Crag Hill: Innovation Meets Excellence
by Debbie Lee
Crag Hill is an Assistant Professor in the WSU English Department where he specializes in English Teaching Methods.
You know someone’s top-notch when you hear on Saturday from your colleague’s son that "Mr. Hill is an awesome teacher”; on Wednesday from your undergraduate advisee, “everyone should take Professor Hill’s class”; on the following Friday from your hairdresser that “Crag was one of those high school teachers who everyone wanted to take. Even the people who hated English loved his class”; and on Monday from your graduate student, “In Crag Hill’s class we get to really talk about all those adolescent fiction books we loved as teenagers.” When I visited his class a few weeks ago, I understood what all the buzz was about. The students were completely involved as Crag stood before them eliciting comments about "how to lead a discussion." The students weren't the only ones engaged. I thought, I want to take this class!
Crag Hill offers a number of courses aimed at training tomorrow’s high school teachers (Crag is a former high school teacher himself). His courses are always marked by creativity and innovation. In English 324, Rhetoric and Composition for Teaching, for example, two paths emerge, diverge, and merge: teaching writers and writing as teachers. Students are asked to wear two hats, student and teacher, completing work as if a secondary student while reflecting as a teacher on the purpose and process of that work.
This year, students in English 324 will contribute at least one piece of writing to the National Council of Teachers of English Gallery of Writing. Publication on this website serves two purposes: to reinforce in these pre-service teachers the importance of maintaining an identity as a writer as they become teachers, and as an example of expanding the audience for student writers. Students choose writing from English 324, from other WSU classes, or writing that they have done outside of school. The galleries will be on display until June.
View English 324's Gallery of Writing
