2017 Outstanding University Graduate Student Teaching Award Winner- Doctoral I
Shane Combs, M.A.
- M.A. in English from East Carolina University (2015)
- Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of English
Teaching philosophy
Bearing witness through an affective-relational pedagogy.
My motivation to become a college professor comes from
What I’ve seen in my own lived experience. I was a high school dropout, as were two of my three siblings. I failed a lot. And I learned from it. I recognize that students often come into the classroom with their pasts still out in front of them.They need new experiences and new successes. They often need to update outdated narratives of themselves. My motivation is that motivation doesn’t have to stay isolated. It can be shared.
The most rewarding aspect of teaching for me is
The dynamic nature of teaching. Relationships in the classroom are inter-affective. I am changed, as are my students. It is impossible, I believe, to have a static pedagogy and remain effective. I am thankful for this, as it makes every day feel like a new day open to possibility.
Best compliment I received from a student was
“I urge you to continue teaching under ‘a pedagogy of giving a sh*t.’ Not many people get the opportunities we had to face our demons.”
