BGSU :: General Studies Writing Program :: FULL-TIME TEACHING STAFF: Elizabeth Zemanski

General Studies Writing Program

FULL-TIME TEACHING STAFF: Elizabeth Zemanski

As a composition instructor, I strive to facilitate students’ learning by providing them with tools they will need to navigate complex texts and images and respond to those complex texts and images. I help students understand how in academia, and often in their professional and personal lives, they will be expected to respond to complex ideas by entering conversations and articulating their own points of view. Composing written work is often the ideal vehicle for young people to articulate their positions on issues affecting their local, national and global communities. And as I help students use tools to compose professional, argumentative pieces on current issues, I encourage students to gain a sense of independence as they respond and write. However, as important as it is for students to craft original ideas, and grow as independent thinkers, it is equally important for students to negotiate their value systems in lieu of other, diverse value systems. To this end, I hope to create a learning community founded on mutual collaboration, respectful discussion, honest critique, and self-reflection. If students invest in this learning environment, they will learn a range of skills to succeed in this writing class and beyond.