, e.g. high ranking ATAR students, culturally and linguistically diverse students (including international students), and students from low SES backgrounds.
My teaching in semester one 2019 exemplifies the claims made regarding the scope of my teaching practice and the broad skill-set developed. During that semester, I taught three courses. One was a postgraduate Capstone creative writing course in the new Master of Arts (Writing) program at the University of Notre Dame Australia (which I designed). One was a second-year undergraduate English Literature course at New York University Sydney, which I substantially revised. And the other was an online tutorial in a first-year undergraduate communications course at Western Sydney University. At NYU Sydney, I instruct students with a B+ average (US system). At WSU, where sixty per cent are the first in their family to attend university (Universities Australia, 2019), I facilitated the learning of many CALD students and students from low SES backgrounds. Having taught many first-year courses, I am conscious of the importance of early support regarding transition and the development of academic literacy skills. I moved adeptly between those contexts, navigating different faculty cultures, policies, and learning management systems.
I teach across a range of classes sizes. I also teach a variety of class times, from early morning to evening classes (MA Capstones). I also teach within different institutional cultures, from the Christian ethos of UNDA to liberal ethos of NYU. I am, therefore, an adaptable, and open-minded educator. Flexibility is the key to adjusting across these kinds of variables.
I have also taught across disciplines on route to successfully progressing to dedicated teaching in my primary fields: creative writing and contemporary literature. I occasionally take departures for strategic professional development reasons, such as coordinating and tutoring with the online cohort of “Writing Ecologies” at WSU in 2019 to gain experience in teaching online only delivery. I remain open to teaching into other suitable disciplines as befits my interdisciplinary scholarship and multifaceted writing and professional practice.
I have been a sessional teacher for the past eight years. As such, my context has been highly variable. I have been contracted to teach in creative writing, literature, core communications, and media courses at all coursework levels across eight Sydney institutions. I have also taught in a range of roles. I have tutored in numerous large teaching teams (University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, Western Sydney University). I have been sole curriculum designer, coordinator, and lecturer in the same subject over seven semesters (Navitas). And I have served as acting coordinator and lecturer supervising a team of tutors (University of Technology Sydney, University of Sydney). As a result, I have gained valuable experience facilitating the learning of a spectrum of students, e.g. high ranking ATAR students, culturally and linguistically diverse students (including international students), and students from low SES backgrounds.
My teaching in semester one 2019 exemplifies the claims made regarding the scope of my teaching practice and the broad skill-set developed. During that semester, I taught three courses. One was a postgraduate Capstone creative writing course in the new Master of Arts (Writing) program at the University of Notre Dame Australia (which I designed). One was a second-year undergraduate English Literature course at New York University Sydney, which I substantially revised. And the other was an online tutorial in a first-year undergraduate communications course at Western Sydney University. At NYU Sydney, I instruct students with a B+ average (US system). At WSU, where sixty per cent are the first in their family to attend university (Universities Australia, 2019), I facilitated the learning of many CALD students and students from low SES backgrounds. Having taught many first-year courses, I am conscious of the importance of early support regarding transition and the development of academic literacy skills. I moved adeptly between those contexts, navigating different faculty cultures, policies, and learning management systems.
I teach across a range of classes sizes. I also teach a variety of class times, from early morning to evening classes (MA Capstones). I also teach within different institutional cultures, from the Christian ethos of UNDA to liberal ethos of NYU. I am, therefore, an adaptable, and open-minded educator. Flexibility is the key to adjusting across these kinds of variables.
I have also taught across disciplines on route to successfully progressing to dedicated teaching in my primary fields: creative writing and contemporary literature. I occasionally take departures for strategic professional development reasons, such as coordinating and tutoring with the online cohort of “Writing Ecologies” at WSU in 2019 to gain experience in teaching online only delivery. I remain open to teaching into other suitable disciplines as befits my interdisciplinary scholarship and multifaceted writing and professional practice.