Evelyn Dsouza

Statement of Teaching Philosophy

At the University of Minnesota, I teach first-year and advanced writing. Across these settings, I strive for the following markers of excellence in teaching:

  • Communicative and accessible. I offer regular, timely, and meaningful feedback that values the process of writing, conveyed always in a respectful and encouraging tone. Course materials employ an intuitive and accessible design to facilitate ease-of-use.

  • Inclusive, equitable, and community-focused. I create an open environment that honors students’ various strengths, experiences, and interests. I am committed to transparency in everything I do, where expectations are made clear and available, and we as a class community have thought about and discussed the assessment criteria together. I am dedicated to meeting students where they are at and supporting their growth from that point, built on relationships.

  • Oriented toward action and engagement. Class sessions feature a variety of purpose-driven activities in pursuit of learning goals. The experience of the course is predictable in the ways that matter, but remains new, engaging, and interesting at the same time.

  • Rooted in reflective practice. I improve as an educator because I seek continual improvement, and I engage thoughtfully and responsively with feedback from students, colleagues, and the literature in writing pedagogy.

View my full statement of teaching philosophy (PDF)

Example Syllabi

Below, you can click each image to download examples of recent syllabi (PDFs) for a selection of courses.

first year writing

WRIT 1301 introduces students to rhetorical principles that provide a framework for successful written communication in college and beyond. The course is taught in a workshop format and requires active engagement in the writing process, including pre-writing, peer review, revision, and editing.

technical & professional writing

This course introduces students to technical and professional writing through various readings and assignments in which students analyze and create texts that work to communicate complex information, solve problems, and complete tasks. ​​Students gain knowledge of workplace genres as well as to develop skills in composing such genres.

writing arguments

Students learn about argument, drawn from a number of theories of argument. Students get regular practice, coaching, and feedback on their writing skills, primarily as these concern argumentative writing. Students also learn how to analyze argumentative texts, drawn from popular culture, academic fields, and the public realm.