Published February 15, 2025 by

Mama Mia, Here We Go Again

Hello and welcome to midterm week in the 2025 winter quarter:

A gif of all four members of ABBA grooving (two people in all white outfits dancing on the left side of the gif and the center person playing a guitar, and one person on the right side of the gif, playing the piano) to their 1975 hit, "Mamma Mia."
A gif of all four members of ABBA grooving (two people in all white outfits dancing on the left side of the gif and the center person playing a guitar, and one person on the right side of the gif, playing the piano) to their 1975 hit, “Mamma Mia.”

Initially, I opened this message with an exclamation point and I had to delete it. 

Rhetorical choices and whatnot. 

I’m not in a very “exclamation point” kind of mood.  

Unless those exclamation points signify yelling. 

Out of fear and anger and powerlessness. (Oh, and if that yelling takes place deep on the inside because you’ve got so many tabs open in life and on your device and you have bills to pay, same, bb. ♥️)*  

So, while I can only speak from my positionality as a bigger, queer, and first-gen Chicana, who is also “a childless cat lady,” I might “meme” it out and send you clunky Google forms that could use some re-working, and I’m yellingcryingfreakingout on the inside. 

And I’m still here.

And, you, the one reading this blog instead of doing whatever else–good on you for taking a break–you’re still here, too. I’m so glad you are. 

Without further ado, thank you to my wonderful Teaching Team (TT) homies (oh yeah, we’re going there): for their brains, brilliance, and bravery. 

And, many thanks to you, dear colleague for your time. I hope the dates are useful, the faculty spotlights are enjoyable, the teaching tools inspire you, and the memes make you crack a smile. 

Suerte y salud hoy y siempre, 

Lara

*Real talk here: including this parenthetical twists my stomach in all sorts of shapes and I’m going to leave it because I believe it’s important to yell–in whatever form and especially “from the margins” (and here’s a lovely read about bell hooks by Crystal Wilkinson for you).

Important Dates: 

Mark your calendars for the following events:

  • Douglass Day (3-7 p.m, Tuesday, February 18): From the website: “Each year, we celebrate the chosen birthday of Frederick Douglass on February 14th. During our celebrations, we join forces at locations around the world. We work together to transcribe an online collection of Black history and culture. We aim to make Douglass Day open to everyone. Our planning team offers guides to help you learn how to transcribe or how to bring Douglass Day into your classroom. Douglass Day makes a real difference. We help create new resources for everyone to learn about Black history. … Douglass Day is a collective act of radical love for Black history.”
    • Join our own WP faculty member, Alexandra McCourt, and her writing students in HUM 1, 202 from 3-7 p.m. 
    • Stop by for all or part of the time. There will be cake! 🎂
  • WP Disability Reading Group: Cure Rhetorics (12-1 p.m, Thursday, February 20):
    • Framing questions for discussion:
      • How do writing courses invite, tolerate, and resist rhetorics and pedagogies of cure and overcoming? 
      • What does it mean to resist fixing/curing students and/or their writing in writing courses? What does it mean to allow students to develop as writers and be unwell?
      • What does resisting cure/overcoming mean for writing faculty?
    • Readings:
  • Teaching & Learning Center Events Calendar: “The Teaching & Learning Center in collaboration with the Committee on Teaching is pleased to announce that UCSC Teaching Week will be held February 24 – February 28, 2025. Teaching Week is an opportunity to celebrate and elevate the innovative teaching that is happening at UCSC in support of our shared goals of equity-minded and transformative learning for all of our students.”
  • Tips & Tricks for Teaching Hybrid Writing (on Zoom w/Dev) (12-1 p.m, Tuesday, February 25): This optional professional development opportunity will be held on Zoom!
  • Data and Dashboards for Equity-Based Teaching (WP DEI Workshop Led by TLC) (Thursday, March 6): “Quite a bit of demographic data is available to faculty that may promote equity-based pedagogy and course dynamics. This workshop will focus on data and instructor-level dashboards that Writing Program faculty can use to inform their teaching.”
  • Spring WP Symposium CFP (Friday, April 18): The Writing Program will be holding our annual symposium on Friday, 18 April 2025, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Zoom with an in-person reception to follow in Humanities 210, 2:00 to 3:00 PM.
    • Please fill out the Google From by Monday, 3 March if you are interested.  
    • Since its founding in 1965, UCSC has sought to provide a teaching-focused, liberal arts education often with small class sizes through a humanities-based approach.  As we’ve grown to a more traditional research-based institution the role of the Writing Program has had to adapt to new circumstances.  
    • This year our symposium will ask us to look forward and look back in our teaching and research on Writing Studies. How have we adapted and evolved, as teachers and/or as a program? How do we do things differently from other institutions? What are you doing that is new and innovative? What have you brought back?
    • You may want to talk about theory, curricular or course design, assessment, and activity or assignment design. Or, you may want to think about how you connect with our ever-changing student population.
    • We’ll share how we teach, and what we’re teaching and researching, with the opportunity to cover what’s unique about UCSC. Newer faculty can get a sense of the history and legacy of Writing at UCSC.
    • Submissions are welcomed for a variety of formats: short, ten-minute talks; longer twenty-minute talks; poster presentations; or, join us for  noon roundtable discussion of how the UCSC Writing Program has evolved. 

Community Corner:

The community corner features a timely message from the Writing Program DEI Coordinator, Robin King, Faculty Spotlights, Reading and Podcast Recommendations.

First, that important message from Robin King, Writing Program DEI Coordinator:

Dear Writing Program Faculty,

In light of current national moments, here are a few recommendations of culture to remind us and reflect on why thoughtfulness about demographics continues to be important to the social, professional and academic progress of the university. Some of these selections are older (but not outdated as they reclaim history or discuss overlooked social dynamics) and some are new; some are worth a second look if you have already worked with them.

Documentary: Crip Camp; A Disability Revolution (2020), produced by a graduate of UC San Diego.

Video: Manzanar Baseball Field Restoration, a “work-in-progress video journal’’ (2024); produced by an LA artist affiliated with the 18th Street Arts Center.

Podcasts:

Books

Articles

TV News Report: Democracy Now – “Infinite Hope”: Angela Davis Speaks at 2025 Peace Ball Ahead of Trump Inauguration (January 20, 2025)

I hope that winter quarter is going well for you all, in spite of recent critical events.

Robin

Faculty Spotlights:

This portion of our community corner features faculty spotlights: images and fun facts about our colleagues. A special thank you to those who participated in this round of faculty spotlights: Robin King, Toby Loeffler, and Alexandra McCourt.

Here are the questions they responded to:

  • How long have you been teaching in general?
  • When did you start teaching for the Writing Program (Quarter & Year)?
  • Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 
  • What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 
  • What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? In the world? 
  • What do you like to do outside of teaching? 
  • Any fun facts about yourself? 
  • Do you have any fur, human, or plant babies? 🙂 If so, tell us a little about them.
Robin King standing in between her two sons, Drew on the left and Reed, on the right. Reed is holding his fur baby, name, Robin's grandpuppy. They are standing in front of beautiful red and pink roses growing tall along a light gray wall.
Robin’s Family Photo

Robin:

  • 35+ years
  • Fall quarter 1998, I think. 
  • I teach the Oakes College Food Politics series of classes and Summer Bridge. Over the years I have taught a number of EOP/HSI courses and the Faculty Mentorship (research) writing course, as well as W169 and Oakes Core; I taught journalism at Cabrillo College a long time ago.
  • When I moved to New Jersey from Pleasant, CA where I had been working in corporate America (Viacom Cable TV), I wanted a change in career. So I applied and was hired to teach writing and mass media at Camden County College. A few years earlier I had taught an evening course at Palomar College, north of San Diego, while I worked days at Southwestern Cable TV as a program coordinator for the public access channel. This juxtaposition of work contexts so soon after graduate school made me consider whether I might be more interested in teaching at a university than spending my days working as a business administrator. 
  • At UCSC, it’s a toss up: The Farm and Oakes College Amphitheater. In the world right now: Costa Rica where I spent a lovely week with my extended family in the middle of a rainforest this past year-end holidays. 
  • Yoga and going for walks with friends.
  • I am known in my neighborhood for growing the best roses (St Joseph’s Coat climbing rose and The Stairway to Heaven climbing rose).
  • Two sons and one grand puppy: Drew, 33 years old, partner in an activist consulting organization that works on progressive issues; Reed, 35 years old, intellectual property lawyer for San Jose State University Research Foundation; Reed’s puppy, Calvin, who is 17 months old, mixed-heritage but mostly Rhodesian Ridgeback.

An image of Toby, who is wearing a hat, glasses, a black t-shirt, grey shorts, and brown hiking boots, standing next to and operating a machine that presses apples.
Toby Pressing Apples

Toby:

  • I’ve been teaching for over thirty years now, since 1993, when I began as a graduate student. 
  • My first quarter at UCSC was the fall of 2008. 
  • I began at UCSC teaching sections of Stevenson College’s core course. After that, I taught College Nine’s core course for many years. 
  • Teaching is what I always wanted to do. I had many excellent teacher/mentors when I was younger and they got me started on this path. I actually grew up in Santa Cruz Country but left for college and never really thought that I’d end up returning to teach here. 
  • My favorite spot at UCSC is probably the Alan Chadwick Garden. It’s hard to say what my favorite place in the world is, but it might be my garden or any place where my wife is. 
  • Other than reading, I like to cook and bake. I’ve been baking bread at least weekly for over 20 years now, mostly sourdough loaves, bagels, and pretzels. I also cycle quite often and have been commuting to campus by bike, rain or shine, for over 16 years. If you’re out early on Saturdays, you might see my wife and me zipping around town on our tandem. 
  • My wife and I make hard cider, apple with a touch of quince, yearly. On the first of the year, we bottled about 15 gallons. It’s resting now, and we’ll be testing it out in early March. 
  • We don’t have any human babies, but we do have a garden and a small urban orchard of 25 apple trees, mostly heirloom varieties, along with citrus, pear, sour cherry, plum, aprium, and pluot trees as well as enough olallieberry plants to make jam and a pie or two
An image of Toby's beautiful and lush garden against a backdrop of soft, puffy clouds spread across a blue sky.
Toby’s beautiful and lush garden against a backdrop of soft, puffy clouds spread across a blue sky.

Alexandra:

An image of Alexandra in the middle of her husband on the left, and her daughter, Marya, on the right.
Alexandra’s Family Photo
  • I used to teach for the First Year Writing Program at North Carolina State University and I used to teach English as a Second Language at Durham Technical Community College.
  • I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was 5 and I taught my brother how to say his first word (Apple).
  • My favorite spot at UCSC is the quad by the humanities lecture hall. I love watching the changing of classes and hearing snippets of conversations from passersby. My favorite place in the world is Glasgow.
  • I make homemade mead and I love to cook with my daughter and nieces .
  • I speak Portuguese (even though I sound like a gringa lol), I can relate everything back to Grey’s Anatomy, I used to be a pharmacy technician.
  • I have a daughter, Marya Eduarda. She’s 12 and the best human being I’ve ever known. I have two nieces, Emelia, 3, and Giulia, 2, and they call me Titi.
  • I am working on developing my theoretical framework for a case study proposing the correlation between attendance and performance in writing classrooms post-pandemic. If you are interested in learning more about my framework, or would potentially like to pilot the framework, please email me and we can talk about it more. I will send an announcement out towards the end of the quarter, as well.
Sammy the Slug enjoying a sunny day by reading a book on a lounge chair.
Sammy the Slug enjoying a sunny day by reading a book on a lounge chair.

Reading Recommendations:

Do you remember that Google form I sent out at the beginning of this quarter? Well, in addition to soliciting memes/gifs, I also made the following requests:

  • Is there a short review of something you recently read or a short summary of a workshop you recently attended?
  • Maybe you didn’t recently read something or attend a workshop, but you listened to a podcast that was particularly enlightening. Feel free to share the title of the episode here!
  • Finally, perhaps there is a new teaching tool that you think we, your life-long-learner WP colleagues would love to read and learn about and/or attempt to implement in the classroom, let us know!

Thanks to Dev for the following reading recommendation for a review from The Washington Post for the book, All Fours by Miranda July.

Sammy the Slug, in a red pullover hoodie, sits at their laptop, which is decorated with various UCSC and CA stickers the redwood trees in the background. Sammy is listening to something as evident by their headphones .
Sammy the Slug, in a red pullover hoodie, sits at their laptop, which is decorated with various UCSC and CA stickers the redwood trees in the background. Sammy is listening to something as evident by their headphones .

Podcast Recommendations:

Thanks to Dev and Brij for sharing their podcast recommendations. And a special shout-out to Roxi Power on her podcast, “The Hive Poetry Collective”! Roxi shares that her “most recent show discusses the anthology [she] just co-edited that was published last month, Winter in America (Again: Poets Respond to 2024 Election. We’ll have some upcoming launches: San Francisco 3/1, Los Angeles 3/7; Bookshop Santa Cruz, 4/1; Satori Arts Santa Cruz, 4/25. All at 7pm.)”

You can find additional recommendations below:

  • From Brij: 
    • Babbage The Economist’s podcast on tech has a good episode critical of AI.  (I didn’t know they spell it “sceptical” across the pond)
    • East Bay Yesterday: “a podcast about yesterday that’s not stuck in the past”; a very well-researched and produced podcast about Oakland, Berkeley, etc., that focuses on everything from the Key System trains that used to run to SF, to the Lesbian Archives, to KPFA, to the Berkeley City Dump (where I used to marvel at “the pit”).  The stories are multilayered and entertaining.  E.g., who knew one African American family from Oklahoma ran the Berkeley City dump? 
    • The Economics of Everyday Things  from Freakanomics Radio: “Who decides which snacks are in your office’s vending machine? How much is a suburban elm tree worth, and to whom?  How did Girl Scout Cookies become a billion-dollar business? In bite-sized episodes, journalist Zachary Crockett looks at quotidian things and finds amazing stories.”
A Sammy the Slug classroom with three slugs, two of which are raising their hands and one of whom is wearing glasses.
A Sammy the Slug classroom with three slugs present. Two of the slug students are raising their hands and one is taking notes with a pencil and notebook.

Teaching Tools:

What Do You Meme?

Welcome to the silly send-off section: the memes. Enjoy!

Some context: this quarter I’m teaching W1 on the M, W, and F schedule. After the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and that other thing that took place that day, I came to Wednesday’s class a bit unsure how to hold space for students–if they even wanted that option.

I did so and in my style, meaning, with memes. The memes helped diffuse the deep sense of despair several students were feeling. I even had a few students check in with me after class to share how they had been avoiding any news, social media, and other updates. One student shared that they didn’t even want to laugh or give additional attention to that person’s ascension to the throne but, at the end of the week, they wanted to share a bright spot in the dark. 

In the memes that follow, the first is from the aforementioned student. The second is from Maggie Amis, the third is from Robin King, and the third is from Dev Bose. Thanks for sharing the memes, y’all, and helping to bring about some joy. 

A gif of the muppet, Animal, playing the drums.
A gif of the muppet, Animal, playing the drums.

From student: 

A screen grab of a tweet from The Daily Show with an image of Melania Trump wearing the now-famous hat at this year's inauguration, next to an image of Pizza Hut's logo with the phrase, "No one out-pizzas the Hut."
A screen grab of a tweet from The Daily Show with an image of Melania Trump wearing the now-famous hat at this year’s inauguration, next to an image of Pizza Hut’s logo with the phrase, “No one out-pizzas the Hut.”

From Maggie: “there is plenty of reason to be upset but when those times arise, I need something to change my frame of mind so I can do something about it. This gif/meme (as the case may be) does that for me.”

A gif of a flying lawn mower next to a gorilla's face with the words, "There is no need to be upset," framing the top and bottom of the image.
A gif of a flying lawn mower next to a gorilla’s face with the words, “There is no need to be upset,” framing the top and bottom of the image.

From Robin:

A gif of a cute toddler with a pacifier in their mouth, wearing a pink jacket, jeans, and Maryjanes, who is running away from their shadow in a parking lot.
A gif of a cute toddler with a pacifier in their mouth, wearing a pink jacket, jeans, and Maryjanes, who is running away from their shadow in a parking lot.

From Dev:

A gif featuring actress Eliza Dushku, as her character Missy Pantone, in the film Bring it On (2000). She is tracing a fake tear down her face as she says, "Oh! Tear..."
A gif featuring actress Eliza Dushku, as her character Missy Pantone, in the film Bring it On (2000)

I hope you smiled and maybe some of you even laughed. Whatever your position on the happiness spectrum, I wish you a lovely long weekend and I hope you can enjoy the break from the rain while it lasts!

Grumpy cat frowning with a one-word question, "Rain?" at the top of the image and the response, "I love rain" at the bottom of the image.
Grumpy cat frowning with a one-word question, “Rain?” at the top of the image and the response, “I love rain” at the bottom of the image.

Announcements

Published December 10, 2024 by

The Rhetorical Situation: Our Launch into a New (Academic) Year

Welcome to the fall 2024 edition of our program’s blog, “The Rhetorical Situation”!

My name is Lara and this year marks my second working with the Teaching Team. I’ll be publishing the blog this academic year along with the help of my Teaching Team pals Brenda, Brij, and Ellen.

Before we get to any updates this quarter, I would like to extend a special thank you to the incomparable, creative, brilliant, and kind Lisa Schilz, whose work on the blog I would always look forward to. Lisa’s work created a fun reason to press pause on work to learn about our wonderful colleagues, mark our calendars for important dates for conferences, workshops, or trainings, and to get a great reading (or listening) recommendation from a group of pretty cool humans. Thank you for all your work in curating all of this information that has stitched our community together, Lisa! The Teaching Team and I will be working hard to create an enjoyable break for you from whatever with this blog. We hope you like it!

IMPORTANT DATES TO KEEP IN MIND

  • Learning about “Ungrading”: TLC is organizing an Ungrading learning community in winter 2025. Participants will attend three sessions (Wednesdays 2:30-4:00 p.m. in TLC Lab at McHenry, on January 22, February 12, and March 5). You can learn more about this learning community here. Fill out the interest form by December 13.
  • Writing Program Symposium previously known as the “mini conference” to take place on Friday, April 18, 2025.

Welcome to our Writing Program Community Corner: a place to find moments of connection, opportunities to connect with other faculty and campus community members, and reminders of upcoming community-building events.

  • DEI RESOURCES (From Robin): A campus-wide DEI Resource List for the Writing Program is in the works! For now, please be aware that you are invited to join any campus-wide faculty community, development and support groups. These groups meet regularly and are funded by the CP/EVC    with a goal of engaging and creating conversation among faculty across  ranks and disciplines to improve faculty retention and success. Below you will find contact information for the current affinity groups that are open to interested faculty: 
    • Academic Mothers (chaired by Lindsey Dillon, lidillon@ucsc.edu)
    • Asian American/Pacific Islander (chaired by L.S. Kim, lskim@ucsc.edu)
    • Black (co-chaired by Courtney Bonam, cbonam@ucsc.edu and Myriam Telus, mtelus@ucsc.edu)
    • Disabilities & Chronic Illness (chaired by Megan Moodie, mmoodie@ucsc.edu)                                           
    • Indigenous (chaired by Katie Keliiaa, ckeliiaa@ucsc.edu)
    • Latinx/Chicanx (chaired by Alegra Eroy-Reveles, alegraer@ucsc.edu)
    • LGBTQ+ (chaired by Phil Hammack, hammack@ucsc.edu)
    • Women in STEM (chaired by Rebecca Braslau, rbraslau@ucsc.edu)
  • The Don Rothman Awards Ceremony took place last Friday, December 6 via Zoom. It was first time having the chance to attend and I’m here to affirm what the Rothman Committee and Amy have continued to say: “it’s an incredibly heartwarming way to celebrate the end of the term, with evidence of excellent writing and pedagogy within the Writing Program!” It was such a privilege to listen to these students read their work, hear from their loved ones, and from their faculty mentors: Dina El Dessouky, Lindsay Knisely, and Brij Lunine. Actual image of me tearing up after listening to Dina introduce her student, Roberto Lopez, and then hearing his essay, “Staircases of Longing: The Fear of Change”:
a picture of a woman crying with the words i 'm not crying you 're crying
  • Teaching Circles: The Teaching Team is pleased to invite you to join another round of Teaching Circles for Winter 2025. You can see the description in the survey, but most important to know is that this is a non-evaluative opportunity for sharing and receiving insights into our work and enjoying a chance to build a community around our work, whether it be challenges, triumphs or goals.  If you have any questions, contact Ellen Newberry (esnberry@ucsc.edu).
  • Survey Responses: What follows are responses to a survey I sent to WP faculty on Monday, November 25. I asked everyone the following questions:
    • How have you been holding space for the major political and social changes we’ve experienced this quarter–as educators, citizens, and people?
    • What’s brought you joy about this new academic year?
    • What have you been reading?
    • What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced this quarter?
    • What’s been the most pleasant surprise you’ve had this quarter (inside/outside/beyond the classroom)?
    • Are you setting any intentions (academic and/or personal) for the new year? What are they?

  • RIDING THE WAVES AND HOLDING SPACE BY:
    • Processing with friends and neighbors
    • As Chair, I have been trying to create spaces for faculty to share their ideas and feelings, and I have worked to avoid acting like I have “the answers” (both because I don’t, and because if I thought I did that still wouldn’t be all that helpful)
    • Slumping into borderline depression and digging into work to keep myself from focusing on the next four years. 
    • Keeping in touch with my online network of activist friends.
    • Trying to come up with(and help make happen) community events that are productive and heartening—and that let us give voice to this moment.
    • Listening to Ralph Nader, Robin D.G Kelly and Bernie Sanders
    • A final formal project for W2: assigning students to write auto-ethnographies about social justice and/or trauma.
    • Lots of small and big group check-ins with students around reading NYT news including exercises from Joanna Macy’s book, Active Hope, which helps with both the election and climate change. 
    • In one section, our shares brought forth surprising revelations about the kinds of “manosphere” podcasts several students listen to (Joe Rogan et al.) and how it got them excited about the candidate who won. 
    • I do hold space for any position to be expressed. Privately, I didn’t feel safe then adjusted the exercise so other students who may not have felt safe could decide what to share.

  • SILVER-LININGS (LIGHT IN THE CRACKS): 
    • My students–they’ve been lovely this quarter.
    • Expanding my friend circle, both within and outside of UCSC, has been something that is finally coming to fruition and bringing me joy.
    • I’m teaching Merrill Core this year, as I usually do. The Provost and one of our faculty put in a ton of work over the summer to update/streamline/rethink the course, and the changes are great.
    • Working on the Rothman committee! Meeting with Online Reading Group!
    • Experiencing the activism of some of my students who poured themselves into writing postcards.
    • My 3 pet ducks are as fat and sassy as ever.

  • BOOKWORM VIBES (WHAT WE’RE READING): 
    • Too many political articles and posts! I need to stop doom scrolling!
    • I’ve been steadily working my way through everything Miriam Toews has written. She’s very dark and VERY funny (except Women Talking, which is inexplicably her most famous book).
    • Best reads in the last few months: Straight Acting by Tosh; Season of the Swamp by Herrera; Lightborne by Phillips; The Cautious Traveler’s Guide to the Wastelands by Brooks; The Sons of El Rey by Espinoza; A Last Supper of Queer Apostles by Lemebel; You Dreamed of Empires by Enrigue; Ours by Williams; Wandering Stars by Orange; James by Everett; The Mars House by Pulley; Martyr! by Akbar.
    • Mediocre thrillers and stuff about neuroscience.
    • Too much New York Times. Also, books of poetry by poets I interview on the Hive Poetry Collective podcast. Recently, Excursive by Elizabeth Robinson; The King of Prussia is Drunk on Stars by Marc Vincenz; Mojave Ghost by Forrest Gander.
    • I’ve been working my way through Qiu Xiaolong’s Inspector Chen mystery stories.

  • CHALLENGES:
    • The biggest challenge has been trying to talk to my son (12 years old) about a possible, then a real, Trump presidency.
    • My absolute despair about the direction our country is headed and how many vulnerable people are going to pay a crazy price for the pleasure some people take in the ‘luxury’ of hating.
    • Teaching W2 during fall quarter for the first time in years (decades?). Thanks to colleagues who suggested that the quality of writing is weak probably because many students are retake W2 in the fall after failing it at least once
    • Other than hearing I need spinal fusion surgery… in class, students who don’t show up for class then write asking for ways they can make up [for] the absence. We only meet 10 times in a hybrid class, so it’s like teaching lots of individual classes. In general, this cohort is having a hard time reading guidelines and doing the work. The pandemic generation?
    • Discovering all the creative new ways students are using AI to do their work for them.

  • PLEASANT SURPRISES:
    • The little box of chocolates from North Carolina that my wife gave me for by b’day. She ordered it because she wanted to do some spending in that region after the hurricane. They arrived very late b/c hurricane and collapse of infrastructure, but they were delicious—especially the chocolate stout truffle ones.
    • Reconnecting with an old friend.
    • I had to cut down this huge oak tree in my yard, which I truly loved. (It was diseased and dangerous.) In response, a pineapple guava tree got a LOT more sun and starting blooming like crazy. Also, this week, two rose bushes that are newly sunned are also having their first-ever fall blooms (they previously only bloomed in the summer).
    • New information about demographics and cultures of students at UC Santa Cruz from reading their auto-ethnographies.
    • Being invited to co-edit an anthology of poetry, Winter in America (Again) with poems responding to the election.
    • When a sold-out hotel in Palo Alto messed up my hotel reservation and I ended up sleeping on a cot in an “emergency” room, the hotel manager fully refunded the $800+ room charge when I complained.

  • NEW YEAR INTENTIONS:
    • I don’t think I’m there yet. Last year my intention/resolution was to watch more Nicolas Cage movies, and I did that (though I could do more!). I plan to come up with something equally silly for 2025.
    • Eat fruits and vegetables, take walks, don’t live too much inside my mind, keep working to see beauty and give thanks.
    • My intention is to not get so busy, as I did this quarter, that I stop attending yoga class multiple times a week.
    • Spending time with my daughter before she graduates from high school. Lots of physical therapy and health management to prep for spine surgery. Continuing to try–not easy–to simplify my courses to accommodate the new cohort of students who are struggling. Trying to find time over winter break to work on my book. Being thankful for community to face the coming political changes.
    • Keep a list of every book I read in 2025.

  • Faculty Profiles: The Teaching Team is continuing with the tradition established by the Pedagogy Development Committee (PDC) where Lisa Schilz would send along Google forms to solicit questions from new and continuing faculty. This quarter, to facilitate a smooth transition to the Teaching Team taking point on sharing faculty profiles, Brenda Sanfilippo, and I, Lara Galas, have participated in our version of the survey to share some “fun facts” about ourselves. I look forward to reaching out to WP faculty to get your responses for next quarter’s introductions. Here are the questions Brenda and I responded to:
    • How long have you been teaching in general?
    • When did you start teaching for the Writing Program (Quarter & Year)?
    • Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 
    • What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 
    • What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? In the world? 
    • What do you like to do outside of teaching? 
    • Any fun facts about yourself? 
    • Do you have any fur, human, or plant babies? 🙂 If so, tell us a little about them. 

  • Brenda:
    • Since 2003, when I was a graduate student teaching German at UCLA.
    • I was a GSI for Writing 2 beginning in 2012. I became a Lecturer in fall 2014.
    • I teach American war literature classes; a class on supporting student veterans for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and a writing workshop for the Dickens Day of Writing every year.
    • Initially, I needed to support myself in graduate school and after I completed my PhD. I wanted to keep teaching because I love learning and love being in a community of learners.
    • I love to travel. My favorite spots to travel are Japan, Bora Bora, and Paris. I am happy anywhere in the Monterey Bay area.
    • I love the Golden State Warriors and watching K-dramas. I also really love musicals.
    • I used to be a singer when I was much younger. In high school, I sang the National Anthem with a small group at a Dodgers game. I lived in Italy for several years. I love learning languages. I’ve studied German, Italian, French, Russian, and am now working on Korean and Japanese.
    • Yes, I have two children. Noah is 17 and Charlotte is 8. I also have a yellow Labrador named Arrow. I’ve been married for 21 years.

  • Lara:
    • I’ve been teaching since the fall 2016 quarter as a GSI for the Writing Program–where does the time go?!
    • Since the fall quarter of 2017, I also taught at the core course for Cowell College until last year. I’m now full-time with WP–yay!
    • I always share with my students that despite my enthusiasm as their instructor, I didn’t always want to teach. In fact, I started my PhD program thinking I was going to lead a lovely and solitary life in the archives. And, then, I started being a TA. In the fall 2013 quarter, I was a TA for a nineteenth-century American fiction course–something right in my wheelhouse of interests. Learning from the more experienced TAs–and the professor–but, especially the TAs–I fell in love with teaching. In fact, our own Lisa Schilz, whose praises I’ve already sung with her mad blogging skills, was one of those experienced TAs who never hesitated helping out a fellow grad student. I was so inspired by her wisdom and passion for teaching. I learned how to take up space in front of the classroom facilitating conversations and learning with students–something I’ve never forgotten. Thank you, Lisa! 😭 
    • This campus has SO MANY of my favorite spots like the Oakes College Mural Room, the Gloria Anzaldúa study room and altar in McHenry Library, and the rock garden in Pogonip. I’m from UT so I’m always up for exploring desert and mountain spaces. I also love to travel and hold several places from around the world close to my heart like the Reading Room at the British Library, the Plaza de las Tres Culturas en Tlatelolco, Mexico City, and a remote spot at Machu Picchu where I cried tears of gratitude for surviving my 3-day trek and tapping into my inner strength.
    • I have an-almost 5-year-old cat named Sammy after my brilliant and kind undergrad mentor, Dr. Wilfred Samuels. The name is the only thing that connects these two because Sammy the cat, while perhaps brilliant, is mostly mischievous, cuddly on his terms, and always down to trick you into rubbing his belly so he can give you a “love bite.” 
    • I also enjoy tending to my little potted herb garden with lavender, cilantro, rosemary, and oregano. I also have two indoor plants–my office plant, which I realize now has no name, and Doña Pelos (yes, Mrs. Hairs), who brightens the corner of my living room with her full beautiful palm leaves.

Did you know there’s an entire UCSC website dedicated to Sammy the Slug illustrations? Well, now you do and that’s where I got the images to decorate our community corner; I hope you enjoyed them!

This section of the blog, Teaching Tools, offers resources for you within and beyond the classroom. If you have a tool that you’d like to share, please email me (lgalas@ucsc.edu) the name of the resource, a description of it and how you use it, and anything else you think we need to know about the resource.

  • DesignPlus (From Heather): Are you feeling like your Canvas is a little boring? Is everyone sick of the vertical scroll? Do you need a fast and easy way to make updates? Check out this new tool!

WK 6 Homepage in Heather's Fall 2024 Writing 2 course hosted in Canvas.

  • More on DesignPlus from Heather:
    • To create this page in Canvas, I (Heather) adapted a premade DesignPlus template. The result is a summary/schedule Canvas homepage with links to key aspects of the course. At the bottom is an accordion menu (not expanded in the image) that lists the work due that week and links students to those assignments. Every Friday, I replace this page with a new one. That way, when students click on “home” in Canvas, they are offered immediate context for their upcoming work. 
    • DesignPlus is far easier to use than the normal Canvas interface. Easy-to-add features like accordion menus allow students to control the amount of information they see at one time—helpful with lists or text-heavy pages. And DesignPlus helpfully prompts me to attend to accessibility issues like heading levels and alt text. 
    • I and a few other people attended several hour-long training sessions in June 2024 (available here). These lessons were immediately applicable—so much so that I was able to use them to quickly spruce up my Canvas shell ahead of the start of Summer Session. I highly recommend it!If you want to learn more about DesignPlus, here is the cidilabs website and Themes Gallery. You can also reach out to Dana Conard (dconard@ucsc.edu) at UCSC for assistance or ask faculty who are using it, like Heather, Brenda, Terry, and Taylor.

  • Teaching Workshop Write-Up (From Brenda):
  • In October, Robin Dunkin, Noori Chai, and Roxanna Villalobos of the Teaching and Learning Center presented a timely workshop on “Preparing for Critical Current Events in the Classroom.” 
  • Critical current events can bring up feelings of fear and anxiety in both faculty and students, making it difficult to teach and learn. The workshop focused on ways to respond to hot moments and difficult conversation as well as how we can show up for each other as a community.
  • If recent events have made you anxious in the classroom, please check out the workshop materials. You can access the workshop slides, resources page, and other materials in the Google Folder here. There is also a TLC page on difficult conversations.

What do you meme?

This last section of the blog–What do you meme?–is a place dedicated to silly fun in the form of memes. My hope is that in the future the next blog writer will fill the space with their version of silly fun. 

One icebreaker I’ve used with students is asking them to bring in their favorite memes, printing them out, posting them on the walls around the classroom and asking them to stand by their favorite memes. Then, I ask them to discuss what’s funny about it–and, as we progress through the quarter–I ask what they think the rhetorical situation of their meme is. I hope this anecdote underscores the importance of learning via play. 

Anyway, enough of my thoughts, here’s the meme that changed my life by lighting a fire under my butt one quarter. Thanks to Amy for sending it along and forever changing my relationship to grading! (See, memes are powerful means of communication!)

Be on the lookout for another Google form from yours truly asking you for your favorite teaching/learning/education-themed memes. 

Bring on the laughs and we wish you all the best of luck as we wrap up this quarter and this year! Peace out, 2024!

Announcements

Published June 12, 2024 by

The Rhetorical Situation: End-of-the-Year Wrap-Up

 

Spring Quarter 2024

Dear Writing Program Faculty and Staff,

The PDC wanted to take the time to thank you all for your dedication to our students and program. As a way to wrap up this intense year, we are celebrating our small joys. Thank you to all who participated in the end-of-the-year survey. We wish you all wonderful summers.

Lisa Schilz, PDC Chair

Steve Coulter

Dina El Dessouky

Contents

  • Favorites Books, Podcasts, Movies, and TV Shows
  • Summer Anticipations
  • Accomplishments

2 books open with shelves of books in the background.

Favorite Books, Podcasts, Movies, and TV Shows  

Elizabeth Abrams

Maggie O’Farrell, Hamnet. Also her book The Marriage Portrait.

Maggie Amis

Favorite book: April Daniels Dreadnought; Most amusing interesting podcast: KillJamesBond!

Dev K. Bose

Bridgerton, The Bear, and Yellowjackets were my favorite TV series this year.

Gail Brenner

Necessary Trouble: Growing up in Midcentury by Drew Gilpin Faust.

Steve Coulter

This is Happiness by Niall Williams.

Dina El Dessouky

Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death.

Joy Hagan

I ❤️ the Indigenous film and TV renaissance. Marvel’s Echo is completely phenomenal! Although Echo suffered under right-wing cancel culture and was unpopular with Marvel’s audience demographic, you should judge for yourself. Season 3 of Rez Dogs has a delightfully non-Western story structure. Although my favorite individual episodes are in the earlier seasons, the arc of season three is exceptional.

Daniel Joesten

The novel Desperation by Stephen King. My dad passed away earlier this year and he was a huge King fan. It has been ages since I had read any of his books. It was a great way to feel close to my dad and read a really cool story.

Robin King

Elsbeth

Madeline Lane-McKinley

I’ve devoured Karina Longworth’s Hollywood history podcast You Must Remember This — and am desperate for a new season!

Brij Lunine

Book: The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, Shehan Karunatilaka; Film: Chimera.

Joseph Navarro

Language and Symbolic Power by Pierre Bourdieu.

Sara Nuila-Chae

I read Crying in H Mart this year (memoir). It was really moving, but super depressing.

Tina Osborne

So many…. good books about ADHD and anxiety to help my kids; historical fiction by Ken Follett; books for DEI; and books and movies about Alcatraz. 🙂

Sarah-Hope Parmeter

The Ghost Theatre; Three Fires; The Ice Harp; You Dreamed of Empires

Roxi Power

Fiction: Crossroads (Jonathan Franzen); Poetry: In a Few Minutes Before Later (Brenda Hillman); Criticism: A Long Essay on the Long Poem (Rachel Blau DuPlessis); Podcast: All the interviews at hivepoetry.org!

Kae Roybal

Either the Three Body Problem trilogy, though I think I actually finished it last year… and The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin (which I bought at Two Birds!).

Terry Terhaar

I read classic mysteries/detective stories in my spare time. Heywood Hill sends me a box (they select) every year and I’ve discovered some new gems! But I most enjoyed a piece of travel writing called The Salt Path. A “must read” for a walker like myself!

Amy Vidali

A few weeks ago I heard Michael McDonald interviewed on Fresh Air and fell in love with him (again?). I keep forgettin’ how awesome he is!

Tiffany Wong

The recent special three-part series on the Challenging Colonialism podcast by Martin Rizzo-Martinez and Daniel Stonebloom is phenomenal. Their podcast in general is excellent for anyone interested in indigenous Californian history: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/challenging-colonialism/id1612580017

5 multi-colored adirondak chairs lined up on the beach, facing the ocean.

Summer Anticipations 

Elizabeth Abrams

My tomato, plum, and apple harvests, and more veggies from the garden! More reading. Some college-related work.

Maggie Amis

Plums, glorious plums.

Dev K. Bose

Spending most of my energy on teaching and writing.

Gail Brenner

After a year apart, visiting son Josh in Pasadena & our engaging chats, walks, dining. Strolling stunning Huntington Gardens & LA Museums. Having time to write, think, garden, relax.

Steve Coulter

I will be teaching Writing 2 again in Ireland for 5 weeks in June and July. This year my wife Rachel Goodman will join me there to teach a podcasting course for Crown College. Then we are off to the Pacific Northwest for hiking and music campouts.

Dina El Dessouky

My kids finally meeting their other grandmother who is traveling from Europe.

Joy Hagan

No Zoom! (At least, very little Zoom. By contrast to the end of Spring, it might as well be none at all!) Catching up with some family I haven’t seen in over a decade.

Daniel Joesten

Spending time with my family! My wife started a new job in the fall as a special needs school nurse and this is the first time we have the summer off with our kids.

Robin King

Hanging out with friends and reading novels. Going to visit a college BFF in New Port Beach soon, before Summer Session begins. First I plan to stop by Two Birds to get a few books.

Madeline Lane-McKinley

Camping trips!

Brij Lunine

Some free time, seeing kids visiting from college, camping, remodeling our kitchen, warm weather.

Sara Nuila-Chae

I am looking to R&R!

Tina Osborne

Time to catch up on life.

Sarah-Hope Parmeter

Getting enough sleep

Roxi Power

Annual road trip through the long empty spaces of NE and WY to CO. Family trip to Hawaii. Working on two books.

Kae Roybal

Annual road trip through the long empty spaces of NE and WY to CO. Family trip to Hawaii. Working on two books.

Terry Terhaar

A vacation.

Amy Vidali

Not having to hear about middle school. And my van.

Tiffany Wong

Rest.

A woman, holding her hands up above her head, stands on top of a summit during a sunset.

Accomplishments 

Elizabeth Abrams

Engaging in life outside of campus: planting a garden, renovating house, upholstering furniture. Watching my daughter transition to 4-year college. Serving as a trusted adult for beleaguered Hillel students.

Maggie Amis

Grew some riotous poppies on my sidewalk garden border.

Dev K. Bose

I have an article which was nominated to be in Parlor Press’s Best of Rhetoric and Composition. My kid is getting more comfortable in the water.

Gail Brenner

Getting myself and students through challenging spring term ’24; seeing my book on the shelves at Bookshop Santa Cruz; also following the growing success of son, Josh, reinventing himself in the LA music scene as promoter & band photographer.

Steve Coulter

I’m happy to be reducing my teaching and easing into retirement. I’m super excited about having more time to play music. I have a new duo project, myself on Celtic harp and an old friend on archguitar (something like a lute) recording a mix of Renaissance and Celtic music. And I love playing double bass in our Americana band, The Coast Ridge Ramblers.

Dina El Dessouky

Surviving! Volunteering a few times to coach Black Surf Santa Cruz! A successful Merit Review (Phew)! And watching my kid confidently deliver a speech at their promotion to middle school!

Joy Hagan

Despite a challenging couple of years, we made great progress restoring native habitat on the slope behind our home. It drains to a riparian area on Bear Creek upstream of the San Lorenzo River confluence. We’ve been rewarded with Pacific giant salamander sightings!

Daniel Joesten

Making it through the academic year and getting to know some truly incredible students along the way.

Robin King

Getting started on the WP DEI Coordinator position. Helping a friend get a teaching job for this ay so they could move from NYC to SC. Teaching a successful food politics course.

Madeline Lane-McKinley

My partner and I renovated our attic and now it’s my office. “Mad woman in the attic” jokes abound.

Brij Lunine

Developing Writing 2 curriculum. Keeping my sanity in hard times, helping students as best I can, winning a couple of bike races, helping my mom and kids (“sandwich” times).

Sara Nuila-Chae

Young Rhetoricians Conference is coming this June 20th.

Tina Osborne

Making it through the year!

Sarah-Hope Parmeter

Watching tomatoes grow.

Roxi Power

Publishing a poetry book, The Songs that Objects Would Sing; launch events at Bookshop Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Seattle, Kansas City, New Orleans, along with Neo-Benshi performances. Joined the Hive Poetry Collective and have been making podcasts (interviews with poets about their new books) and am on their Events Committee for local poetry readings at Bookshop Santa Cruz. New poetry book accepted for publication in 2024. Senior Continuing Appointment in the Writing Program (thank you, WP!). My daughter will be a senior next year! Always proud of her.

Kae Roybal

I led Reiki workshops at a local yoga studio, and also successfully completed a move to a new home in the middle of a very challenging term!

Terry Terhaar

I live in Bonny Doon, near the CZU burn scar. State Farm dropped all insurance policies in the area but I managed to get on the CA FAIR plan. It was not easy!

Amy Vidali

I saw my son through the first year of middle school. And I finished an article I had (somehow) been working on for eight years.

Tiffany Wong

Fellowship: Evidence for Equity, Faculty Fellowship Program, The Teaching and Learning Center, UCSC; Fellowship: UCSC’s Global Exchange (Global Classrooms/COIL: Collaborative Online International Learning); Conferences on College Composition and Communication (CCCCs), Grant for Contingent Faculty; Evidence for Equity, Faculty Fellowship Program Conference Grant, The Teaching and Learning Center, UCSC; Global Compassion Coalition: Compassion Corps, Cultivation Compassion Training (CCT) Grant; Presenter: “International Virtual Exchange: Equity and Inclusion for Educators and Students,” NAFSA: Association of International Educators Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA; Attendee: Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) Annual Convention, “Writing Abundance: Celebrating 75 Years of Conversations about Rhetoric, Composition, Technical Communication, and Literacy,” Spokane, Washington; Proposal Reviewer: NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Annual Conference and Expo, New Orleans, LA; Proposal Reviewer: CCCC 2025 Annual Convention, “Computer Love,” Baltimore, MD

 

Announcements

Published May 30, 2024 by

May 2024: Faculty Spotlight

The PDC wanted to continue to spotlight some of our Writing Program faculty! We’re so glad to have you as part of the program! 

 

Madeline Lane-McKinley

Madeline's dog licks her face against a natural backdrop of trees, stones, and moss.
Madeline Lane-McKinley

How long have you been teaching in general? 

I started teaching as a TA in 2008, when I was a Literature grad student at UCSC.

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Before I joined the WP faculty in 2016, I taught as a Graduate Student Instructor for a couple years — Heather taught me Writing 203! I really appreciate that she encouraged me to apply for a job after I got my PhD.

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

For a couple years I was a part of the Porter faculty as well.

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

I love reading, writing, and discussing ideas. Can’t think of a better thing to do with my life than teach! It never gets boring. 

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? 

Chadwick Gardens 

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

I write. And I watch a lot of movies with my kid. And I’m a very slow long-distance runner.

Any fun facts about yourself?

When my book came out in 2022 it was included as one of the best books on comedy by Vulture Magazine. My book was listed between Kevin Nealon’s memoir and a book written by Steve Martin! Kind of a trip.

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

Besides my super rad kid who’s about to be a teenager (!!!!!) I’ve got a couple dogs (Stella and Mona) and a couple cats (Mega and Cosmo). And I’ve acquired way too many houseplants since the pandemic.

Do you have a website (of your art, writing, research, teaching, etc.) that you’d like to share? Or an announcement about any personal publications or presentations you’d like us to make?  If so, please include applicable information below.

I have a book coming out this year which I co-authored with my friend Max Fox called Fag/Hag (Rosa Press). Next year I have a book coming out with Haymarket Press called “Solidarity with Children: An Essay Against Adult Supremacy”.

 

Brij Lunine

Brij, wearing a blue and gray t-shirt, sitting outside at a restaurant.
Brij Lunine

How long have you been teaching in general? 

Over thirty years

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Fall, 1998

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

American Studies, Environmental Studies, Literature, Stevenson, Cowell, Kresge & College Nine, UCSC Extension

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

I had a vague idea I wanted to teach when I was an undergraduate.  I worked at a junior high school before deciding to pursue a Ph.D. in American Studies. We came to UCSC for my wife to get her Ph.D. in literature.  Although Michelle grew up here we didn’t intend to stay.  Michelle ended up getting a CLIR postdoc at Berkeley, she then worked as a librarian for Stanford, Cañada Community College, and is now the head instructional librarian at Cabrillo (where she was a student). 

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? 

Twin Gates–the crossroads where Chinquapin road crosses Empire Grade.

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

Read, bicycle, camp, hike, cook, spend time with my wife and children, work on our continual project of a house. Looking forward to traveling more! 

Any fun facts about yourself? 

Proud Berkeley High School (1986) & Evergreen State College alumnus (1990). I got to see a lot of musicians that I didn’t appreciate at the time but ended up becoming quite influential (Too Short, Digital Underground, Sleater-Kinney, Nirvana in the dorms, etc….Kathleen Hanna was in my core class).  Having moved around the country a lot as a kid I’ve always been interested in subcultures, their histories, and how they form and morph as a response to the dominant culture. 

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

Oscar, 22, lives in Happy Valley and works at Tomatero Farms in Watsonville; Neva, 20, is studying Spanish and Public Policy at UCLA; Burger the cat, 13+, Maine Coon, getting cranky but still full of personality.  Neva will be studying at the University of Barcelona Fall semester, 2024–we hope to visit her in December.

Is there anything else you want to share that would be fun to publish on The Rhetorical Situation?

When I started teaching here twenty-six years ago I thought a) it would only be for a couple of years and b) there was no way I could teach six or seven classes a year.  “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” 

 

Ellen Newberry

Headshot of Ellen, wearing a blue shirt, against a background of greenery.
Ellen Newberry

How long have you been teaching in general? 

Thirty years

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Winter 1997

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

Santa Cruz T-Ball

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

I was about to graduate and wanted to do anything except teach and then took a class from Sarah-Hope Parmeter and decided I wanted to do for students what she had done for our class.

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? Or in the world?

At UCSC: in the redwoods/in the world: near the ocean

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

Go to Giants games and be with family and friends–ideally both at the same time

Any fun facts about yourself?

I have a truly spectacular SF Giants bobble head collection in my office.
Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.
My cat Hank is almost five and has the energy of a kitten. She makes bad days good and good days wonderful.
Is there anything else you want to share that would be fun to publish on The Rhetorical Situation? 
My dad was founding UCSC faculty so there’s been a member of my family teaching at UCSC since the day it opened.

 

Tina Osborne

Tina stands with her family in front of a panorama mountain view.
Tina Osborne and her family at her favorite spot

How long have you been teaching in general?

24 years

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

I was hired about 2 weeks before the start of COVID.

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

I’ve been teaching English at Cabrillo since 2003 and I taught English as a Second Language at various adult schools from 1999 until 2011.  I also taught business English in Germany for a year.

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

I was a banana slug back in 1994 when I fell in love with UCSC. I realized I was meant to be a teacher while hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? In the world?

I love exploring and biking around in the woods behind campus.  My favorite spot in the world is swimming in a lake in a secret place called the “lost sister” to Tuolumne Meadows.

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

I’m usually with my kids – watching them play baseball or water polo or hiking, biking, and playing on the beach with them. When I get me-time, I like to do yoga, read, jog or swim.

Any fun facts about yourself?

My daughter and I are hoping to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco on June 16 – come cheer us on!

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

I have two kiddos. My 10-year-old son, Denali, loves baseball and scaring me with crazy jumps on his bike or scooter.  My 12-year-old daughter, Skylar, plays water polo, loves hiking with me, and is glued to books on tape.

 

Sarah-Hope Parmeter

Black-and-white artistic rendering of Sarah-Hope wearing a backpack and knitting.
Sarah-Hope Parmeter

How long have you been teaching in general?

Since 1982

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Fall 1985

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

Lots of things over the years: Central California Writing Project; PVUSD, SCCS, and various education and credentialing groups, including the Ed. Dept. at UCSC; COSMOS; Summer Bridge.

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

The joy of trying to figure out how someone’s brain works so I can explain a concept to them effectively. I stopped working on a Lit. degree and switched over to focusing on teaching college comp. One of the best choices I’ve ever made.

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? In the world?

My office at Merrill; my (rather chaotic) home.

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

Read, commune with cats, cook and eat delicious food, post-carding for political campaigns, planting veggies in the spring, napping.

Any fun facts about yourself?

Favorite musical genres: Early Music and Metal.

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

Three cats: Darla, who rules the universe and compels us with the power of her mind; Charlie, who is very nervous and loud; Salty, who teaches me about joy every single day.

Is there anything else you want to share that would be fun to publish on The Rhetorical Situation?

Retirement plans: fostering kittens and making dark chocolate barks with savory/spicy ingredients.

 

Nirshan Perera

Headshot of Nirshan sporting a beard and smiling, against a backdrop of greenery.
Nirshan Perera

How long have you been teaching in general?

Since about 2005!

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

As a GSI in Fall 2011!

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

I have taught at Oakes Core since 2012 but I am switching over to just working for the WP starting next year.

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

I did my graduate degree in the Lit Ph.D. program here at UCSC and I applied to be a GSI towards the end. Brij was one of my mentor teachers in Writing 203 before I started teaching as a grad student instructor for the WP! After I graduated, I took a little break but I reapplied to the WP’s lecturer pool around 2017 and it’s been wonderful to be a part of this colleague community!

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? 

I love running in the trails off the fire station–I sometimes get lost!

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

I run, spend time with my kids, and have been learning to surf for some time now.

Any fun facts about yourself? 

I used to be a journalist. I also teach high school English in town.

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

I have two teenagers. My daughter Zadie is going off to college next year! My daughter Zoe loves drama. Both are bookworms.

Do you have a website (of your art, writing, research, teaching, etc.) that you’d like to share? Or an announcement about any personal publications or presentations you’d like us to make?  If so, please include applicable information below. 

This is a piece I wrote recently about my high school teaching: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/862654/pdf

 

Announcements

Published May 10, 2024 by

Writing Program Mini-Conference Wrap-Up

The PDC would like to extend a sincere thank you to all who helped make our 3rd-annual Writing Program Mini-Conference: Lightening Talks Edition a success–particularly our wonderful presenters:

    • Dev Bose
    • Steve Coulter
    • Dina El Dessouky
    • Lindsay Knisely
    • Phil Longo
    • Brij Lunine
    • Joseph Navarro
    • Tina Osborne (with Andrea Seeger)
    • Sarah-Hope Parmeter
    • Brenda Sanfilippo
    • Tiffany Wong

We know that preparing a talk takes time and effort during an already-busy season, and we are grateful for your contributions to our conference and our Writing Program community.

Copies of all shared materials are available in the WP Teaching and Program Archive under the Spring 2024 PDC Mini-Conference Folder.  If you would like a recording of the conference, email Lisa Schilz at lschilz@ucsc.edu.

Screenshot of page one of linked program. Screenshot of page two of linked program. Screenshot of page three of linked program.

Announcements

Published April 15, 2024 by

April 2024: Faculty Spotlight

The PDC wanted to continue to spotlight some of our Writing Program faculty! We’re so glad to have you as part of the program! 

 

Anthony Breakspear Headshot of Anthony, wearing a black t-shirt and big smile, against a white backdrop.

How long have you been teaching in general? 

10 years

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Fall 2015

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

A series of fortunate events: I had many supportive undergraduate mentors who showed me how a pedagogy of liberation could empower a marginalized person like myself to belong in the world. After graduating, I took that agency and went to law school, but quickly realized how much I missed a learning community of collaboration, so I dropped out/flunked out and went to grad school — where I started teaching.

Winston, the beloved pug.
Winston the pug

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? Or in the world? 

Chadwick Gardens at UC Santa Cruz; Mazunte, Mexico.

What do you like to do outside of teaching?   

Throwing clay and propagating plants.

Any fun facts about yourself?

I speak Korean and I’m learning Arabic (if anyone is looking for a language partner)

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

Sadly, we just said good-be to Winston, a pug fur baby who lived 15 wonderful years.

 

Roxi Power

Roxi with her daughter Emma, both smiling into the camera with their heads tilted against each other.
Roxi Powers and her daughter, Emma

How long have you been teaching in general? 

35 years

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Spring, 1999

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

In the past: Crown College, Kresge college, Porter College, Literature, Creative Writing, Community Studies

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

I was brought to teaching, as many are, by the requirements of my graduate school at Cornell for funding.  Then I was brought to it, more like Denise Levertov says in her “Notes on Organic Form” that we are “brought to speech” when writing a poem, by more organic means. Compelled to write from inner provocations. I loved helping students feel the same way–that they were being brought, rather than forced, to write, through their own purposes for which they found pathways in corresponding genres, often trans-genres, they made up to suit these purposes. I’ve been teaching 35 years, and here at UC Santa Cruz, over 25 years. Yikes. I don’t feel that old!

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? In the world?

It changes all the time.  I’m kind of a meadow-with-a-view person, having grown up with the vistas of Wyoming, so Porter meadow and that crazy view of the ocean from the top of the entry meadows: wow!  Now that my office is in the cool new Kresge building, I’m also loving the combination of contemporary architectural lines and the yellow pop of buildings against the soft green forest around Kresge.

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

I love spending whatever time my teenage daughter lets me spend with her before she zips off to college, writing poetry with my friends, listening to jazz, performing Neo-Benshi (live film narration), doing poetry podcasts, going on longish road trips on lonely roads through the Rocky Mountains to clear my mind, kayaking on Lake Tahoe. 

Any fun facts about yourself? 

Um, I hate horror movies. I’ve been trying to practice Mahayana Buddhism since the late 80s, not always perfectly, for sure.  I called myself Steve when I was 5 and really would wear lumberjack boots with the required dresses for holidays in elementary school.  Never owned a Barbie and still confused about the new movie fuss. Sorry (literally) everyone who loves the movie!

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

Emma Joy Power-Perkins is my 17 year old daughter who is the light of my life. Artistic, sensitive soul. On the other hand: our dogs, Shadow and Ollie. Barking, crazed maniacs as far as our neighbors are concerned, but we love them so!

Do you have any personal publications or presentations you’d like to share?   

My new book, The Songs That Objects Would Sing, available at Finishing Line Press, and you can find my (and all of our) podcasts and upcoming Bookshop Santa Cruz Hive Live! Events at https://hivepoetry.org/.

Here’s a clip from a Neo-Benshi on A Streetcar Named Desire at The New Orleans Poetry Festival last year (starts 41.32). 

 

Taylor Kirsch

Image of Taylor sitting on the edge of a sea cliff, smiling up into the sun.
Taylor Kirsch

How long have you been teaching in general?

I started teaching outdoor education with summer camps, field trip groups, recreation trips etc. when I was a teenager.  I also tutored as a teen.  My first classroom teaching experiences were in grad school at UCSC. 

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Winter 2018

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

I’ve taught in the History department and at the UCSC Rec.

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

In general, I’ve always felt deep satisfaction helping other people learn.  It’s a great feeling to grow in knowledge and experience in so many areas of life. Facilitating that for others and learning new ways to do so effectively just never gets old.  Our program has been a really supportive place to do these things.

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? In the world?

This is tough!  I have many favorites.  At UCSC I love the koi pond in the Pogonip, and the bridge leading from Hahn to the Mchenry library, especially on a misty morning.  In the world, maybe Three Rivers, CA.  My family has a special connection to the river there and it’s where I got married. 

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

I love to spend time outside especially near rivers and oceans, hang out with cats and dogs, read, drink tea + cook and eat with family and friends.

Any fun facts about yourself? 

I’m the oldest of six kids and we all grew up with musician parents.  I’m the only one in my family with essentially zero artistic ability. 

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

My house looks like a jungle because I can’t stop adopting plants.  No fur or human babies currently but I’m lucky that nearly all my friends have kids, dogs, and/or cats whom I love dearly.  

 

Announcements

Published March 12, 2024 by

Winter Quarter 2024

CONTENTS:

  • Faculty Spotlight
  • PDC Mini-Conference: Call for Presenters 

 

Faculty Spotlight

The PDC wanted to spotlight some of our Writing Program faculty! We’re so glad to have you as part of the program! 

Sandy Archimedes

Headshot of Sandy, who is smiling at the camera.
Sandy Archimedes

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Spring of 2004

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

I taught College Nine Core for many years, and I was the Writing Coordinator for College Nine between 2004-2018.

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

I went to some wonderfully eccentric alternative schools as a child and adored my teachers. I was so inspired by them and by the supportive environment that I set my sights on teaching and writing … and here I am today!

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? Or in the world?

Being mostly a city girl, walking from my office at Crown through the woods to College Nine (pre-pandemic) was a soul-restoring experience, even during some blustery storms. Besides encountering turkeys, deer, and various other critters, I’ve slogged my way through rain, mud, and rushing rivers — much more energizing than merely walking on the sidewalk!

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

I’m generally interested in anything related to health and well-being, so much of my non-teaching time is spent reading, cooking, doing yoga & meditation, going on city walks (in San Francisco, where I live, but also when we travel), and mostly being with friends and my long-time partner.

Photo of a black, brown, and white cat curled up in her bed.
Christabel

Any fun facts about yourself?

I’m retiring in June!

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

I love animals, and usually have one or two kitties, but sadly, our most recent and beloved fur-baby (Christabel) passed away a few months ago after a long, happy life. She was very affectionate and wanted to be by my side constantly, even when I was trying to work at the computer. There will be other fur-babies in the future (maybe even a pup!), but I’m giving myself a little time before then. 

 

 

Mark Baker

Photo of Mark with a black hat sitting with his arm resting on a railing that is overlooking a pond or pool.
Mark Baker

How long have you been teaching in general? 

About 27 years

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Fall, 1999

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

Yes: Oakes College, HSI (WORD), EOP (Bridge), LALS

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

This, I’m sure, is an evolving and changing list. But in short: I’ve always appreciated those moments when students gain a greater sense of themselves through their learning, when they see their own agency. I always enjoyed being a student, so this has been something that has consistently kept me on that pathway.

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? In the world?

UCSC: the view from the lawn at Oakes! The world: Cadaques, Spain (at least for this moment!)

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

Read, listen to music, cook, outdoor activities, travel, look at architecture, see friends.

Any fun facts about yourself? 

I grew up listening to a lot of punk rock bands in the 80s and 90s, and still listen to many of those same bands today.

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

Yes: Zoe (an 18 year old Persian/Siamese cat)

 

Gail Brenner

Photo of Gail smiling while standing in front of a mainly-blue piece of art and a yellow wall.
Gail Brenner

How long have you been teaching in general?

38 years

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Fall 2015

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

Yes, for the Department of Languages and Applied Linguistics. Outside UCSC, in the past: UC Extension ELI (English Lang. International); ELS (English Languages Services); INTRAX (Int’l. Training and Exchange); Santa Cruz Adult School – ESL Program; Santa Cruz High School – ESL; privately at companies:Silicon Systems, Borland, Seagate. 

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

I’ve always been curious, and from a young age, intrigued with linguistic & cultural diversity (once I found out such a thing existed.) I loved school, and a favorite childhood pastime was “playing school” –  giving little lessons, creating tiny textbooks & exams for my (doll & stuffed animal) students. But the root of what drew me to teaching was my discovery, at age 6, that thousands of languages exist in the world besides the one that I and everyone I knew spoke. This stunning revelation sparked a vast new level of inquiry in my young mind – and, fast-forward, ultimately led me to studies in Anthropology and Education with a focus in ESL. So, here I am today, still “playing school” – for real now – still intrigued and inspired by academic engagement, my (much livelier) students, and my fabulous colleagues. 

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? In the world?

Honestly, I’d have to say that the UCSC campus is one of my favorite spots in Santa Cruz, along with any location in Santa Cruz where one can look across meadows, surrounded by redwoods, out to the stunning expanse of the Monterey Bay. In the world, I’d say Granada, Spain with its multi-ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural history & influences — still very much evident.

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

I love to dance (ballet, folk, or any free-form movement to music); I enjoy various genres of music; love to read, sit in the morning sun with a cup of tea & a good book, especially poetry, which I write a little (with uneven success); and love long weekly phone chats with my son, Josh, who lives in Pasadena. 

Any fun facts about yourself? 

Hmm…ok: For some years I belonged to a Polynesian Dance Troupe; we performed at the welcome ceremony at Crissy Field in SF when the Hokule’a made its first voyage from Hawaii into San Francisco Bay in 1995.

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

The aforementioned lovely son, Josh Harris, and lots of unruly plant babies out in the yard.

Do you have any publications you’d like to share?  

Inglés for Dummies, 2nd ed. (2024); Webster’s New World American Idioms Handbook, (2003); Arco Master the TOEFL, (several editions); Master the TOEFL, CBT, both TOEFL books with co-author, Patricia Sullivan; a few random poems published here and there.

 

Susannah Carney

Picture of Susannah Carney (on the right) and daughter, about midway to the top of Yosemite Falls
Susannah Carney (right) with her daughter

How long have you been teaching in general?

25 years

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

I taught Writing 1 as a GSI in 2003/2004. Then I was hired as a Lecturer Winter 2023.

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

I have taught for years at Hartnell and Cabrillo Community Colleges. I also have taught several semesters at CSUMB.

What brought you to teaching (in general and/or here at UCSC)? 

In general, I love language, think that everyone should understand what it can do and how to use it, and want to keep learning about it forever. Teaching allows me to do that in my work.

What is your favorite spot here at UCSC? In the world?

My favorite spot (that I have been to) in the world is Yosemite.

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

All the outside, open space things: being in/on/near the ocean, mountains, deserts, wildflowers. At home I garden, spend time horsing around with family, and watch period dramas by myself (nobody else wants to).

Any fun facts about yourself? 

I’ve never been a sports fan, but much to my own surprise, I am a Warriors fan. (Really it’s Steph Curry.)

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

We lost our beloved canine family member, Kuma in June last year. I am still grieving. I have 3 human children who are all grown up!

 

Call for Presenters! 

Icon of a yellow lightening boltThe 3rd-Annual Writing Program Mini-Conference:

Lightning Talks Edition

Friday, April 26, 2024, 10am – 1pm 

On Zoom, link to be disseminated

 

In Spring 2022, the PDC inaugurated our first annual Writing Program mini-conference. Over the last two years, WP faculty have shared “recycled” or upcoming writing-related talks or presentations. This has been a wonderful opportunity for our colleagues to share and learn from each other! 

We are looking forward to our third-annual Writing Program mini-conference this spring quarter! This year, we’ve decided to change it up a bit. More information below: 

Spring 2024: WP Mini-Conference Lightning Talk Edition

  • All Writing Program Faculty are invited to give a 10-to-20-minute lightning talk (including time for questions) where you share some aspect of your teaching–an assignment, an activity, a pedagogical strategy, etc.–that you think other faculty members might like to try. 
  • You’ll be invited to bring some sort of artifact (a copy of the assignment, directions, a handout, etc) to disseminate to attendees. 
  • We envision this conference as a time to share all the great work we do in a very low-effort (but Biobib-able) free event. 

Sign up to present here! 

 

Announcements

Published December 14, 2023 by

Fall Quarter 2023

CONTENTS:
  • Faculty Spotlight
  • Teaching Circles

 

Faculty Spotlight

The PDC wanted to spotlight some of our newer Writing Program faculty! We’re so glad to have you as part of the program! 

Headshot of Dev Bose, smiling in front of greenery.

Dev Kumar Bose 

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Fall 2023

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

Currently I’m only teaching here for the UCSC WP (as well as serving on many interesting projects, such as the writing minor) after working in writing program administration at University of Arizona for 9 years. I have also taught professional/technical writing and communication at Iowa State University and Clemson University, as well as dedicated time to teaching first-year writing at community colleges across the country.

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

Outside of teaching, I enjoy hiking, reading, and cooking. I’m also working on a couple writing projects on disability and writing, including a soon-to-be published book by the National Council of Teachers of English.

Any fun facts about yourself? 

I am the proud owner of several instruments, including a 6-string bass, a 5-string bass, and a didgeridoo. I’m not as well practiced as I would like to be, however.

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

My son is currently in first grade and adjusting well to life in a new city. The beach certainly helps! While my dog recently passed away at the ripe age of 18, my partner and I recently began fostering a kitten. We don’t see any beach trips for her in the future, however!

Headshot of Daniel Joesten standing in front of a castle.

Daniel Joesten

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Fall 2018 as a GSI, Fall 2023 as a Lecturer

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

I have taught a world history summer course at UCSC in the past. Since Fall 2022 I have been teaching history at Monterey Peninsula College (World History, Western Civilizations, and U.S. History).

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

I enjoy listening to and creating music (piano, guitar, and bass). I also like to garden, though space is limited in my backyard. I recently resurrected a couple of sad looking crepe myrtle trees by adding some good old fashioned nutrients to the soil. I love playing video games when I have the time. The Legend of Zelda series is by far my favorite. I also like to jog on the wetland trails behind my house in Watsonville.

Any fun facts about yourself? 

I have been to six world capitals (London, Dublin, Belfast, Paris, Ottawa, and San Jose, Costa Rica) but never Washington D.C. I don’t know how fun that is, but I sort of think it’s interesting. 🙂

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

Yes! I have a son, Henry (11 years old), who loves to collect plushies and make gingerbread cookies no matter what time of year it is. I have a daughter, Emma (8 years old) who loves to sing rock music and went to her first rock concert at the age of 6. I also have two cats. Allie is the oldest and spends half the day outside in the backyard catching mice. Luigi is still a kitten(ish) and is more like a dog than any cat I have ever met. I have too many plant babies to count, though my favorite is my Japanese maple.

Image of Alexandra McCourt smiling in between a younger girl and a taller man.

Alexandra M. McCourt

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Fall 2023

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

I have taught at North Carolina State University and Durham Technical Community College.

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

I like to make my own wine and watch Grey’s Anatomy (sometimes at the same time).

Any fun facts about yourself? 

I can speak Portuguese, French, and Spanish.

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

I have a human baby ☺️. Her name is Eduarda, she is 11, and she LOVES candy and Billie Eilish. I have a dog named Dean Winchester and I have three avocado trees that are growing 🥰.

Image of Don Miller , wearing a denim shirt and backpack and standing in front of the ocean.

Don Miller

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Fall 2023 (though I did teach WRIT 26 in Fall/Winter of 2016/7)

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

I also teach courses in Languages and Applied Linguistics (primarily courses toward our TESOL certificate).

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

Hiking/backpacking, trail running, cycling, gardening, photography…

Any fun facts about yourself? 

I’ve been tattooed in the traditional Samoan way–ink made from candle nut soot tapped into the skin with a boar’s tusk.

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

We’ve got two cats. 5-yr-old siblings named Huck and Meimei.

Headshot of Daniel Pearce next to a window.

Daniel Pearce

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Winter 2020 (eek!)

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

Kresge, and before that I taught at Columbia and San Quentin State Prison.

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

Write and play music!

Any fun facts about yourself? 

I play the drums 🙂

Do you have any human, fur, or plant babies? If so, tell us a little about them.

I have a dog Rudy, an adorable chihuahua–terrier–aussie mix—he often sits in my lap during Zooms and will pop his head up to say hi to my interlocutors.

Image of Kate Ross standing on a beach.

Kate Ross

When did you start teaching for the Writing Program?

Spring 2022 (lecturer); I taught Winter & Spring 2019, and Winter 2020 as a GSI.

Have you taught at/do you teach for any other programs here at UCSC besides Writing? For any programs outside of UCSC? 

I also teach at Rachel Carson. 

What do you like to do outside of teaching?

Hiking/backpacking, cooking, reading, cards.

 

Teaching Circles

This fall, the PDC once again facilitated the opportunity for Writing Program Faculty to join a teaching circle. In teaching circles, faculty with similar teaching schedules and modalities are paired so that they can informally talk about teaching–successes, problems, strategies, assignments…. Faculty are encouraged, but not required, to take the opportunity to visit one another’s classrooms (or Canvas sites) in a non-evaluative, low-stakes visit. Past participants have spoken of the positive impact of these connections.

We encourage you all to join a teaching circle in the Winter or Spring Quarter. It’s a low stakes, low commitment way to feel connected and get support in this challenging time of teaching. 

Plus, teaching circles are something to add to your Biobib. We’ll send you a certificate when you’ve completed one. 

Look for an email in the Winter to sign-up for a teaching circle! 

 

 

 

 

 

Announcements

Published June 14, 2023 by

The Rhetorical Situation: 2023 End-of-Year Wrap-Up

Spring Quarter 2023

Contents: 

  • End of the Year Letter 
  • Highlighting our Faculty: 
    • Accomplishments
    • Summer Dreaming
    • Loves of our Lives

End of the Year Letter

Dear Writing Program Faculty and Staff,

The PDC wanted to take the time to thank you all for a great year and for your participation in our professional-development and community-building events. A few highlights:

The 2nd-Annual WP Mini-Conference

This Spring Quarter, the PDC hosted our annual Writing Program “Recycled Writing” mini-conference. For the second iteration of this conference, the PDC wanted to open up the conference to celebrate and highlight all types of writing that we are doing—from pedagogy-focused to independent research to creative writing and journalism. We had the pleasure of having a special keynote speaker, our very own Farnaz Fatemi, the current Santa Cruz County Poet Laureate. (Link here to the schedule and description of presentations.) We look forward to the 2024 conference. 

Thank you to the nearly 30 of you who attended at least some part of the conference!

We especially want to thank all 12 participants for their insightful presentations:

·  Farnaz Fatemi
·  Kim Helmer
·  Lindsay Knisely
·  Madeline Lane-McKinley
·  Phil Longo
·  Brij Lunine
·  Kate McQueen
·  Roxi Power
·  Kae Yuan Roybal
·  Brenda Sanfilippo
·  Heather Shearer
·  Amy Vidali

Teaching Circles

The PDC additionally embarked on a “Teaching Circle” project this year to encourage and facilitate faculty learning from each other through low-time commitment, non-evaluative visits to each other’s classes (online or in-person), the exchange of syllabi and other teaching material, and informal chats on any aspect of teaching for the Writing Program. 

We sent out surveys in Fall, Winter, and Spring to assess interest and gather information to pair up faculty with others with similar schedules and teaching modalities. In the Fall, we had 36 responses with 61% interested in participating. We sent the survey out again in the Winter and received 22 responses with 6 faculty reporting successful meetings the previous quarter, but learned that many of the planned meetings were derailed due to the strike. In the Spring, our survey resulted in 9 responses with 6 faculty reporting successful meetings the previous quarter. In retrospect, although only a small proportion of faculty participated in the program, all of the survey responses on the success of the meetings were enthusiastically positive. 

We will send out another survey for teaching circles in the Fall. Thanks to all of those who helped make Teaching Circles a success this year! 

Open Pedagogy Workshop

The PDC also hosted an online “Open Pedagogy Workshop” at the end of Winter quarter to which we invited those who had participated in the Teaching Circles and anyone else interested in informally discussing our teaching practice. About 20 of our friendly WP colleagues appeared on the Zoom screen. We began with Teaching Circle participants sharing some of their experiences and then moved to two breakout rooms: one focused on ChatGPT, and a second focused on post-pandemic teaching. The discussion was lively, informative, and a great opportunity to talk about all of those things we just don’t have time to address in Writing Program faculty meetings.    

We are so grateful to work within such a wonderful community and look forward to continuing to support professional development and community in the Writing Program next year.


Sincerely,

The 2022-2023 PDC Committee

Lisa Schilz, Chair
Steve Coulter
Dina El Dessouky
Madeline Lane-McKinley
Kae Yuan Roybal

 

2. Highlighting Our Faculty

Accomplishments

Maggie Amis: 

  • Nearly three years ago, in August of 2020, lightning struck, and sparked the fires that burned over 86,000 acres and 1490 structures–including the house we’d lived in for 30 years. The loss was manifold and incalculable. But, now, luckily, I am happy to say we’ve found a permanent house and garden!

“Awesome Coworker”: 

  • Between January and April, my biggest achievement was preventing my life from getting washed downstream. What I’m most excited about is that my immediate family had no life-threatening medical crises during the academic year. (I might have lowered my expectations after the past few years.)

Gail Brenner: 

  • I’m pretty excited about completing the 2nd (& extensively revised) edition of my book, English for Dummies (Inglés para Dummies) — written in English & translated by other folks into Spanish & other languages. (1st ed. 2003). 2nd edition available in August. 

Steve Coulter: 

  • I will be going back to Ireland with 25 students for a 5-week Writing 2 course in Dingle, Co. Kerry. My wife, Rachel Goodman, will be teaching a 2-unit podcasting course.

Kim Helmer: 

  • I was proud to be an invited speaker at TESOL 2023 International Conference held in Portland, OR where I talked about Critical Language Awareness and my Writing 26 Linguistic Landscapes Project. I participated with a former PhD classmate, Estela Ene. We also presented at our FIRST academic conference together 20 years ago (also in Portland) and now in 2023, we were INVITED to speak! Kind of amazing! Also, I was super proud to give two presentations with two of my Writing 26 students: Melissa Hernandez and Adit Mandal.

Kristen Kennedy Terry: 

  • In March, I submitted a manuscript for a monograph on social network analysis and second language acquisition that I have been working on for the last two years. It was recently accepted by the series editors (phew!), so it is now in press. It feels great to have my life back! For family news, my older daughter, Katherine, spent a year studying abroad in France and my younger daughter, Ciara, is finishing her first year at UCLA this month.

Taylor Kirsch: 

  • Things I’m excited about accomplishing this year: Making some key innovations & improvements in my classes & teaching in community with others in the WP.  Taking care of my health better than I did last year. Helping out with my brother’s wedding and my grandma’s 100th birthday celebration!   

Lindsay Knisely: 

  • I won the 2022-23 Excellence in Teaching Award!

Madeline Lane-McKinley: 

  • My book came out in November, and I had a blast on a short book tour promoting it. I also finished a book I co-authored with my friend Max, which will be coming out next year. Lots of writing, gardening, swimming, and cooking too.

Brij Lunine: 

  • Nothing prestigious to note.  I’m happy to have had great classes of Writing students, despite the continued super challenging circumstances. Even though a disproportionate number of our students are having significant problems, I enjoyed supporting them as best I can, and we also had some great times in class. I also enjoyed co-chairing the C committee with Brenda and working with Joy, Mark, & Chris.

Kate McQueen: 

  • I’m excited to report that I am now the holder of the Cowell College Gary D. Licker Memorial Chair, from July 2022 to June 2025. I’m using the resources from this award to work on a book project. This spring I presented some early research at an international literary journalism conference in Poland. I’ll be doing archival work in Germany this summer and fall, and am slated to teach a future Cowell College class related to the project (likely on biographical writing). I hope to reveal a book title for you all soon 🙂

Ellen Newberry: 

  • On April 25 I became a great aunt to the absolutely cutest kid in the word: Camila Rose Balassone. I have already given her a San Francisco Giants onesie.

Tina Osborne: 

  • My 11-year-old daughter Skylar climbed both Yosemite Falls and Nevada-Vernal Falls over Memorial Day. The thunderous waterfalls were epic from all angles!

Sarah-Hope Parmeter: 

  • This year’s accomplishments have been of the avoiding-the-worst-case-scenario kind. We made it through four potential flooding evacuations this winter, along with all three cats. Our home and one of our two cars made it through intact, which is an excellent result given what many have been dealing with. In the fall, I took a fall, put my teeth through my upper lip and had fractures below both elbows, but I did not break glasses/teeth/nose, which strikes me as pretty darn felicitous overall.

Roxi Power:

  • Poetry book to be published August 2023:  The Songs That Objects Would Sing.
  • Panel accepted at Associated Writers and Writing Program Conference, Seattle, March 2023:  Rhizomatic Literary Communities: from the Local to the National. 
  • Invited to perform my Neo-Benshi show of A Streetcar Named Desire at New Orleans Poetry Conference, April, 2023

Heather Shearer: 

  • ​​I became a rider-of-bikes.

Tiffany Wong:

  • UCSC Global Engagement Collaborative Online International Learning/Virtual Exchange (COIL/VE) Travel Award
  • Humera Foundation Contemplative Award
  • Cultivating Compassion Daylong with another 8-week Cultivating Compassion Training (CCT) being offered Fall 2023, September 5 through October 24, Tuesdays from 6-8pm.
  • BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and Allies Mindfulness and Self-Care Group, Thursdays from 6-7:30pm.
  • “Listening to the Earth, Listening to Each Other,” Half Daylong for BIPOC and Allies, Sunday, June 4th from 9am-1pm (Free/Donation). For the Schedule and Registration visit https://www.watsonvilleinsight.org/
  • Young Rhetoricians Conference, Organizing Board Member and Facilitator, 2023 Conference Thursday and Friday, June 22-23. For Registration visit https://youngrhetoriciansconference.com/ 
  • Designing and Building a Kinetic Sculpture, https://kineticgrandchampionship.com/

Summer Dreaming 

Maggie Amis: 

  • Exploring, and settling into our house–and having my older daughter visit!

Gail Brenner: 

  • Endless days of lounging in a hammock with cool pitchers of ice tea and good books of poetry — mostly penned by my brilliant WP colleagues! Plus, a long-awaited visit to my son in L.A. & aimless meandering through Pasadena’s exquisite Huntington Botanical Gardens (ahhh, just doing nothing!) Wishing you all a happy summer!

Steve Coulter: 

  • I will be going back to Ireland with 25 students for a 5-week Writing 2 course in Dingle, Co. Kerry. My wife, Rachel Goodman, will be teaching a 2-unit podcasting course.

Joy Hagen: 

  • Sewing ribbon skirts

Kim Helmer: 

  • Going to Crete, Greece with an old friend with whom I did my UC EAP study abroad in Padova, Italy in 1986-87! I was at UCLA and she was at Berkeley.

Kristen Kennedy Terry: 

  • Sunshine and drinking coffee on my front porch!

Taylor Kirsch: 

  • Spending time in nature 🙂 

Madeline Lane-McKinley: 

  • Looking forward to doing some camping and berry-picking, and finding some new swimming holes!

Brij Lunine: 

  • Camping in the Sierras!  A trip to Lassen and then Bend, OR with old friends to stay with other longtime friends. Free time!  

Kate McQueen: 

  • Travel! Books! Hiking! Writing! 

Ellen Newberry: 

  • Going to as many Giants games as possible.

Tina Osborne: 

  • I’m most excited about our 10-year dream of taking my little boy Denali to see his 20,310-foot-tall namesake, Mount Denali.

Sarah-Hope Parmeter: 

  • Teaching Merrill 1A and getting a sense of the college’s entering class. Also cats, knitting, books.

Roxi Power: 

  • My sister’s museum art retrospective in Provincetown; writing; review prep (haha!).

Kae Roybal: 

  • Going to a couple meditation retreats.

Lisa Schilz: 

  • Reading, going to the beach, working in my garden.

Heather Shearer: 

  • Early morning bike rides and bird watching.

Terry Terhaar: 

  • Feeding dried bugs to my feather babies. 

Amy Vidali: 

  • Working in the yard! Camping in the trailer with Lyle! Reading fiction!

Tiffany Wong: 

  • Everything! =)

Loves of our Lives…

Maggie Amis: Two of the loves who live with me & George and our daughter Catherine–misbehaving on the drying rack. This is Jasper & Chessie. Maggie's cats Jasper and Chessie on the laundry
Gail Brenner: Thanks to my son, Josh Harris, who kept me sane through the year-long book revision project with his constant good cheer and encouragement. The cover of Gail's book, Ingles for dummies
Steve Coulter: My wife, Rachel, who also teaches College 1 and for Community Studies, has been finishing a recording of her original songs. I worked for many years as a recording engineer, so it’s been fun to be back in the studio playing bass and mixing the CD. Steve's wife, Rachel Anne Goodman, playing guitar
Joy Hagen: On Mother’s day weekend, I love to spend time at the annual Stanford powwow with my family. This 30+ year annual tradition of mine paused for the past four years, so this year it was especially exciting to spend time with my mom, kid, and niblings at the powwow throughout the weekend. The attached photo was taken at this year’s powwow in front of the banner of our Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits friends. In the photo are two of my loves: my kid, Star Hagen-Esquerra (UCSC ’22) and nibling Sequoyah Hagen (aspiring UCSC admit for class of 2030). The future is bright! (And totally adorable, IMHO.) Joy's kid, Star Hagen-Esquerra (UCSC '22) and nibling Sequoyah Hagen smiling outside in front of a sign that reads Bay Area American Indian Two Spirits
Kim Helmer: Ruby is the joy of my life, making me laugh everyday and bringing smiles to all the people we get to meet on our walks. Kim's small tan dog, Ruby, sleeping
Kristen Kennedy Terry: Here are the 3 loves of my life–my daughters Ciara (18) and Katherine (21) and my husband Mark (ageless) in Venice, 2022. The Terry family, Ciara, Katherine, Mark, and Kristen, on holiday in Venice
Taylor Kirsch: I can’t have fur babies of my own right now, but most of my friends do and that’s almost as awesome!  Meet Luna; believe it or not, this is her smile and it means she’s extremely happy to see you. Taylor's friend's dog, Luna, growling
Madeline Lane-McKinley: My kid Tuli is going to be starting middle school this fall, and I can’t believe it!
Brij Lunine:  Sounds like a holiday letter:  My wife, Michelle Morton, continues to enjoy being an instructional librarian at Cabrillo and VP of the faculty senate.  My son Oscar and his partner finally found a nice rental in Happy Valley and he continues to do arborary and landscaping work both for a company and on his own (if you need anyone…).  My daughter’s finishing a successful first-year at UCLA double majoring in public policy and Spanish.  She’s found community in the track club.  And our 13-year old (?) cat “Burger” is getting pretty mellow.  
Kate McQueen: Kate McQ’s cat Gizmo is generally not amused. But we love him anyway. Kate McQ's long-haired, white and grey cat Gizmo sprawled out in a chair
Ellen Newberry: Hank the cat continues to shred the couch and warm my heart. I love her far more than the couch, so all is good. Ellen's tortie cat Hank hiding behind pillows
Tina Osborne: My 11-year-old daughter Skylar climbed both Yosemite Falls and Nevada-Vernal Falls over Memorial Day.  The thunderous waterfalls were epic from all angles!  Tina and daughter Skylar. Yosemite is in the background. Tina wears a blue shirt, Skylar wears an orange shirt.
Sarah-Hope Parmeter: Our three cats. Darla rules the universe simply by staring at us and emitting vibrational energy. We pick up her signals and obey. Charlie is still the loudest cat we’ve ever shared our home with. Salty, who joined us during the worst of COVID, continues to be both independent and affectionate. A delight in every way. Also reading and knitting. (Pictured: Salty Petunia.) Sarah Hope's black and white cat Salty Petunia inspects some vegetables outside on a table
Roxi Power: My 16 year old daughter, Emma, won the Chemistry and Art award in her high school, and she’s so excited for summer!
Kae Roybal: This is my 14-year-old Bluepoint Siamese cat, Isis. She’s a plump beauty who’s afraid of the outdoors. Obsessed with food, chin scritches, and Star Trek. Before feeding time she likes to spend several minutes running around the kitchen island in a clockwise direction.  Close-up of Kae's bluepoint Siamese cat, Isis
Lisa Schilz: My 3 rescue pugs at their favorite place, Blacks Beach (from left-to-right): Henry is blind and deaf and  wearing a “halo” to help him navigate independently without bumping his head; Finneas loves fetching his ball and running in the waves; and Lola likes sitting next to random people at the beach to get petted.  Lisa's three rescue pugs on the beach
Heather Shearer: Me and my trusty Zizzo folding bike. Heather, wearing a helmet, poses with folding bike, Zizzo
Terry Terhaar: My 3 feather babies, Hughie, Dewie, and Louie! Terry's black and white ducks, Hughie, Dewie, and Louie
Amy Vidali: This is Calliope. She fetches like a dog, is fearless, and is a master cuddler.  Amy's tan cat Calliope spreads out on a grey couch
Tiffany Wong: My 9-year-old niece Kaylynn with our two dogs Oreo and Lola. Lola is sitting on Kaylynn’s lap, while Oreo’s snoot is featured below. Tiffany's 9-year-old niece Kaylynn with our two dogs Oreo and Lola. Lola is sitting on Kaylynn's lap, while Oreo's snoot is featured below.

Etc. Faculty Spotlight

Published March 20, 2023 by

ChatGPT Resources – a PDC-curated Bibliography

Assistive Technologies & Chat GPT

In response to the ongoing debates about ChatGPT and higher education, we’ve put together this short bibliography, as well as links to additional resources, for Writing Program faculty.

The goal of this list of articles and resources is not to weigh in on the debates, or to be completist. This list highlights some different perspectives and issues that can help us to form our individual positions as instructors, as we develop pedagogical strategies for how to engage with our students.

  • Susan D’Agostino, “ChatGPT Academics Can Use Now,” Inside Higher Ed, January 12, 2023.
    • D’Agostino focuses on how to integrate ChatGPT into the classroom and invite students into the conversation. D’Agostino emphasizes that we should “channel anxiety over ChatGPT into productive experimentation.”
  • Jordan S. Carroll, “Don’t Blame Students for Using ChatGPT to Cheat,” The Nation, January 20, 2023.
    • Carroll urges academic laborers in higher education to situate the discourse over plagiarism within broader political questions about the future of the university system. The article decenters pedagogical policing, and directs readers towards student-teacher solidarity.
  • Lance Eaton, “Classroom Policies for AI Generative Tools.”
    • This Google Doc resource was created for the purposes of sharing and helping other instructors see the range of policies available by other educators to help in the development of their own for navigating AI-Generative Tools (such as ChatGPT, MidJourney, Dall-E, etc).
  • Victor Tangermann, “There’s a Problem With That App That Detects GPT-Written Texts: It’s Not Very Accurate,” Futurism, January 9, 2023.
    • Tangermann’s research highlights the risks of over-reliance on software like GPTZero: “The numbers speak for themselves. GPTZero correctly identified the ChatGPT text in seven out of eight attempts and the human writing six out of eight times. Don’t get us wrong: the numbers are impressive. But they also indicate that if a teacher or professor tried using the tool to bust students doing coursework with ChatGPT, they would end up falsely accusing nearly 20 percent of them of academic misconduct.”
  • Ryan Watkins, “Update Your Course Syllabus for ChatGPT,” Medium, December 18, 2022.
    • Watkins offers suggestions for how to update our syllabi given the ease of availability of ChatGPT for students, while encouraging faculty “to focus on the value you offer students as their instructor.” He also provides ideas for creative assignments adapted for a classroom with ChatGPT.

 

For more resources, check out this list from CITL, as well as “AI Text Generators: Sources to Stimulate Discussion Among Teachers,” which is a massive list compiled by Anna Mills for the Writing Across the Curriculum Clearinghouse.

Teaching