My name is Monica Swindle, and I  graduated with a Master of Arts degree in English from the University of Missouri - St. Louis with a focus on Gender Studies and Contemporary Literature, Theory, and Culture.  I also received my Bachelor of Arts degree from UMSL (summa cum laude) in English and earned undergraduate and graduate certificates in Women's and Gender Studies.  As part of my graduate education, I completed a Certificate in University Teaching as well as a two-year Graduate Teaching Asssistantship with the Gender Studies Department.  I currently teach as a lecturer for the Gender Studies program and the Graduate School at the University of Missouri - St. Louis, and as a composition and literature instructor at St. Louis Community College at Meramec. ​​

      

I have taught composition, literature, and gender studies from the developmental to the graduate level in both community college and university settings using a constructivist approach that enacts an active, authentic, and student-centered pedagogy.  Additionally, through undergraduate and graduate education courses, the Certificate in University Teaching (CUT) program, and experience, I have learned to bring a balanced, pragmatic approach to composition instruction that focuses on both process and product in a way that is attendant to students’ developmental needs and capabilities and creatively incorporates a number of different composition strategies in addition to traditional essay writing.

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In the last two years I have focused specifically on developmental education, serving on a design committee for accelerated developmental learning courses and developing and refining new curriculum and assessment tools in my own courses.  Additionally, I have extensive experience designing and teaching online and am certified by Quality Matters and St. Louis Community College.  At the University of Missouri – St. Louis, I advocated for and designed the core Gender Studies classes for the new online certificate program.  I have also been active in my department and campus community by developing curriculum and program learning outcomes both independently and collaboratively with colleagues, serving on committees, assisting with advising, attending conferences, publishing, and writing grants. 

          
In addition to teaching experience, I also have worked on campus in other productive capacities that gives me a unique skillset.  As part of my duties for the Gender Studies department at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, I handled the web development/maintenance, social media presence, and graphic design for the program and developed international partnerships with colleagues in Australia and Poland.  I regularly incorporate technology in my teaching and my students’ work in innovative ways.  I have also served as a supervisor for the peer tutoring and Supplemental Instruction office, training and supervising 60 student workers, collecting and assessing program data, and providing online and administrative support.
    

I enjoy teaching immensely and bring passion, dedication, and creativity to my campus.  Teaching at the college level has been the most enjoyable and meaningful job I have ever had; watching my students develop and discover has been extremely rewarding, especially considering that many of the students I teach are the first ones in their families to attend college.  Education is an important tool in promoting social justice and creating involved and responsible global citizens, and as an instructor I am continually excited to be part of the ever-changing processes of teaching and curriculum design to help my students reach their goals. As an instructor I have high expectations for all students and am reflective, creative, flexible, and committed to professional development both in terms of pedagogy and in the fields of composition, literature, and gender studies.

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For more detailed information, please view my Curriculum Vitae here.