EDUCATION
Ph.D., Indiana University of Pennsylvania
BIO
Dr. Penner has 27 plus years of teaching and is English Professor Emeritus at Tabor College. She teaches writing, literature, rhetoric, and criticism. She resides in Hillsboro, Ks.
EDUCATION
PhD, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
M.A., Missouri State University
M.L.A., Texas Christian University
B.S., Evangel University
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
“When students make decisions about the shape of their education and have the freedom to approach materials initially through their existing interests, knowledge, and passion, they develop a firm grasp of the subject. Just as important, however, are the openness and confidence toward new learning that come from being part of a community of individuals, not simply “a class.” Ultimately, my teaching seeks not only to foster an environment in which everyone talks, but a joint project in which each student and I develop a relationship built on mutual trust that both of us deserve a say in how we approach the process.”
EDUCATION
B.A., English, University of Saint Mary
B.A., Theatre, University of Saint Mary
M.A., Communication, Fort Hays State University
BIO
By day, Jerrad Willis is a mild-mannered academic who wields the power of words with precision and passion. He transforms anxious freshmen into confident communicators and reluctant writers into masters of the pen. With a chalkboard as his canvas and a syllabus as his script, Mr. Willis guides students through the labyrinth of grammar, rhetoric, and persuasive speech.
But beware! In the world of academia, Willis is a formidable force. Known for his quick wit, sharp critiques, and an uncanny ability to make even the driest of topics come alive, he’s the superhero of sentence structure, the vigilante of vocal variety.
When not shaping minds in the classroom, Willis can be found on his Powerful Peloton, training for a Mighty Marathon, or Skillfully Streaming on his Twitch channel. His mission: to inspire, to educate, and to unleash the inner wordsmith in every student he encounters.
EDUCATION
M.A., Fort Hays State University
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
For me, teaching is a lot about the personal relationships developed with students. Teaching, especially predominantly freshman level courses, centers around supporting students as they find their way in college. Oh, and the Oxford comma – definitely, the Oxford comma.
EDUCATION
B.S. University of Colorado at Boulder
M.A. University of Northern Colorado
EDUCATION
B.A. from Wichita State University
M.Ed. from Wichta State University
Prof. Ami Martinez graduated from Wichita State University in 1997 with a B.A. in English literature and earned her Master’s of Education in 2008, also from Wichita State. Prof. Martinez began teaching at McPherson College in the fall of 2012 after teaching in Kansas high schools for nine years. Prof. Martinez teaches Rhetoric 1 and 2 as well as public speaking and strives to create an engaging and active classroom experience for all her students. In 2013, she accepted a fellowship from The Coleman Foundation; as part of this fellowship, Prof. Martinez has worked to create unique, real-world writing experiences for her students in order to help them understand the change-making power of words.
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
“I teach with passion and compassion. As I prepare each lesson I consider not just what I want students to know, but also what I want them to be able to do. I believe one learns a skill by practicing that skill, and thus I aim for my classes to be as interactive as possible. Treating each student as an individual and meeting each student at his or her current skill level are central to my teaching philosophy. I know my students have great ideas, whether those ideas are about business, automotive restoration, biology, art, or any discipline; my job, I believe, is to support students in expressing those great ideas via the spoken and written word.”