Stephanie Leow

Where do you attend school and what activities are you involved in?

Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in English (Writing, Rhetorics, and Literacies) at Arizona State University. I received a BA in English, a BA in Linguistics, and minor in Spanish at Georgetown University. At Georgetown, I was involved in a variety of educational projects, including being a Project Associate at the Red House (a research and design unit for curricular innovation), the Student Engagement Intern at The Pivotal Network (a nonprofit for high teacher professional development), and a Digital Learning and Engagement Intern at the Smithsonian Institution and Rockwell Museum. All of these experiences have given me different perspectives on classroom practices and student learning.

What have your teaching opportunities been outside of Fairfax Collegiate?

Currently, I'm an Instructor of First Year Composition at Arizona State University. I also am a contract College Essay Coach at DC College Counseling and a Research Writing Coach at Lumiere Education. In my undergraduate years, I was deeply dedicated to the Georgetown University Writing Center, serving as a Writing Center Consultant and a Teaching Assistant of Approaches to Teaching English Composition (our tutor training course).

What subjects have you taught with Fairfax Collegiate in the past?

I've worked at Fairfax Collegiate during the summers of 2019, 2022, and 2023. As an Instructor, I've taught a wide variety of the reading and writing courses to all grade levels. Last year, I also worked as a Curriculum Developer, reviewing content and developing rubrics for the writing courses.

What sort of experience have you had in the subject you’ll be teaching this summer?

My relevant coursework includes creative writing courses (Creative Nonfiction at Georgetown); teacher training courses (Approaches to Teaching English Composition at Georgetown, Teaching First Year Composition / Teaching Multilingual Composition at ASU); and theoretical/research courses (Approaches to Teaching Writing / L2 Writing at Georgetown, Composition Studies and Theories of Literacy at ASU). I have also published research on topics such as multilingual composition and cognitive writing processes.

What excites you about teaching and working with students?

My favorite part about working with young students is their limitless creativity. They all have fascinating stories inside of them, but sometimes they just need a supportive environment for their creativity to shine. In my classes, I hope to build young writers' confidence, as they develop language skills and expressive dispositions.

Outside of work, what are some hobbies you enjoy?

Outside of the classroom, I'm likely experimenting in the kitchen, going on a hike, or playing a few too many games of GamePigeon 8-Ball.