I love being a teacher. I have experience working with first-year students, non-majors, and non-traditional, career-focused students from widely diverse backgrounds, in addition to teaching and advising majors in the liberal arts. I've also worked in honors education and helped build an interdisciplinary first-year honors program. I've taught two-semester classes, 16-week classes, and online accelerated 8-week classes.
Hear more about my thoughts on teaching in my Oredigger Faculty Spotlight from Colorado School of Mines (excerpt below).
“I became a better version of myself when I stepped into a classroom. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced,” Dr. Burgess explains. From facilitating classroom debates to holding one-on-one writing conferences with students, her favorite part of teaching is definitely interacting with the students. She imagines herself as not a lecturer or a traditional teacher sharing knowledge, but as a facilitator giving a voice to everyone in the classroom and promoting student learning.
Hear more about my thoughts on teaching in my Oredigger Faculty Spotlight from Colorado School of Mines (excerpt below).
“I became a better version of myself when I stepped into a classroom. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced,” Dr. Burgess explains. From facilitating classroom debates to holding one-on-one writing conferences with students, her favorite part of teaching is definitely interacting with the students. She imagines herself as not a lecturer or a traditional teacher sharing knowledge, but as a facilitator giving a voice to everyone in the classroom and promoting student learning.
certifications
I am certified in Applying the Quality Matters Rubric for online classes.
Teaching fellowships

For the 2018-2019 academic year I was a Daniels Fund Faculty Fellow in Professional Ethics at the Colorado School of Mines. My proposal was titled "Teaching Engineering Ethics with Science Fiction" and was based on my interest in merging my background in literary study with promoting ethics and communication across the curriculum in STEM education and in first-year composition. My work led to a publication in Teaching Ethics. View the press release about the Daniels Fund Fellowship HERE.
At the Missouri University of Science & Technology, I received an E-Fellows Program Fellowship to support my year-long work redesigning face-to-face writing courses into fully online sections. I attended seminars in instructional technology and online teaching and researched how to create a sense of presence in the online environment. I published on this work in the Journal of Online Learning and Teaching,
program development
Innovation & Discovery in Engineering, Arts, & Sciences (IDEAS)
From 2016-2018, I helped develop and teach Colorado School of Mines' First Year Honors course, Innovation and Discovery in Engineering, Arts, and Sciences. The theme of IDEAS is "cities and citizenship," and the course integrates engineering and humanities education. Teaching this course is part of my larger interest in exploring innovative, integrated routes to traditional, discipline-based curriculum.
From 2016-2018, I helped develop and teach Colorado School of Mines' First Year Honors course, Innovation and Discovery in Engineering, Arts, and Sciences. The theme of IDEAS is "cities and citizenship," and the course integrates engineering and humanities education. Teaching this course is part of my larger interest in exploring innovative, integrated routes to traditional, discipline-based curriculum.
Teaching Awards & Honors
For the 2018-2019 academic year, I was awarded a Daniels Fund Faculty Fellowship in Professional Ethics at the Colorado School of Mines to support my work integrating ethics into my teaching.
In 2017, the First Year Honors team that I worked on was recognized by the university President at the annual Faculty Forum for creating a “Mines Signature Experience” for our work collaboratively developing the First Year Honors program.
For the 2013-2014 year, I received Missouri S&T's Povost's eFellows Program Award to support my online redesign and teaching of several online courses, with a focus on creating effective and engaging video content.
In 2013, I received Missouri S&T's Outstanding Teaching Award for having one of the highest teaching evaluation score averages on campus.
Missouri S&T's Center for Educational Research and Teaching Innovation also identified me as a “Highly Motivating Instructor” on campus based on data from student course evaluations.
In 2013, I received Missouri S&T's Freshman Engineering Program We Love Your Class Award.
In 2017, the First Year Honors team that I worked on was recognized by the university President at the annual Faculty Forum for creating a “Mines Signature Experience” for our work collaboratively developing the First Year Honors program.
For the 2013-2014 year, I received Missouri S&T's Povost's eFellows Program Award to support my online redesign and teaching of several online courses, with a focus on creating effective and engaging video content.
In 2013, I received Missouri S&T's Outstanding Teaching Award for having one of the highest teaching evaluation score averages on campus.
Missouri S&T's Center for Educational Research and Teaching Innovation also identified me as a “Highly Motivating Instructor” on campus based on data from student course evaluations.
In 2013, I received Missouri S&T's Freshman Engineering Program We Love Your Class Award.
My pedagogical bookshelf
- Tracie Marcella Addy et. al, edi What Inclusive Instructors Do
- Cheryl Ball and Drew M. Loewe, editors, Bad Ideas About Writing
- Ken Bain, What the Best College Teachers Do
- Elizabeth Barkley, Student Engagement Techniques
- John Bean, Engaging Ideas
- Sheridan Blau, The Literature Workshop
- Jose Bowen, Teaching Naked
- Jose Bowen, Teaching Naked Techniques
- Jose Bowen, Teaching with AI
- Brookfield & Preskill, Discussion as a Way of Teaching: Tools and Techniques for Democratic Classrooms
- Peter Brown, Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning
- Elaine Showalter, Teaching Literature
teaching philosophy
My approach to teaching is focused on helping students discover the power of writing and the joy of reading. I believe that teaching is as much about fostering a lifelong appreciation of learning as it is about equipping students for further education. One of my goals as a teacher is to show students that writing is a form of communication and expression that is completely within their ability to learn, use, and enjoy. I encourage students to see themselves as experts on their own lives, and to let their unique voice, style, and experiences reflect in their roles as readers and writers. I show students how reading and writing can be provocative tools for self-reflection, and I value inquiry and curiosity—as well as risk-taking and originality. To put it simply, reading and writing are fun, and I keep this at the forefront of my courses.
My teaching philosophy has developed in response to teaching students who are initially resistant to reading and writing. Some students perceive writing and reading as unimportant, irrelevant, or overly difficult and complicated. They may believe they simply aren’t writers, they will never learn how to write, and they will especially never like to write. Some complain that literature and academic discourse is too tricky or elusive to understand, and that writing seems purposefully rigged with traps and roadblocks in the form of grammar rules and thesis sentences.
Tackling fears and uncertainties begins with modeling an attitude of excitement and passion for the material and finding strategies that seamlessly engage students in writing as an immediately enjoyable activity. I like to get students moving quickly into doing writing and as much as thinking about it. For instance, one activity I have found particularly successful is called “Stand Where You Stand,” which I have adapted from Discussion as a Way of Teaching: Tools and Techniques for Democratic Classrooms by Stephen Brookfield and Stephen Preskill, a book that has been very influential to my teaching. In preparation for the activity, students read about a current debate and write a response taking one of the following positions (or a variation of them, depending on the context): strongly agree, somewhat agree, strongly disagree, somewhat disagree. In class, students group themselves according to their position on the issue. Each student then shares his/her written response, and students can move between groups if they are persuaded by the arguments of their peers. I play the role of moderator as students, from the vocal to the usually shy, become energetically engaged in defending their stance while also listening to the diverse perspectives of their peers. The class ends with a reflection on effective strategies for argumentation and on the power of rhetoric to provoke action and change minds.
I work to build trust with my students, and to show them that I am not looking for them to repeat my own ideas, but to explore and understand their own. I prioritize one-on-one conferencing in my composition courses, and I ask that every student meets with me at least once early in the semester. My writing and literature courses feature interactive lectures, small group activities, short in-class writing prompts, think-pair-shares, and online discussions to generate student engagement and participation. I emphasize frequent low-risk writing exercises to help students learn practical strategies for navigating the writing process and overcome anxieties about writing “correctly.” One successful in-class activity I use in preparation for a major assignment is called “the twenty minute draft” or “down drafting” (as in just get something down). This free-writing and brainstorming exercise breaks drafting into four five-minute non-stop segments, and gives students a dedicated space and time to begin working on their paper well before it’s due. Students often surprise themselves with what they can achieve when they are too busy writing to worry about how to write.
While my courses teach detailed instruction on how to research, write, and revise strong academic and analytical papers, I also ask students to think about what they do know rather than what they don’t know about writing and reading. When instruction works against existing expertise, students become frustrated by trying to fit into formulas and by being overly concerned with learning all the rules. I don’t like to end up reading dry papers with a very stiff and exaggerated “academic voice,” so I want students to understand that no one has their voice, their style, or their particular outlook and experiences; they are experts on themselves. I have students experiment with a variety of writing styles and approaches rather than attempt to find the right “formula” for writing, and I teach them to pay careful attention to the audience and situation for each writing assignment, since what works in one situation may not work in another.
I support a classroom community where diverse perspectives are seen as invaluable assets to learning and all voices are heard. This commitment to inclusiveness starts on the first day of class when students spend time meeting a peer to introduce to the class rather than themselves. Since I work with many students pursuing their education while working jobs, meeting family obligations, and balancing the unpredictability of life, I stress my availability and provide clear instructions, formative feedback, and resources to support success. I end my classes by expressing genuine gratitude for learning alongside students and hearing their stories, which is my favorite part of being a teacher.
I am particularly interested in interdisciplinary learning, and I try to encourage students to see the intersections between the humanities and other disciplines rather than their boundaries. Part of my research focuses on the technological, societal, and ideological expressions of utopianism in American literature, film, and culture. This interest in examining utopia through various lenses inspires my approach to the classroom, where I look for innovative ways to connect literature to issues that matter to my students. For example, in an upper-division Science in Literature course I teach, students read literature alongside current research in science and technology. Teaching science fiction in the context of real world science helps students recognize the potent relevancy of literature and reflect more deeply on technology in their own lives. I use multi-modal projects to enhance this awareness. In addition to analytical papers, my students complete a Visual Midterm that encourages them to explore literature through projects such as games, videos, websites, sculpture, and music. Their final is a fanzine-inspired portfolio synthesizing course themes using both written and visual modes, from creative re-writing of texts to digital artwork.
As an instructor in an increasingly diverse and technology-driven world, I remain educated on emerging technologies that will best facilitate students’ interaction with the course material and each other. Experience has shown me that community and student engagement are just as achievable online as they are face-to-face, and I enjoy teaching in both modes. In my online courses, I look for ways to engage students with tools such as VoiceThread for interactive presentations and Google Drive for synchronous writing conferences. I enhance my virtual presence and emphasize my accessibility by posting frequent resources and announcements, by individualizing discussion posts and comments, and by supporting written feedback with audio and video comments. For face-to-face classes, I also take advantage of Drive to offer virtual writing conferences, and I leave timely, organized, and legible feedback on student work using the tools available in my school’s learning management system. All of my courses utilize online discussion boards to broaden opportunities for thoughtful discussion and writing practice, and to give quieter students a more confident voice (and these students often make the most sophisticated and engaging posts!). I vary the format of my feedback on student writing, and at least once early in the semester I replace written final comments with a “Jing” video of myself discussing the student’s work. This way I can humanize my comments and add personality. I also suspect that posting video feedback is more likely to encourage students to review my comments, and I hope it shows them my dedication to helping them improve.
Ultimately, being an instructor means being adaptable and open to change, and recognizing that while a philosophy may guide my choices, it is the unique and particular needs of each student that shapes how this philosophy plays out in the classroom.
My teaching philosophy has developed in response to teaching students who are initially resistant to reading and writing. Some students perceive writing and reading as unimportant, irrelevant, or overly difficult and complicated. They may believe they simply aren’t writers, they will never learn how to write, and they will especially never like to write. Some complain that literature and academic discourse is too tricky or elusive to understand, and that writing seems purposefully rigged with traps and roadblocks in the form of grammar rules and thesis sentences.
Tackling fears and uncertainties begins with modeling an attitude of excitement and passion for the material and finding strategies that seamlessly engage students in writing as an immediately enjoyable activity. I like to get students moving quickly into doing writing and as much as thinking about it. For instance, one activity I have found particularly successful is called “Stand Where You Stand,” which I have adapted from Discussion as a Way of Teaching: Tools and Techniques for Democratic Classrooms by Stephen Brookfield and Stephen Preskill, a book that has been very influential to my teaching. In preparation for the activity, students read about a current debate and write a response taking one of the following positions (or a variation of them, depending on the context): strongly agree, somewhat agree, strongly disagree, somewhat disagree. In class, students group themselves according to their position on the issue. Each student then shares his/her written response, and students can move between groups if they are persuaded by the arguments of their peers. I play the role of moderator as students, from the vocal to the usually shy, become energetically engaged in defending their stance while also listening to the diverse perspectives of their peers. The class ends with a reflection on effective strategies for argumentation and on the power of rhetoric to provoke action and change minds.
I work to build trust with my students, and to show them that I am not looking for them to repeat my own ideas, but to explore and understand their own. I prioritize one-on-one conferencing in my composition courses, and I ask that every student meets with me at least once early in the semester. My writing and literature courses feature interactive lectures, small group activities, short in-class writing prompts, think-pair-shares, and online discussions to generate student engagement and participation. I emphasize frequent low-risk writing exercises to help students learn practical strategies for navigating the writing process and overcome anxieties about writing “correctly.” One successful in-class activity I use in preparation for a major assignment is called “the twenty minute draft” or “down drafting” (as in just get something down). This free-writing and brainstorming exercise breaks drafting into four five-minute non-stop segments, and gives students a dedicated space and time to begin working on their paper well before it’s due. Students often surprise themselves with what they can achieve when they are too busy writing to worry about how to write.
While my courses teach detailed instruction on how to research, write, and revise strong academic and analytical papers, I also ask students to think about what they do know rather than what they don’t know about writing and reading. When instruction works against existing expertise, students become frustrated by trying to fit into formulas and by being overly concerned with learning all the rules. I don’t like to end up reading dry papers with a very stiff and exaggerated “academic voice,” so I want students to understand that no one has their voice, their style, or their particular outlook and experiences; they are experts on themselves. I have students experiment with a variety of writing styles and approaches rather than attempt to find the right “formula” for writing, and I teach them to pay careful attention to the audience and situation for each writing assignment, since what works in one situation may not work in another.
I support a classroom community where diverse perspectives are seen as invaluable assets to learning and all voices are heard. This commitment to inclusiveness starts on the first day of class when students spend time meeting a peer to introduce to the class rather than themselves. Since I work with many students pursuing their education while working jobs, meeting family obligations, and balancing the unpredictability of life, I stress my availability and provide clear instructions, formative feedback, and resources to support success. I end my classes by expressing genuine gratitude for learning alongside students and hearing their stories, which is my favorite part of being a teacher.
I am particularly interested in interdisciplinary learning, and I try to encourage students to see the intersections between the humanities and other disciplines rather than their boundaries. Part of my research focuses on the technological, societal, and ideological expressions of utopianism in American literature, film, and culture. This interest in examining utopia through various lenses inspires my approach to the classroom, where I look for innovative ways to connect literature to issues that matter to my students. For example, in an upper-division Science in Literature course I teach, students read literature alongside current research in science and technology. Teaching science fiction in the context of real world science helps students recognize the potent relevancy of literature and reflect more deeply on technology in their own lives. I use multi-modal projects to enhance this awareness. In addition to analytical papers, my students complete a Visual Midterm that encourages them to explore literature through projects such as games, videos, websites, sculpture, and music. Their final is a fanzine-inspired portfolio synthesizing course themes using both written and visual modes, from creative re-writing of texts to digital artwork.
As an instructor in an increasingly diverse and technology-driven world, I remain educated on emerging technologies that will best facilitate students’ interaction with the course material and each other. Experience has shown me that community and student engagement are just as achievable online as they are face-to-face, and I enjoy teaching in both modes. In my online courses, I look for ways to engage students with tools such as VoiceThread for interactive presentations and Google Drive for synchronous writing conferences. I enhance my virtual presence and emphasize my accessibility by posting frequent resources and announcements, by individualizing discussion posts and comments, and by supporting written feedback with audio and video comments. For face-to-face classes, I also take advantage of Drive to offer virtual writing conferences, and I leave timely, organized, and legible feedback on student work using the tools available in my school’s learning management system. All of my courses utilize online discussion boards to broaden opportunities for thoughtful discussion and writing practice, and to give quieter students a more confident voice (and these students often make the most sophisticated and engaging posts!). I vary the format of my feedback on student writing, and at least once early in the semester I replace written final comments with a “Jing” video of myself discussing the student’s work. This way I can humanize my comments and add personality. I also suspect that posting video feedback is more likely to encourage students to review my comments, and I hope it shows them my dedication to helping them improve.
Ultimately, being an instructor means being adaptable and open to change, and recognizing that while a philosophy may guide my choices, it is the unique and particular needs of each student that shapes how this philosophy plays out in the classroom.
A sassy moment with one of my favorite teaching colleagues.