Lowe McManus

A basic premise of my own educational philosophy is that there is a cognitive link between reading well, thinking clearly, writing proficiently, and responding ethically, but I also try to make sure the student realizes some elements of this on his or her own.  With a focus on real world exploration, I expect the writing classroom to share responsibilities between the teacher and the student, responsibilities that include developing an appreciation for subject matter, promoting an independence of inquiry, and gaining a confidence in handling standards of writing situations.  At the same time, I want my classes to take upon themselves the task of appreciating their own creativity.

Whether we work in groups, do peer-work and evaluations, listen to lectures or observe performance engagements, view videos of a writer’s humorous frustrations or test the skills of juggling ideas in synthesis, I always try to leave space for the students themselves to come to grips with ideas, theories, and recognitions, and feel a sense of personal achievement in having done so.  My goal is to set out for them, to whatever extent possible, the idea that they are involved in something wonderful as they undergo the process of exploring ideas in others’ and their own writing.