The English Department Non-Tenure Track Faculty (NTTF) Committee does all kinds of good work. One good thing is their newsletter “In Addition…News from the English Department’s NTTF Committee.” One of the features of the newsletter, which is sent monthly to NTTF in the department, is a faculty profile, which they’ve agreed to let us share on the blog.

seanwaters

What name do you prefer to go by? Where are you located on campus? !
Sean. In the basement of Clark A — Clark A019.

What courses do you teach at CSU? What (if any) courses have you taught before?
I usually teach a near-full load of CO150, but I have also taught E 232 Humanities. Before my English Education MA, I was teaching Philosophy for CSU: PHIL 110 Logic and Critical Thinking and PHIL 170 World Philosophies.

What motivated you to become a teacher at CSU?
Interactions with students as a Philosophy GTA in 2008… I realized how much I loved the challenge of communicating to a room full of diverse people and backgrounds…and when I was able to make connections to a student’s individual development, I felt (and still do feel) that my work as an instructor was (is) important to the academic life of the university and to the democratic life of the country. Beyond the students, I am from Fort Collins and love it here… so teaching at CSU has the advantage of keeping me close to friends and family. Lastly – CSU draws an interesting and vibrant group of people. I love
working alongside the diverse and intelligent people of our English Department.

What has been your greatest memory so far at CSU?
Running into previous students that have told me how much my course continues to help them in their studies and their lives. Of course, this is especially nice when students can provide specifics — say, the critical thinking, reading, and writing skills we developed. Having the verification from students that you’re helping them achieve their goals and dreams is wonderfully satisfying.

If you were written about in the newspaper, on the front page, what would the headline say?
Oh boy — “Amateur Philosopher turned English Instructor Loves Helping Undergrads Build ‘Real World’ Critical Thinking and Literacy Skills.”