Genre pedagogy will play a big part in my teaching portfolio primary because of the "genre awareness" approach. As a future teacher of composition, and being aware of the WAC conversation, I think it is important to provide student with tools and strategies for appropriating genres rather than teaching a specific genre outside of its natural environment. Our students need to learn from us a tool (writing) that will be used in any discipline they pursue. This is a vastly different dynamic than other disciplines have with English...other disciplines aren't really teaching things that the English-focused student needs to know. That isn't to say it isn't fair, rather that a teacher needs to be aware of what he or she is being asked to accomplish.
Using genre awareness, the class can focus on making a student's transition from the FYC classroom into their discipline of a choice a little easier. By providing tools and strategies, we are giving them more than just tips and tricks to get by; we are giving them confidence in their ability to analyze, participate, critique and transform the genre(s) they will be operating in both inside and outside of the university.
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