Research

Dissertation Abstract

This dissertation represents the culmination of my doctoral studies and demonstrates my development as a poet. The dissertation begins with a critical introduction of my studies of the Black Arts Movement, which serves as a prologue to my full-length poetry manuscript.

Deeply influenced by poetry written by African Americans from the Harlem Renaissance through the Black Arts Movement, I recognize the importance of poetry’s response to cultural and political change. In the introduction, I explore the works of Gwendolyn Brooks, Amiri Baraka, Maya Angelou, Sonia Sanchez, Etheridge Knight, Audre Lorde, Michael Harper, Nikki Giovanni, and Claudia Rankin.

These poets inspired me with their poetic approaches to Black love, Black history, and Black culture. Their poems taught me lyrical techniques and a willingness both to adhere to and break from traditional poetic forms and language. Within this discussion, I intersperse segments of my own work to represent their influence.

The poems selected for this manuscript draw on themes such as family heritage, African American history and culture, social justice, womanhood, religion, and the natural world. The poems are written in free verse, blank verse, and forms such as sonnet variations, and they experiment with stanza formation and visual form to reflect content and tone.

Therefore, this project exemplifies my dedication to the craft, my community engagement teaching pedagogy, and my focus on modern American poetry of the Black Arts Movement and beyond.

Valerie A. Smith, Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy is centered on community-engaged writing and writing as a process pedagogy, whereby I help students cultivate critical thinking skills by engaging with the world through written communication. These pedagogies are supported by John Dewey’s statement that “[a] curriculum which acknowledges the social responsibilities of education must present situations where problems are relevant to the problems of living together, and where observation and information are calculated to develop social insight and interest” (10). I believe teaching English is a social responsibility because it encompasses the methods in which students learn to explore and articulate the questions and concerns that matter most to their communities.

Community-engaged writing is integral to student success and supports USG’s mission that “we will instill a passion for learning and equip our students with essential skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication and collaboration that are necessary for success in work and life” (12). Scholars Giroux and McLaren confirm that community-engaged writing pedagogy “attempts to organize classroom relationships so that students can draw upon and confirm those dimensions of their own histories and experiences which are deeply rooted in the surrounding community” (11). For example, I developed my doctoral studies on the fact that “poets of the Black Arts Movement used modern techniques to focus on subjects that were significant to the Black community during and after the Civil Rights Movement” (199). Community-engaged writing assignments help students discover topics in which they have a personal stake, establish their writing voices, articulate their arguments, and recognize the importance of effective communication. Opportunities for students to reflect on firsthand experiences and research community-based issues aligns with the USG Strategic plan to “prioritize students’ overall well-being, from mental health to financial stability” (12). In turn, students discover a fulfilling purpose for writing that elevates their composition skills.

Collaboration and community engagement within the classroom reinforces the learning community established at the university level and equips students for workplace environments. Following the principles of writing as a process, I design assignments and class activities that encourage students to brainstorm ideas with their peers and compose drafts in various rhetorical genres. Students reflect on their writing progress and revise their work with supportive feedback that addresses their goals for improvement. Students strengthen their writing by reviewing each other’s work and by preparing final drafts in written and digital formats.

With student success in mind, I promote an inclusive learning environment where students and their ideas are valued. I strengthened my knowledge of student access by training in online and hybrid instruction, and I meet with students regularly to assist with student accommodations. By applying strategies for Transparency in Learning and Teaching, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Backward Course Design, I build assignments with a written purpose and goal, and I identify how each assignment aligns with university course outcomes. I grade assignments in a timely fashion, provide constructive feedback focused on student growth, and offer consistent and flexible office hours, both in person and virtually, to ensure student success.