In celebration of NCTE’s National Day on Writing, I reflect on why I — despite a (self-inflicted) heavy teaching & service load — write.

I’m kicking off a new mini-series designed to help you reflect on your goals and commitments as you navigate life inside and outside the classroom. Each semester is a chance to pause and take stock, in this case of your of service commitments, areas for growth, and how you’ll document your impact.

Whether you're a teaching-track faculty member starting your career or looking to enhance your scholarly teaching practices, this blog series will guide you to pause, reflect, and define what scholarly teaching means for you. In this post, we explore scholarly teaching through my ORCHID acronym, offering actionable insights for the upcoming school year.